After almost a week of the tour the tour group have had an action packed first few days, with more of the same on the way as they cram in as much cricket and culture as possible to get the most out of the experience.
After a chance to stretch the legs at the Western Province Sports Cricket Club shortly after arriving the teams were tucked up for an early night ready for the first full day of the tour, although the long journey probably also had something to do with it.
The cricket portion of the tour got off to a more formal start on Friday with the visit to the Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy at Rondebosch Boys High School. After sessions led by senior coaches at the academy, including fielding, nets and game based scenarios the boys also had the chance to meet the man himself, who had only just returned from the World Cup.
It is not just the players getting the chance to develop on this tour, with the coaching staff having a session with Kirsten to discuss coaching philosophy and the demands of the modern game on coaching.
Days three and four of the tour saw the opening matches of the tour, with both age groups facing Wynberg Boys’ High School. Unfortunately neither the Under 18 or Under 15 sides were able to get a win, but both were up against strong opposition with a whole season of match practice and training, whilst the NCU teams are only getting started for 2015!
Sunday was a much better day on the results front. Although the Under 18’s lost again despite an excellent 64 from Sam Gordon of Muckamore, the Under 15 side picked up a comfortable win over Western Province with Johnny Waite and Max Burton making unbeaten half centuries on the way to a nine wicket victory.
A break in the matches yesterday allowed the squads to visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent many year incarcerated, before visiting the Amy Biehl Foundation to see the work they do with children in the Townships.
The group were happy to donate several bags of cricket and sports equipment to the foundation before seeing first-hand the type of work they do by assisting in the delivery of cricket sessions at Vukukhanye Primary School in the Guguletu Township.
Both teams will be taking part in Twenty20 fixtures today, a change from the 50-over matches they have been competing in so far.
Images from the tour taken by Ian Johnston and appear with the permission of the NCU.
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Connaught
