Floyd Doyle takes cricket to Homa Bay County schools

Floyd Doyle presents kit, donated by Australia Aid and Australia Red cross, to Homa Bay County’s Kanam Primary School cricket captain Titus Okode at the weekend.

By Erick Ochieng’

Homa Bay, Kenya: Former Australian cricket ace Floyd Doyle is the man behind the popularisation of cricket in Homa Bay County.

The former Windsor and Hawkesbury player introduced the game to the less fortunate children in the county last week.

Doyle carried a week-long programme with the help of Obuya Cricket Academy, the Australia Aid and Australia Red Cross, who donated kit   in ten schools in the county.

The programme saw pupils from Koboo, Kanam, Angong’a, Homa Bay, Pundo, Homa Hills and Nya wi Omuga primary schools learn the basics in cricket. Secondary schools that benefited were Kanam, St. Alfred Alara and Homa Bay.

With the help of Kenyan international David Obuya, Josphat Agunga (Obuya Cricket Academy Operational Manager) and Sam Otieno (Homa Bay County Cricket coach), Doyle was able to impart various techniques including  batting, fielding, catching, bowling to enthusiastic upcoming players.

“The county has great potential in cricket, it only needs sponsors and interest of the local government for this to be realised,” said Doyle, who also introduced the game in schools in Oyugis and Asumbi.

Volunteer programme

Doyle, who is on a one-year cricket volunteer programme to Kenya, is  also helping the country build vital cricket programmes touching on sponsorships, child development, child protection, business plan proposals, HIV and Aids awareness and social inclusions among others.

Kanam Primary School captain Titus Okode said: “I don’t know this game (cricket), I have never played it before, but it is now what I want to concentrate on for my future.”

Otieno promised to do everything to ensure the likes of Okode grow up to become world beaters in the future.

Agunga is optimistic that with the help of Obuya Cricket Academy, the game will be expanded from Homa Bay to other areas including Kakamega which is Doyle’s the next target.

Obuya was optimistic that Homa Bay County will make a great step when they do a follow up programme in the next three months.

Yesterday, Doyle introduced the game to Ayany Primary in Kibera, Nairobi, with the help of former Nairobi   Mayor Joe Aketch.

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