Proteas suffer their first defeat in the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour.

Belvue Primary School was the first team to defeat the Proteas in the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour. With a 33 run win on the 5^th of November in Cape Town, they got the KFC Mini-Cricket kids back into the series after the Proteas won the first two matches of the seven match series. 

The Proteas and the Belvue Primary School teams on the day were both mixed sides, providing a great example to all young boys and girls who are getting active with KFC Mini-Cricket across the country that cricket is not a sport for males only.

Winning the toss and electing to field, the Proteas were up against it right from the start. With batting being the strength of the Belvue team, they used it to their advantage early on dispatching Shabnim Ismail and Thami Tsolekile to all parts of the field.

The expected nerves seem to do little to hinder the youngsters against their more seasoned opposition, but just as everything was going great for the KFC Mini-Cricket kids thanks to knocks from Rubin Deppe, Joshua Plaatjies and David Wagner, Alexis le Breton got the Proteas back into the game with two wickets in her first over.

There was little time for celebration for the Proteas team however, as Nicole Numan and Geneva Fillies put Belvue back on the front foot with some inspired stroke making while Rory Kleinveldt battled to find his rhythm. Once they departed, it was then time for Wilma Jones’ son Jesse to show what he was capable off.

Wilma, who’s friend Lana Knipe was the 3^rd winner in the KFC Mini-Cricket kids vs Proteas Tour competition and nominated Belvue Primary School to play against the Proteas, believes her son will be the next Jacques Kallis.

She was filled with excitement as he strode to the crease, but he was sadly bowled first ball by Mosline Daniels. After that initial setback though, he partnered with Waalied Adams and put together a formidable partnership that took the KFC Mini-Cricket kids to a score of 91 in their allotted 8 overs.

In response to the daunting target, the Proteas started slowly as Waalied Adams, the man of the match, was again proving to be a thorn in their side, this time with the ball. At the halfway stage, the Proteas had only 38 runs on the board despite the experienced Alviro Pietersen doing his best at the crease. Needing 53 runs from 24 balls, the Proteas could only manage another 20 runs, and with that, Belvue Primary were the deserving victors.

Team coach and Grade 1 teacher at Belvue Primary, Desiree Layman, was naturally overjoyed by the result; “I am bursting with pride. The kids were very nervous this morning and we were worried that they would not perform the way that we know they can due to their nerves. Some of the players don’t believe enough in themselves but today’s game will give them more confidence”.

From a proud coach to a proud parent, Wilma Jones also had an amazing day watching her son take on the Proteas; “I saw that my son has the temperament to play like Kallis. He started slowly but when he warmed up, he was unstoppable”.

With the Proteas now only leading the series 2-1, the next game at Edleen Primary in Kempton Park provides the KFC Mini-Cricket kids the chance to square things up on December the 19^th. This match takes place on the day before the Proteas play their first KFC T20 International against Pakistan, providing the perfect backdrop to inspire the young cricketers to get active and enjoy themselves against their heroes in a game that they love.

BRYANSTON HIGH SCHOOL COMPETES FOR OUTDOOR GYM

Bryanston High School, Gauteng, was one of the schools that competed in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge, a competition introduced to schools participating in the Coca-Cola® T20 schools challenge and aimed at getting learners to participate in physical activity. 

Bryanston selected their top 25 athletes from grades 8 – 11 to participate.  The concept encourages as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit within a 30 minute period.  The scores will only be made public once all schools have completed their challenge.  The school that completes the most circuits in the allotted time frame stands a chance to win a prize of an outdoor gym to the value of two hundred thousand rand, which will be installed at the winning school.

“This is a great initiative from Coca-Cola®,” said 17 year old, grade 11 learner, Dylan Wingrove. Who captains the rugby first team, plays first team cricket and also swims.  “We had such fun and the vibe was fantastic. Personally I found the first exercise, the shuttle drill, the most difficult. I found it difficult to get the ball on the cone.  Most people found the skipping the most difficult.  At one stage there was a queue.”

Mrs Loriene Tolstrup, Head of Department, Marketing, is hoping the school wins the outdoor gym.  “We have a small gym but it is not adequate and this will help keep the learners fit and active, and they can train together.”

The Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge was held on the same day as the schools fun day (Blue Day) when all students, with exception of the grade 12 learners, participate in different games including rugby, cross country, swimming, cricket and netball.  The focus is on team building and getting kids active.  “This challenge added a new dimension to the day and fitted into our objectives perfectly,” said Tolstrup.

The five drills in the Coca-Cola 30 Minute Heroes Challenge include:

1.    Shuttle runs between 6 beacons, moving a cricket ball from one   beacon to the next.

2.    Target Throwing at a set of wickets.

3.    Skipping with a skipping rope.

4.    Catching balls off a rebound board.

5.    Weaving in and out of 10 slalom poles.

For full competition terms and conditions please visit http://www.cocacola.co.za/".

