A GNA feature by Patrick Cofie
Accra, Oct. 24, GNA – What does Tsatsu Tsikata, the renowned lawyer; Martey Newman, a former Chief of Staff; Frank Adu, Cal Bank; Joel Hyde, Somotex-Ghana; Samson Aweh and Obed Harvey have in common? They were all good at cricket in their secondary school days, played for the national team and are champions in their own fields.
Unlike the dribbling or other technical skills required for other sports like basketball, rugby, soccer, volley ball or tennis etc; with cricket, as many are aware, if you can hold a stick in your hand and hit the ball further than anyone can or you can wear the appropriate gear and can successfully catch a cricket ball, then Cricket-Ghana needs you. And this effort of yours could forever change your destiny.
Indeed as I was growing up, one of the most exciting games we played in the Madina-Firestone area was “Chas-keley”. For those who know what that means, they would also not hesitate to agree with me that we wanted to bat a ball before it hits a wicket (cricket) or before the opposing team catches it (baseball), but as we did not have the requisite gear, so we opted for a lorry tyres or baskets as our objective.
Indeed cricket is not an elitist sport and it is for all in the society. So how does one play cricket? Or how is cricket played? Well you could see it like this- if you think you can throw a cricket ball better than anyone else, well I and my team can bat cricket balls better that anyone as well. So let the game begin.
Some also say cricket is all about bowling, batting and fielding. Or throwing, hitting, running and catching a ball. Cricket is a bat and ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 22-yard (20 metre) pitch with a wicket at each end. Each wicket comprise two bails balanced on three stumps.
The batting side scores runs by striking the ball bowled at one of the wickets with the bat and running between the wickets while the bowling and fielding side tries to prevent this by preventing the ball from leaving the field and getting the ball to either wicket and thereby dismiss the batter.
Means of dismissal include being bowled, when the ball hits the stumps and dislodges the bails and by the fielding side either catching the ball after it is hit by the bat before it hits the ground or hitting a wicket with the ball before a batter can cross the crease in front of the wicket. When ten batters have been dismissed, the innings ends and teams swap roles. The game is adjudicated by two umpires aided by a third umpire and a match referee in international matches.
It was at the University of Ghana’s Mensah Sarbah Loggia where I met Mr Emmanuel Owusu- Ansah Asare, the President Ghana Cricket Association, he explained that just as he got introduced and hitched to cricket at Mfanstipim secondary school in the sixties, so are they working to ensure that the culture of cricket is being inculcated in our gaming culture from the primary to the tertiary level.
He explained that much as cricket is becoming en vogue in Ghana, in those days, many mining centers like Akwatia, Obuasi and Tarkwa amongst others also had cricket ovals and whiles in school, we went round playing against them.
And because our school had a dedicated coach, we also played against schools like Achimota School and Adisadel amongst others. Opoku Ware, Prempeh College, Offinso Training College, Tamale Secondary school etc. were equally renowned for their cricket skills and traveling across the country for such games made our secondary education very worthwhile, Mr Asare said.
Quite unfortunately, he explained, our dire predicament means that currently the nation can only boast of two dedicated cricket ovals in Achimota and Obuasi; with Achimota being the host of the national oval.
Mr Asare said much as cricket is an older sport, its organization in the country is beset with many challenges and there is the need for more commitment from all stakeholders like it’s done with other sports
Currently we have juvenile and adult teams in both male and female categories, he explained, and cricket clubs are emerging in various regions across the country.
Mr Asare said there are also various leagues in Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Volta and Central regions; and the cricket culture has already been established in three public universities namely University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University College of Education- Winneba.
Currently the Colleges of Education have added cricket as part of their sports training curriculum and for the past 4-5 years, we have intensified our efforts in various schools across the country.
Mr Asare said if a fraction of the attention given to established sports like soccer can be given to cricket, the development of the sport would greatly improve and many would earn decent and reliable incomes.
We need more corporate sponsors and they would not lose by associating themselves with us as the sport is fast growing and this is besides the fact that in August 2023 the All African Games would be held for the first time in Ghana.
And the International Cricket Council body, he said, seeing our efforts recently brought down the T20 cricket world trophy to tour the country to increase cricket awareness.
So to any parent who is reading this article- note quite carefully as your ward or child could be the next Ghanaian cricket star. And more importantly your child does not need to go to the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India or even the West Indies to learn to how to play cricket. Your ward should just join any of the juvenile or adult leagues and his cricket skills could bring your family fame, wealth and fortune.
And for those parents who spent their childhood playing “Chas-keley” well that time is over and it now time for the real ballgame- Cricket. And after playing there is equally no time for kenkey and crabs whiles we can have kenkey and sardines.
GNA