Maasai Cricket Warriors in Cape Town

If you’re even vaguely into cricket and have some spare time over the next few days, I highly recommend a trip down to see the Maasai Cricket Warriors as they participate in their first major tournament, The Last Man Stands World Championship 2012, being played at grounds in Rondebosch and Newlands this Easter week.

Friendly, approachable and happy to chat cricket, conservation or just about anything, this Maasai team have been playing for less than three years, having picked up the game at school in the Nanyuki region of Kenya. They lost their first game on Sunday against team Kriekedille from Centurion, but didn’t disgrace themselves with a solid 105 runs in their 20 overs.

There are some strange new rules, well new to me anyway, in this tournament such as five ball overs, eight man teams and, to keep the game down to one hour per innings, the bowlers bowl 10 overs from the same end before switching. Add a pink ball into the mix and of course the intriguing Maasai themselves and it’s all quite odd for a cricket purest like myself, but well worth checking out nevertheless. The Maasai are the most notable participants, but there are club and social teams from all over the world taking part and having also watched the Yorkshire Puddings play today I can assure you there is no shortage of colour.

• Last man stands website
• Maasai Cricket Warriors team page
• YouTube video for a little background on the Maasai Cricket Warriors

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