By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

One of the best water company in the country, Bravely Mineral Water Company Limited has donated at least 250 kits to the Sierra Leone Cricket Association (SLCA) for their forthcoming tournament in Nigeria and other competitions to be played in the future.

On Wednesday, 13th 2024 at their headquarters on Kolleh Lane, College Road, Grafton, Western Rural District, they did some donations of kids to the cricket association.

Speaking to journalists, the Managing Board Director of Bravely Company Limited, Abubakarr B. Jalloh said Cricket is the sporting discipline that has made great impacts both on national and international tournaments.

Adding that Bravely Water Company will continue to support and promote SLCA at all times due to their wonderful performance in marketing the image of the country.

Francis Trevor Samura, Chairman Cricket Sierra Leone, said the game of cricket was introduced to Sierra Leone by the British Royal Artillery forces, who were the ones that introduced the sport in schools and other institutions on those days.

The Sierra Leone Grammar School and the Methodist Boys High School were the first schools in Freetown to embrace the sport.

In the provinces, Bo government secondary school, founded in 1906, became the first school to play cricket.

He mentioned that Sierra Leone played its first international match against Gambia in 1935. West African inter-colonial tournaments were also being held in the 1930s onwards, with Nigeria and Ghana eventually joining the race.

This led to the transformation of the inter-colonial tournament into a four-sided West African tournament which began in 1967 and was periodically held in breaks in the country.

In 2006, the tournament was replaced by the North Western Conference (NWACC).

In 2009, the Sierra Leone Under-19 cricket team qualified for the ICC U-19 World Cup 2010 qualifying tournament. They achieved this feat after finishing second in the Africa Under-19 Championship held in Zambia.

During the championship, they defeated more established associate teams from other African cricket-playing nations.

Unfortunately, they were unable to participate in the tournament hosted by Canada due to visa issues, which prevented them from reaching the host nation.

“With the aid of Bravely Company over the years, Cricket SL is now progressing at all level,” said Chairman Francis Trevor Samura.

Oliver B.M. Somasa, Senior Member of Bravely Water Company said the company is a global leader in providing quality water and environmental services supportive of sustainable development, especially to Cricket Sierra Leone and has been doing other cooperate social responsibilities in  communities they are operating.

“We deliver world-class services aids to the needs of the communities we serve, through sustainable solutions and purpose-driven, empowered, innovative teams,” he said.