Shillong, Dec 5: The Inter-Academy U-14 Boys’ and U-19 Girls’ Cricket Tournament began at the Don Bosco Mini Stadium at St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School here.
The tournament, the first of its kind for players of various academies around the city and district, is being organised by the Salesian Youth Movement, St Anthony’s HSS, in close collaboration with the Meghalaya Cricket Association, which has actively been promoting the sport at the youth levels.
The tournament features six boys’ teams and two girls’ teams from the Shillong Cricket Academy at Lawsohtun, St Anthony’s Cricket Academy, Nongthymmai Cricket Coaching Centre and the East Khasi Hills Cricket Association Academy.
This initiative for grassroots level players by St Anthony’s Academy, supported actively by the MCA as parent body of cricket activities in the state, has thrown up wonderful surprises by way of talented young cricket players, a press release stated yesterday.
There was even a centurion on the first day of the tournament, Gautam from the Shillong Cricket Academy, who struck a scintillating 103.
MCA Honorary Secretary Gideon Kharkongor, while inaugurating the tournament, lauded St Anthony’s for its efforts to organise the tournament for the boys and girls. He said that the MCA would like to collaborate and assist such institutions that encourage cricket in their calendar of events. Multiple tournaments from an early age will prepare the players well in the senior categories, Kharkongor added.
The tournament finals will be held on Monday.
(Meghalaya Cricket Association photo)
