Cricket not crutches
A very interesting story on Reuters about disabled cricketers in Uganda .
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
A very interesting story on Reuters about disabled cricketers in Uganda.
"When we got here, we wondered how these guys in wheelchairs were going to get down," said Andy Dalby-Welsh [one of the overseas coaches] gesturing at the entrance to the ground: a hulking, green wooden stand looming over dozens of steep, cracked concrete steps. "They just hopped out, hurtled down and beat us to it," he said. "The level of athleticism, enthusiasm and talent we've found is just incredible."
Disability in Africa has sometimes been blamed on witchcraft and sufferers are often isolated. But in a sign of positive change, South Africa will host the third blind cricket World Cup in December. Both previous tournaments - which are played by mixed teams of blind and partially sighted players using a white ball containing ball bearings to make it rattle - have been held in cricket-friendly India.
Martin Williamson is executive editor of ESPNcricinfo and managing editor of ESPN Digital Media in Europe, the Middle East and Africa