The final day saw us put on a schools cricket festival at the national cricket ground in Kigali. As grand as this may sound, play took place on a wide expanse of dirt and grass, which was actually a great area for a cricket festival. 84 children turned up, aged between 9 and 16; they were grouped into juniors (9-12) and seniors (13-16) and 4 teams of 10 or 11 in each group.
As soon as play began it became apparent that despite not having been in cricket teams before, loyalty and a desire to win was embued in all the children. Runs were cheered, boundaries exalted and wickets celebrated with vigour – run outs in particular generated volume and animated expressions whichever way the umpire’s decision went. In one match a loss actually resulted in tears such was the passion and the will to win!
After some 12 games of cricket the winners were decided and we presented prizes to the best batters and bowlers in both the senior and junior sections before announcing the winning teams. We also presented a bag of cricket kit to Kicukiro School, which was gratefully received, resulting in big cheers and further celebrations. It was a great way to round off the trip; a hugely enjoyable competition for all involved and one which none of us will forget.
Cricket Without Boundaries