The maiden Obuasi Cricket Festival ended successfully at the KNUST Obuasi campus over the weekend with over 100 participants in attendance.
The day’s event was to revamp and re-energise active cricket in the area with a total of 54 boys and 46 girls.
The children, between the ages of six and 17 were taken through catching drills, bowling and batting intermittently for two hours, and was followed by a demonstration match by the coaches.
In attendance was the senior national men’s cricket team captain, Samson Kwesi Awe Awiah, who commended the initiative, believing it will have a huge impact on the participants.
Mr Awiah said “the impact has been 100 per cent plus, because this hasn’t happened before in Ghana; to have a cricket festival.
“I want to encourage the organisers to keep it up, because we need more of these to get the kids playing the sport and get the grassroot come alive to secure our future for the sport.”
Ms Rhyda Ofori Amanfo, Skipper of the senior national women’s cricket team and organiser of the festival, said it will be an annual event to ensure cricket return to its glory day in Obuasi.
“We decided to revive cricket in Obuasi with this event. I remembered how cricket was in those days here. This cricket festival was effectively conducted to complement cricket in the region.
Also present at the event were national female cricket players including Rashidatu Salia, Kate Awuah, Miriam Eshun, Cynthia Konadu Ankobea, Ellen Otu Asante as well as coaches Prince Jula, Prince Obeng Manu, Dennis Amponsah and Maajah Mohammed.
The event was supported by Underground Mining Alliance (UMA).
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER
