2017/2018

In 2017, we had spent time in several primary schools introduing the idea of softball cricket. Based on valuable feedback from Rowland Harawa about the enthusiasm for softball cricket among the schools we planned accordingly for 2018. In September 2018 Community Sports Leaders Africa held a 3 day Softball Cricket Coaching Course in Kawale zone attended by 28 teachers. The emphasis was on basic skills and fun team games. The course materials were compiled based on the ECB Supporter Worker course and Cricket Without Boundaries resources. On the final day 6 schools attended an Under 12 pairs cricket festival organised by the teachers. A committee was formed and an action plan made. The 14 schools were divided into 4 clusters and challenged to continue playing festivals each month. Each cluster was given a softball kit bag.

In the same week Gershom Ntambalika and Mhango Austin Osman from the Malawi Cricket Academy which is part of the Malawi Cricket Union visited Chitipa delivering 3 days of training and providing valuable hard ball cricket equipment.  Back in 2017 I had encouraged the Malawi Cricket Union to support cricket in Chitipa. They had pledged money and equipment. They arrived the same time I was there and we made plans. As opposed to my course, their course was acredited to the MCU which was a good incentive for teachers to attend.  

To compliment this training a cricket cage was constructed locally with funds from the Friends of Malawi Association. A net had been donated by Durant Cricket in the UK. Many local cricket teams had donated softball and hardball kit in 2017 and it all made it to Chitipa. This resource would become the focal point for cricket in Chitipa.  

The Malawi Cricket Union were very impressed with our courses and especially the cricket cage and net. The Malawi Cricket Academy were keen to visit again and it happened in 2019. After all our initial work it was great that I had finally managed to get a Malawi Association to get involved in Chitipa. A Chitipa Committee was set up, reporting procedures explained on spending the Malawi Cricket Union funds and reporting progress.  

2021

In April 2021 the shipment arrived full of softball cricket equipment for the 14 primary schools. The Chitipa District Education Office Sports Officer Rowland held a presentation day to distribute the equipment. The plan was to get the schools practising again and hold a festival soon.  Eight of the 12 schools attended and were given new kit. 

I had been trying to encourage softball cricket since the 2018 course, festival and subsequent kit donation in April 2021. Florence Nyondo is the newly appointed District Education Office Sports Officer. Her job was created in 2021. It was a post that I had been trying to encourage back in 1999/2000 when I was Northern Regional Sports Development Officer. So it had finally happened 21 years later. With some encouragement Florence held a Refresher Course in Softball Cricket ahead of a planned festival. I put Florence in touch with Arjun Menon from Cricket Malawi and he is keen to support Chitipa. Well done to all the schools who took part in the cluster festivals in August 2022.  

2025

I August 2025 visited Bright Futures Secondary School in Ibuluma near Chisenga, a school run by The William Stewart Foundation. I held a cricket coaching course. 2 sports teachers and 16 Young Coaches were trained and then they held sessions for 30 younger children. The kit had been donated by Warkworth CC and Stephen Boyd.