MCU introduces cricket premier leagues
Malawi Cricket Union (MCU) has introduced national schools and clubs premier leagues, which will be used for selecting national team players.
Previously, only the Southern Region Cricket League (SRCL) was active and it was only players from its fold that were being selected into the national squad.
According to the newly elected MCU president, Vivek Ganesan, discussions are at advanced stage with a number of companies to sponsor the two competitions expected to start next month.
Ganesan said primary and secondary school events, which will be divided into Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 teams categories, will be used to identify players for international junior championships while club contests will be a platform for the senior national team engagements.
This development is coming at a time Malawi cricket has just been readmitted as member of the African Cricket Association (ACA) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being suspended for the past three years. MCU was banned in 2011 after its former executive committee reportedly misappropriated about US80 000 meant for the sport’s development in the country.
MCU general secretary Gersham Mtambalika said the schools competition, which will have the boys and the girls sections, will be played at regional level and the best school teams will be making it into the national finals.
He said the same will apply to the club leagues which will be competing in the 40-overs and 20/20 tournaments currently sponsored by the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) and FMB respectively.
