The inaugural Huye Inter-schools cricket tournament held at Kabutare TSS school ground on Saturday has laid a foundation for junior national teams including the U-13 and U-16 age categories.

With up to 200 students from 10 schools in Huye competing in the one-day event, Rwanda Cricket Association has identified this competition as a precedent for the growth of cricket across the country.

"This program is going to be annual and is a way forward in developing cricket in Rwanda. It will also help us form junior national teams and it is these players that will play for the senior national team in the future,” explained Joshua Mwanja, Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) general manager.

Cyarwa Primary School emerged winners in the U-13 girls’ category while Groupe Scolaire Butare Catholique Primary School won the U-13 boys’ crown.

Kabutare Technical Secondary School were champions in the U-16 girls’ category while Ceffotec Secondary School emerged victorious in the U-16 boys’ competition.

RCA Southern region coach Mary Maina said, "I am impressed with the standards of all the boys and girls that participated in the tournament over the weekend. Huye has sufficient natural talent to make an even bigger impression in future.”

The other two regional tournaments will be held in Kinihira and Kigali on July 26 and July 29 respectively.

The best 24 players from each region will join a training camp for two weeks before a tournament is held for all the three teams from Kigali, Kinihira and Huye.

The top 14 from the three sides will form the national U-15 and U-17 teams for both boys and girls. The boys’ U-17 side will then compete in the schools cricket week in Uganda from August 15-22 at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.

Rwanda has in the past competed at the Ugandan event in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

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