By Innocent Ndawula
Our youngsters including Baby Cricket Cranes (Under 19) captain Frank Akankwasa and Zephaniah Arinaitwe fly out to South Africa this evening to attend an International Cricket Council (ICC) fully-funded High Performance Camp in Potchefstroom, North West.
“The camp runs from January 14 to February 20 and the pair have been picked as a reward for performing consistently well over the last 18 months. The ICC recognises talent and would like to further develop them,” said ICC Africa’s Finance and Operations Officer Kuben Pillay.
Akankwasa and Arinaitwe travel two days late after overcoming visa hitches, as authorities require more documentation and parents consent in writing for persons under 19 years of travelling to the Rainbow Nation.
The African Camp comprising of 14 participants from seven countries including; Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Botswana and Uganda will be overseen by North West Dragons tactician Gordon Parsons.
Parsons, a former Highveld Lions coach, is also the new Cricket Services Manager of North West Cricket Province – a role undertook in November last year. He was the brother-in-law of the late Hansie Cronje – and played 338 matches for Boland, Griqualand West, Leicestershire, Orange Free State and Warwickshire during a near two-decade career.
WHAT THE YOUNGSTERS SAY ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:
Zephaniah Arinaitwe Katungi:
“I earned this call through hard work. I did my job; scoring runs over the last months. Of course I am going to learn a lot of things and I want to improve in my weak zones. I will also want to prove to them that I can score centuries if we play any matches.”
Frank Akankwasa:
As a growing captain, I want to learn more about leardership. I hope to learn many things especially how to boost my confidence and polish my skills especially batting. May I can also learn an extra trick to add to my spin bowling.”
FRANK AKANKWASA
Nickname: Frank J
Local Club: Strikers
Born: Dec 22, 2001
Birth place: Naguru Hospital
Jersey No: 33
Batting style: Right-hand batsman
Bowling style: Off-break
Best score/bowling: 62 vs. Botswana U-19s & 4/7 vs. Tanzania U-19s
Cricketing idol: Glenn Maxwell of Australia
ZEPHANIAH ARINAITWE KATUNGI
Nickname: McCullum
Local Club: Strikers
Born: Dec 4, 2001
Birth place: Naguru Hospital
Jersey No: 32
Batting style: Right-hand batsman
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin
Also: Wicket-keeper
Debut: vs. Qatar (September 2016 in Nairobi)
Best score/bowling: 139 vs Kenya U-19s & 4/28 vs. Zimbabwe Lions
Cricketing idol: AB de Villiers (former South Africa captain)