Belvue Primary School wins a KFC Mini-Cricket kids vs Proteas Tour match

Lana Knipe is the second winner in the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour competition. Entering on behalf of her friend, Wilma Jones, Lana’s success now means that a KFC Mini-Cricket team from Belvue Primary School will take on the Proteas on the 5^th of November, in the third match of the exciting seven match tour.

Mother of three, Wilma Jones, encouraged all of her friends and family to enter the competition to increase her chances of winning and Lana was one of many who acted upon the request. Her link to KFC Mini-Cricket extends further than just entering. Her brother Grant used to coach KFC Mini-Cricket at Kenwyn Primary, and the interest in the game has been with her family ever since. A cricket and football lover, Lana’s favourite player is Rory Kleinveldt, a Proteas fast bowler who is also a star in her favourite local team, the Cape Cobras.

Other than getting a little help from her friends, Wilma entered so many times that she lost count, but it was all worth it in the end as her dream of providing her son Jesse with the chance to play against his cricketing heroes, came through in the end.

Jesse’s interest in cricket has increased this year by getting active with KFC Mini-Cricket and he has developed into a promising young batsman. Wilma has high hopes that he will one day become the next Jacques Kallis, Wilma’s favourite player.

Wilma firmly believes in getting involved in her kids school lives, and is thrilled with how this match will help Belvue Primary School get some great recognition within the junior game, and provide a group of youngsters something that they will never forget for the rest of their lives.

As in the Bloemfontein match, this will be the first time the Proteas will field a mixed team in Cape Town. This is nothing new for the KFC Mini-Cricket teams as both boys and girls frequently get active together in KFC Mini-Cricket matches. Whilst the female Proteas have been experiencing steady progress on the world stage, these matches will showcase how through all levels of the game, cricket in South Africa accommodates absolutely everyone.

The Proteas team for the day, as expected, is a strong one made up of Proteas Women Trisha Chetty, Shabnim Ismail, Moseline Daniels and Alexis Le Breton and Proteas Men Alviro Petersen, Rory Kleinveld, Thami Tsolekile and Farhaan Behardien. All players that were once also young kids getting active through the game, who have now gone on to make the most of their abilities.

The players in the KFC Mini-Cricket team will be announced on the day, but two new coaches have been brought in at Belvue Primary so the chosen players can get all the expertise and preparation they need. With the Proteas currently leading 2-0 in the 7 match tour series, the KFC Mini-Cricket kids know that this match is a must win to get them back into contention against their professional opposition.

Joining Wilma and Lana on the 5^th of November, will be a whole host of supporters made up of the various kids and family members aligned to the Belvue Primary School. Local support bases like this have been a tremendous element of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour to date, and certainly goes a long way in getting more and more South African’s active through a game we all love.

KRUGERSDORP HIGH SCHOOL COMPETES IN COCA COLA T20 SCHOOLS 30 MINUTE HEROES CHALLENGE

Krugersdorp High School, in Gauteng, was the second school to compete in the Coca-Cola 30 Minute Heroes Challenge, a competition introduced to schools participating in the Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge and aimed at getting learners physically active.   

All 1 400 pupils at Krugersdorp High came to either participate or watch their peers in action.   The concept encourages as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit within a 30 minute period.  The scores will only be made public once all schools have completed their challenge.  The school that completes the most circuits in the allotted 30 minute time frame will win a two hundred thousand rand outdoor gym, which will be installed at the winning school.

Neil Holmes, Deputy Head Principal and Sports Director, was on hand to encourage all his students.  “This is a fantastic initiative and those that took part had a lot of fun.  I was pleased to see how many learners that do not participate in any sporting activities getting involved and noted that the girls performed better at the skipping drill than the boys,” he said.

Krugersdorp High encourages all pupils to participate in some form of exercise and recently secured funding for a small indoor gym.  “This concept fits in with what we are trying to achieve at the school. We rely on government funding and would not be in a position to invest in an outdoor gym ourselves so winning the prize would be great for the school.”

The members of the first cricket team were the first to complete all five drills and left immediately for the cricket field where they were playing a        Coca-Cola T20 Schools challenge match against rival school, Bastion.

The five drills in the Coca-Cola 30 Minute Heroes Challenge includes:

1.            Shuttle runs between 6 beacons, moving a cricket ball from one beacon to the next.

2.            Target Throwing at a set of wickets.

3.    Skipping with a skipping rope.

4.    Catching balls of a rebound board.

5.    Weaving in and out of 10 slalom poles.

For full competition terms and conditions please visit http://www.cocacola.co.za/".