Botswana likely to withdraw from Africa Cup - all the news from the domestic front (5 Dec 1999)

5 December 1999

Botswana likely to withdraw from Africa Cup - all the news from the domestic front

Botswana is likely to withdraw from the Africa Cricket Association Cup in February due to financial reasons.

With next year's version of the Cup extended to a 10-day event, the Botswana Cricket Association may not be able to generate the necessary funds.

This situation is somewhat symbolic of cricket in Botswana, which is regarded more as recreation than a competitive sport.

"Up until five years ago, even in Gaborone, we used to have a pick-up game from teams that were chosen once the players had congregated at the designated time once a month, and that was that," BCA official, Mr. Jack Sands said.

Now an organised structure is beginning to take place with an annual inter-town competition being held. Teams for the 50-over-aside competition are split into two pools, based on geographical lines. The northern pool consists of Orapa, Selebi Phikwe, Nyangabgwe (in Francistown) while Gaberone A, Gaberone B, Gaberone Under 23s, Lobatse and Jwangeng comprise the southern pool. The inter-town competition normally starts in April, finishing in either August or September.

Gaberone A and Gaberone Under 23s qualified for the semi-finals from the southern pool, while Selebi Phikwe and Orapa progressed from the northern pool.

Gaberone Under 23s took out the final, scoring 238 before skittling Gaberone A for 199.

It is appropriate that Gaberone, which has most of Botswana's cricketers should provide both teams for the national final.

The national capital has over 200 players, who unfortunately share the one decent ground, meaning most players only get a game about once a fortnight.

The Gaberone season starts in January with a six-a-side competition contested by 20 teams under lights after work. During winter, 11-12 teams compete in an 11-a-side 35 over league, with three matches played on the one pitch over one weekend. There are other competitions such as the recently concluded mini-World Cup, which was also held under lights. The Gaberone season will typically finish in October when it gets too hot.

While there are several teams in Gaberone, there is only one club - the Gaberone Cricket Club.

Teams which play in the Sixes and the `Mini-World Cup' are usually sponsored by local companies and split along ethnic grounds - Botswana Muslims, Indian Muslims, Pakistani Muslims, Hindus, Tamil Tigers, Rhodesians, Sinhalese and South Africans.

Although not openly referred to, players tend to stick rigidly to teams on racial lines, even to the extent of not playing rather than joining another team of different ethnicity.

Over half of Botswana's cricketers are of Asian extraction, which means numbers fluctuate as players enter and leave the country.

The most significant development in Gaberone cricket recently has been the installation of floodlights in June.

Of the other centres, Francistown is in the healthiest position with 25 players having access to two grounds.

Other towns, such as Lobatse, Jwaneng, Palapwe, Orapa, and Selebi Phikwe have their own pitches but experience fluctuating numbers. All pitches are concrete with artificial turf.

The inter-town competition is normally the only time cricket is played in most of the towns outside Gaberone.

Unfortunately only one indigenous African has started played the game, a Motswana schoolboy

This is mainly because cricket was non-existent as a school sport until recently. Access to mass coverage of cricket on South African television has attracted more school boys, but they are mainly whites or Asians. For African school children, soccer and softball are still the games of choice.

Another hurdle is the distance between towns, with Orapa's nearest opposition three hours away, and Gaberone's one hour.

The Botswana Cricket Association battles to find the $US2000 annual membership for the Africa Cricket Association so it is unlikely to seek affiliation with either the East & Central Africa Cricket Conference or the International Cricket Conference in the immediate future.

Editor's note: This is the second national association which has informed `Beyond The Test World' of the hurdle the $US2000 membership fee provides. Another national body is very interested in joining the ACA but cannot afford the fee.