Help for cricket stars in making

FIVE Zwide Centre of Excellence cricketers have taken a career step in the right direction after being chosen to attend training camps sponsored by Cricket South Africa.

Akhona Namba and Sihle Magongola played in the U15 age group while Dumisa Nocwembe, Onela Kebe and Lutho Siphamla participated in the U17 group.

The Zwide Centre of Excellence is a non-profit organisation that helps children from underprivileged areas receive training in the hope of uncovering future talent.

The training camps were conducted in East London last month and in Fort Hare in June.

The centre is run by former EP age-group cricketer Andrew Mazina, who is also the head coach. He is assisted by Simthembile Philip.

The centre caters for underprivileged children from the metro's township areas. It was established in 2005, but only started its operations in 2008.

Mazina selects his candidates from six schools teams mainly from the Zwide area. He then divides the candidates into age-group teams and they play against each other.

It is in these matches that Mazina and Philip do their final talent identification. The players who show the most promise are then invited to enrol at the centre.

"None of these schools are connected to the centre in any way," Mazina said. "We only offer these coaching clinics because the teachers from some of these schools do not want to stay behind after school to coach these kids

"This centre was opened because cricketers from most township areas very rarely get the exposure needed to make their careers flourish."

The U11 juniors also have a few budding stars in their midst. Kuhle Mnyanda, 9, is a right-arm fast bowler and comes from Gareth Primary School. Anathi Somfula, 10, a right-handed batsman and a right-arm leg-spinner, is also from Gareth Primary while Ntando Dyosiba, 11, is a right-handed batsman from Emfundweni Primary School.

Three players from the centre's U11 team have been called up to the Eastern Cape District team and have played against some of the province's top schools, beating the likes of Grey Junior in the youth league. They will also participate in a district cricket festival to be held next month.

The centre is funded by Cricket SA via Eastern Province Cricket, with this going towards equipment and the coaches' salaries. - Amir Chetty