Sunrise Beach was filled with the sound of laughter and howzats on Thursday as 500 boys and girls took part in the 30th anniversary of the annual Calypso Beach Cricket Festival in Muizenberg.
The kids came from Langa, Khayelitsha, Manenberg, Ocean View and Masiphumelele for a day of fun in the sun while they also got the chance to bat and bowl with Proteas batsman Stephen Cook and Springbok rugby star Damian Willemse.
Brad Bing, managing director of event organisers Sporting Chance, said: “Today was all about getting the kids out and enjoying the day, it was an overwhelming success.
“Last year we could not host the event due to Covid, so to have so many come out and get some exercise was really great to see because of their enthusiasm.
“The aim of the event is to get kids playing cricket and also giving them a chance to show their skills, because you never know where the next cricketing superstar will come from.”
The children received a brief lecture on how to take care of the beach and the environment around them, while Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and members from Cricket South Africa (CSA) were also in attendance.
Johan Weyers, senior cricket manager of CSA, said: “This is a great way to expose the children to this sporting code and we hope that it will help them pick cricket as their favourite game.
“Events like these help extend the reach of the game in communities all over and we really encourage more events like these to take place.”
Toufeeqah Davids, 12, from Ocean View, was one of hundreds of laaities who played cricket and said she enjoyed the day and is already looking forward to the next event.
junior.bester@inl.co.za