Thrilling KFC Mini cricket finale at Axxess St Georges

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The Proteas edged Malabar Primary by 63 runs to 62 to win their KFC Mini-Cricket match at axxess St Georges on Monday.

Beuran Hendricks scored the winning run off the final delivery to ensure the Proteas took the 8-match nationwide KFC Mini Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour by four games to three, with one tie.

Several Protea woman cricketers took on the Malabar kids along with Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Wayne Parnell, AB de Villiers and Fahaan Behardien.

Parnell grew up playing mini-cricket in PE's northern areas.

He's over the groing strain that side-lined mid-way through the second test against Australia and said he's good to go for the remaining two T20 matches on Wednesday in Durban and Friday at Centurion.

The player of the match on Monday was 11-year-old Kovashni Jantjies who is in grade 5 at Malabar Primary.
More than a thousand excited kids from Malabar Primary and neighbouring schools filled the old grand stand at St Georges to watch the action.

Bellinda Allie has been involved in the KFC Mini Cricket programme in the Northern Areas for more than 20 years
She said it was a phenomenal opportunity for the KFC Kids to be able to rub shoulders with the Protea players.
She added that it was special to see the Proteas come down to the childrens' level and to give them the opportunity to aspire to playing cricket at the top level one day.

AB de Villiers said he was honoured and privileged to be part of the KFC Mini Cricket programme and to be able to give back and see the kids being active. He said it was important that the Protea players interacted with young talent to inspire them to be champions one day.

AB was particularly impressed with the player of the tournament at St Georges Kovashni Jantjies, who he said bowled and batted extremely well, and for whom he sees a bright future in the game.

He said it was good to have the Protea woman players being part of proceedings with KFC Mini Cricket at St Georges.
He wished them well for their T-20 world cup which is also coming up in Bangladesh, and said he expected good things from them as they've been playing good cricket of late.

He said it was disappointing to have had a wash out against Australia at St Georges on Sunday and that the team was looking forward to the remaining two T20 matches against the Aussies in Durban on Wednesday and at Centurion on Friday. He said they'd obviously be playing to win, but more importantly, to get some confidence going in the 20-20 format ahead of the T-20 World Cup which starts in Bangladesh on the 16th of March.

photograph: Player of the tournament at Axxess St Georges: Kovashnie Jantjies