Twenty-four teachers are waiting when we arrive on time. We soon get an apologetic call from Vivek Ganesan telling us his two coaches will arrive on Sunday. Now we can make some plans. I try and explain to the group how it all fits together and how I had managed to get the Malawi Cricket Union interested in cricket development in Chitipa. These teachers had already met the MCA coaches back in February when they delivered part of a course. Today is Wednesday so we agree that I will hold a softball coaching course over the next two days and then we will together organise an under 13 softball ‘pairs cricket’ festival involving six schools. The MCA coaches will hold their course for three days next week. We discuss ‘terms and conditions’ which is always a good idea before you start. We have no money for any allowances but Rowland has agreed to fund a lunch allowance on one of the days from his office. We leave and agree to meet at 8 am sharp tomorrow.

Top of my list of things to do with the rest of the day is to see how far the cricket cage is from being completed. ‘Charles Metal Worker’ is opposite Rowland’s office. Tony the welder is there but sitting down. I can see four sections that look like they could be a cricket cage. The story takes time to develop but I think since the order was made in January there was a lack of interest to complete because they weren’t totally sure of the money coming. Well the money was here now but another problem had arisen recently. Charles had not paid his latest ESCOM bill. The Electricity Supply Company of Malawi had cut him off. There seemed no urgency to reconnect. I assured Charles I had the money and we set a deadline of a week to complete everything. They paid the bill and then waited for the power as there are up to ten hours a day power cuts. Over the next week Tony and a few helpers produced the first ever cricket cage in Northern Malawi.

The first ever Kawale Zone under 13 mixed ‘Pairs Cricket’ festival is a great success. We had two pitches and six teams in two groups of three. The teachers managed their teams and umpired. Twenty of our teachers made it and 72 children played. This is one of the requirements set by the Malawi Cricket Union – an Under 13 softball cricket league with at least six teams playing six matches. Well if they repeat this festival once then they have achieved it. The teachers said it would be easy to replicate what I had shown them.

Gershom and Osman the coaches from the Malawi Cricket Academy are in Chitipa. I asked them about what they delivered last time in February but they were very vague saying what Vivek had sent me was not what they had done. They showed me an ‘African Cricket Council’ (ACC) course booklet and said they had done things out of this. I asked what they had planned for the next three days and still they were very vague. In the end they said they would be recapping the previous basics on batting, bowling and fielding and having an exam. I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot so I showed my enthusiasm. They hadn’t given the teachers any resources last time so I took the booklet and got it photocopied. There was also some confusion over who was paying for their expenses. I had previously agreed with Vivek that when in the future they were invited to come to Chitipa then the Chitipa Cricket Union would pay but we hadn’t invited them. Vivek had sent them because he was unable to visit with Andre Botha this time. An email finally came from Vivek and I said we wouldn’t have time to process any money during their visit but they should take it from the second instalment due in October. It wasn’t a problem but it just needed clarifying. They have a 500,000 kwacha cheque for the Chitipa committee which can be deposited in our bank account. We agree to meet at 8 am in the morning at Kawale.

The course is very theory based and delivered in Chichewa so not much point me staying around. Once everything is settled with the teachers I leave. A lunch allowance has been decided upon for the three days to be paid once the cheque is cleared. I spend the day photocopying and checking on the progress of the cricket cage. In between power cuts I manage to get twelve booklets copied and 30 certificates printed as well as watching the cage being assembled. At 12 am I cycle up to Kawale to see the practical session as promised but they have already finished. The course continues the next day with more theory and even some theory outside on the field. Gershom the main coach is only 23 years old. He is studying at Blantyre College of Health Sciences doing clinical health. He has basically brought himself up since he was 14 when his parents died. His job as a coach at the MCA helps pay his school fees. When I arrived the teachers were being shown how to bowl inside the classroom. Then they go outside and stand in a group as Gershom shows them how to bowl. It was all a bit confusing but I was positive and encouraging. The course ended with an hour theory test and a twenty minute practical inside.

When the course was completed we met and put the fourteen schools into four clusters so that each could receive a softball kit bag to have further training and hold competitions. The idea was that each cluster would have a competition and then the winners of each cluster would meet in a zone final. The committee would need to write a ‘work plan’ for the rest of this year. This was done quickly and a few pictures taken of the group. It was lunch time but we were due to meet at Chitipa Secondary School at 3 pm for the official opening ceremony of the cricket cage.

I had spent most of the morning with Tony the welder transporting the cricket cage in its pieces to Chitipa Secondary School, the place it was decided would be best for now. It took about three hours to put it together and fix the net over. It looked brilliant. I was running around trying to find the District Education Officer to invite him to the official opening. In his office I found my first entry in the visitor’s book back in 1999 with Fabiano Sibale. By 3 pm most teachers and Mr Mphande were present and we could start. We bowled a few balls and cut the flags. Chitipa was now the official new home of cricket in Northern Malawi. I thought about how long ago this idea had been dreamt up and now looking at the reality it made me really proud.

The cage was up, the cheque was presented to the committee and the teachers got a certificate for their efforts. Gershom and Osman were leaving early tomorrow so we said goodbye. The Chitipa Cricket Union had been formed and was already getting funding from the Malawi Cricket Union. It was a great start and I was proud of the part I had played in making it happen. Now it is very much over to the Chitipa committee to move things forward with our help. By early September the first instalment will have to be accounted for and then the second will be sent. It is vital that Chitipa meets the requirements of the MCU if funding and support is to continue long term.