As, in theory, yesterday at Kabusunzu should have been our final coaching session – keep reading it was not – today saw us ending our official trip with a Kwik-Cricket festival and T20 match at the Kicukiro Oval. We again had the BBC in attendance filming the match, and also the ICC who were out filming a documentary on CWB’s work in Rwanda.

The Kwik-Cricket tournament was attended by teams from Kicukiro, Remera and Kabusunzu, (8 teams in total) who battled it out on the nursery pitch (actually a football pitch but let’s not dwell on that). Over on the national ground, Kagarama and Kicukiro Secondary school, the two main schools for cricket in Rwanda, battled it out for the crown of being the T20 champions.

With Kagarama winning the toss, they elected to put Kicukiro into bat first. After a quiet first over, Kagarama’s fast bowler, Walcott, took 2 wickets in the second, which left Kicukiro in a vulnerable position at 2-5. Kicukiro started to recuperate with Olivier coming in to support opening bat ‘Little’ Eric, who plays for Rwanda U15 national team. Together they put on a partnership of 26 before Olivier succumbed to an LBW decision, which started Bosco’s wicket frenzy for Kagarama. After 12 overs, with the score on 40, Little Eric went for the almighty hoike which was caught by Betty at mid-wicket. Little Eric finished on 21 off 46 balls (45.56 strike rate), which considering the pitch (three different bits of matting) is no mean feat. Kicukiro ended their innings in the 14th over, with the score on 49. Bosco, after his wicket frenzy, ended up taking 4-5 off his 3 overs.

With 50 needed to win, leading wicket taker and opening bat Bosco, along with ‘Kagarama’ Eric, opened up the innings for Kagarama. After a cautious start, they put on an opening partnership of 42, before ‘Kagarama’ Eric was bowled by ‘Little’ Eric in the 9th over. With only 8 more needed to win Bosco took charge, sublimely timing a four off Olivier’s fast bowling to the leg-side boundary to bring the scores level. The game was won by a wide off Olivier’s final ball, and so Kagarama won with 10 wickets in hand after 11 overs. Unsurprisingly, given his bowling performance and batting performance 18 runs off 33 balls (54.54 strike rate), Bosco won the man of the match award. This ended our official tour of Rwanda with a cracking game of hard-ball cricket played on at the Kicukiro Oval.

You may remember that on Wednesday we were visited by PSI for our coaching session at Remera Primary School. Subsequent to that PSI invited us to come and coach at one of their youth centres, Club Rafiki, before we left. So with 4 hours free this afternoon before sun-sets, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.

As we approach the centre, we are met with a massive sound wall of dancehall music coming up from Club Rafiki’s basketball court. To remain in keeping with the Club’s atmosphere we ask for the music to continue for our session, which we are informed, by PSI and the Club owners, will ensure that more people will come to the session to take part. So, with a live DJ and MC in attendance, we began our penultimate coaching session – against a backdrop of a hazy mist coming in off the rolling hills surrounding the club, in the smoky base of downtown Kigali with loud dance, hip-hop and reggae music providing the soundtrack to the session.

What proceeded was probably one of the most entertaining and lively cricket coaching sessions ever undertaken, participated and seen by anyone in the world. As a prime example during the batting coaching session Jim, Ange and Carl danced their way through the demonstrations to Rhianna and Usher, perfecting their formation street dancing moves, to much aplomb, and were joined by the kids they were coaching in kind. In the games of Kwik-Cricket at the end, with a playlist complied by DJ Hassan and Jules (quite frankly I was in my element cricket and hip-hop music together – a combination for winners in my view – Blog Ed), Don, Carl and Kev supervised the under 10s session with the kids on the outfield break-dancing and body-popping, between balls encouraged by Don’s occasional surly hip-hop moves and head nods, and Carl and Kev smiling away throughout the game. Over on the main basketball court, Big Eric was just about keeping control of the teenagers game, but was having trouble with Jim’s keeping and Ange and Lee at first and second slip respectively, dancing along to the music and not quite keeping their eyes on the game. At last count official figures show that at least 25 byes were scored during that game, not that it really mattered as everyone was really enjoying themselves and it was a really fitting way to celebrate our full final day in Rwanda.