By Bockarie Allieu –
The management of KADAT Food & Beverage Company at Grafton town on Wednesday donated two sets of playing jerseys to each player of the senior Men’s national Cricket team.
The presentation of the jerseys took place at factory’s compound in Grafton. In addressing the Cricket delegation, the General Manager of the factory, Oliver B.M. Somasa said they are gratified to do such donation to Cricket in Sierra Leone.
He went on that apart from this, it has been part of their corporate social responsibilities, pointing out that Cricket is the number one Sports for the Asians who are the owners of these companies.
For them, he said giving back to a sport which is like a religion to them will be their happiest moment. The general Manager went on that this is the second time they are doing such donation to Cricket and they will continue do it hence the factory exits.
The General Manager said the management of KADAT Food & Beverage loves Sierra Leone and it is their corporate social responsibility to give back to their customers and non-customers.
He further stated that it has always been their general plan to support national institutions such as Cricket and many more apart from creating employment for Sierra Leoneans.
He appealed to the players to use these jerseys to win the tournament and make everyone happy including the management of KADAT.
Talking on how long this relationship with Cricket will take the Acting CEO of the company Armani Parwani said it all depends on the performance of the players and how long the Cricket management may want their support.
He reassured the Cricket board and management that their support to Cricket will continue hence their companies remain to exit in Sierra Leone.
He further stated that they will extend their support to the Women team and the youth teams, if the management requests for that.
In this case, he appealed to the Cricket management to continue their full support to the senior and the future players. One of the managers of the factory threw challenge to the team that the management will give Le2, 000 to any bowler that will take hat-trick wickets and Le1, 000 to any batsman that will score six runs in the last ovals of any innings in the tournament.
He told the chairman to be giving them match on match updates.
Responding to the management of KADAT, the Chairman of Cricket Sierra Leone Francis Samura first introduced the team and members of the delegation to the management.
He thanked the KADAT Food & Beverage management for their goodwill gesture to Cricket in Sierra Leone, assuring them that with these fine jerseys, the players will use it to win the champion trophy to come and present it to them.
KADAT First support to Cricket he said was in 2021 and this is the second time, informimg the management that the Sierra Leone Cricket Association is 82 years today Friday.
The association, he said was formed on the 15th November 1942. The Chairman went on to inform the management that the team will depart to Abuja on the 21st November 2024 to take part in the ICC Senior Men’s T20 W/C qualifier in Nigeria Abuja.
In the group of six countries, two countries will qualify to the next stage of the qualifier. Among the six countries are Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Botswana, Eswatini, Ivory Coast and St. Helena. Sierra Leone will play their first match against Ivory Coast on Saturday 23rd November 2024. The qualifier tournament will end on the 28th November and the teams will depart on the 29th November 2024.
