Brian Lara's charity match raises Rwf44 million for cricket stadium

Over £50,000 (about Rwf44.3m) was raised as a team of cricket stars came together under the leadership of West Indies legend Brian Lara in a charity match played on Monday at the picturesque Wormsley Cricket Ground on the Getty Family Estate in Buckinghamshire. The funds will go to Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation (RCSF), a charity established to build an international cricket stadium in Kigali. The Lara XI, playing in the colours of Rwanda included Ashes winning former England captain Andrew Strauss, Matthew Hoggard and England women’s vice-captain Heather Knight. They reached a total of 218/7 before the Warwickshire All-Stars responded with 189 runs. The game came to a dramatic conclusion as 11-year-old Oxfordshire boy Dee Jarvis, a substitute bowler who was plucked from the crowd by Hoggard, took a hat-trick in the penultimate over, a performance which won him the Man of the Match award. Lara, one of the greatest batsmen the game has ever seen, is a patron of the charity, and feels a strong link with Rwanda as 1994 brought a stark contrast between ‘the best of times and the worst of times’. Lara said: “It’s been a great day and it’s great to see so much support for the project. There’s a huge enthusiasm for the game in Rwanda, and it’s vital that we support the Rwandan Cricket Association in harnessing the huge talent available.” “The last 20 years have seen the country make huge strides and sport can play a key part in building on that progress. When complete, the stadium and facilities, along with the local supporters, will help to create a lasting legacy for the game in this wonderful country,” added Lara. Edward Pearson, the Director, Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation (RCSF) said: “Thanks to all those that came along today, we’ve made a huge step towards reaching our fundraising goal.” “The amount of support that we’ve had has been overwhelming and we look forward to seeing everyone at further events,” added Pearson. The RCSF was set up to raise funds to design and build an international standard stadium, with the aim of it being ready for play by September 2015 and sustainable for the long term. The stadium will form the focal point for the ongoing development of both the men’s and women’s game in Rwanda, which is already burgeoning despite the lack of facilities.

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Brian Lara's charity match raises Rwf44 million for cricket stadium