TNM K24 million Cricket Academy goes rural

TNM has unveiled ambitious plans to promote cricket at grass roots through an intensive national outreach programme effective November 9, head of marketing Sobhuza Ngwenya has said.

The mobile network operator is bankrolling junior cricket through a four-year sponsorship to the Blantyre-based Cricket Academy worth K24 million.

Speaking Saturday at an end-of-season slam at St Andrew’s International High School, Ngwenya said the objective of the outreach is to develop young cricket talent and move cricket into a mainstream commercial sport.

“Cricket is big news elsewhere. In Africa, countries such as Zimbabwe and Kenya take it seriously. For Malawi to reach that far, we must first build a solid foundation through the youth, and that is why TNM is sponsoring the Cricket Academy,” said Ngwenya.

He said TNM’s sponsorship of the Cricket Academy goes towards equipment, administration of the academy’s offices at St Andrew’s, coach training and running of training clinics for youth in primary and secondary schools across the country.

He said the academy, which is managed by Vivak Ganesen, would from November 9 go on an outreach campaign in Chikhwawa, Machinga, Mangochi, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Salima, Karonga, Mchinji, Lilongwe and Mzuzu to meet boys and girls and recruit interested ones.

The academy’s senior coach Gift Kansonkho thanked TNM for the current sponsorship, saying many schoolchildren are turning their interest and energies to cricket.

“Children are realising that there’s a future in cricket. The game is an extra-curriculum activity that helps to keep them healthy and focused mentally. We are grateful to TNM for being there to help us popularise cricket in Malawi,” said Kansonkho.

During Saturday’s games, four schools played in a semi-final aimed at finding a champion for the 2013 season.

Blantyre Girls beat Nyambadwe Community Secondary School with three wickets while Naizi of Bangwe outsmarted St Andrew’s by six wickets to book the final. Naizi emerged 2013 champions after beating Blantyre Girls by 25 runs.