Match tied, but Duminy, Miller wins hearts of children
NAGPUR, 22 March, 2016- Thirteen-year-old, Sachi, couldn’t believe her luck when South African star cricketer, J P Duminy, was teaching her the basics of batting. “Hold the grip tight. Eyes on the ball. Elbow straight”. Close by, Sachi’s classmate, Arjun, was being taught advanced fielding drills from South African stars, David Miller and Rilee Rossouw. “You drop a catch or mis-field, you are disqualified. If you don’t, you get promoted,” a stern look followed David Miller’s command.
Another of Sachi’s schoolmate, the naughty Arpita, was getting complex bowling lessons from South African Assistant coach, Adrian Birrell. The coach who teaches the likes of South African super stars, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada, was equally serious, when teaching the children. “Hit the target. Don’t let him score runs” the coach signaled directions to his new troops.
"Please pinch us. We cannot believe this” the children kept whispering to each other and their teachers who had accompanied them to Vidarbha Cricket Association grounds in Nagpur. “Is it true or we all dreaming?” Sachi and her friends kept on repeating.
Sachi and her friends were part of contingent of twenty one children, from Government schools in rural Maharashtra, The children had come to meet stars from South African team as part of the ICC Cricket For Good and Team Swachh clinic. The clinics aim at promoting the use of safe and hygienic sanitation in India. Team Swachh clinics are part of unique and remarkable CSR initiative under the aegis of ICC Cricket For Good where cricket players at the World T20 Tournament engage with children on sanitation and toilet use, as one essential step towards ending open defecation in India.
Though the temperatures kept soaring at the VCA stadium, it couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of children and after completing basics cricket drills, divided themselves into two teams under the captainship of JP Duminy and David Miller. The exciting match ended in a tie, with both team scoring 25 runs.
At the end of the match, the children taught the cricketers the five steps of handwashing and also shared with them key messages on toilet use. The cricketers listened attentively as the kids demonstrated the five steps of handwashing--a crucial way to avoid diseases such as diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal problems. The group also talked about why open defecation was an invitation to health problems and therefore the emphasis on making the country Open Defecation Free (ODF).
The clinic ended with the cricketers and children pledging to support Team Swachh campaign which advocates for toilet use in India.
