Chronicle Editor
By Innocent Kurira. [email protected]
STANBIC Bank has been commended for its contribution towards junior cricket development through sponsoring the annual Stragglers Junior Cricket Week which takes place in Harare.
The Stanbic Bank sponsored Stragglers Junior Cricket week roared into life yesterday as the financial services institution plays its part in grassroots cricket development.
Stragglers chairperson, Win Ives said Stragglers Junior Cricket Week has been made possible by the bank’s contribution.
“Among many other areas Stanbic Bank assists greatly in hosting the development sides that join us. It is the one event of the year where 500 young cricketers can showcase their abilities,” said Ives.
She said this cricket week has been running for over 60 years and applauded Stanbic Bank for being involved for almost half of that period.
During the week-long event the budding cricketers from different socio-economic backgrounds rub shoulders and they play against each other.
The Grade Four and Five cricketers play in the morning while the Grade Six and Seven play in the afternoon.
The players are placed into teams named after cricketing countries — Zimbabwe, West Indies, India, England, Australia, and Sri Lanka.
Each Country challenges a different country every day during the week in limited overs matches.
All cricketers are rotated and every player has a chance to bat and bowl. Certificates are awarded to high achieving cricketers.
Ives said while this successful model remains, it is fine-tuned every year to ensure its smooth running.
“Every year we have budding cricketers who are successful in their school cricketing career and endeavour to go further after school. While we do not keep track of all of them, it is always exciting to see some familiar names in the senior school age groups and at national level,” said Ives.
She said Stragglers exposes the development sides to all levels of talent and gives them the opportunity to play the game with sides they would not normally play against.
Ives said Stragglers Junior Cricket Week was designed to share the passion and the love of the game of cricket adding that this is achieved annually as the young cricketers leave the week wanting to play more and having established firm friendships around the game.
“Every year, Stragglers Junior Cricket Week showcases a talent which is essential for the survival and future of cricket in Zimbabwe. The demographics of Stragglers Junior Cricket Week are very broad and lifetime friendships are created during the week, thanks to this wonderful game of cricket,” said Ives.
Stanbic Bank acting head, brand and marketing, Tariro Memo said the bank is committed to playing its part in shaping the future of cricket in the country through the programme.
Stragglers Junior cricket week takes place every August at Hartmann House and St George’s College as a way of allowing the young players to let off steam after a demanding second school term.
Memo said Stanbic Bank was not only committed to ensuring that its clients’ banking needs were met but also to change the face of the communities in which it operates through well-structured Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives.
‘Stragglers is one such initiative which is multi-pronged as it covers the education and sport pillars while also ensuring that the young ones stay healthy throughout the week-long event. We all know that a healthy body is a healthy mind so the benefits of Stragglers are far reaching,” said Memo.
Stanbic’s CSI initiatives span education, environment and sanitation as well as education. In sport, Stanbic Bank has also assisted national hockey and tennis teams to participate in key tournaments.
Online Reporter