Stephen Fleming holds coaching session for kids of Cricket Live Foundation

Tuesday, 4 November 2014 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Cricket Live Foundation, which is run in partnership with the Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation, yesterday hosted New Zealand cricketing legend and former captain Stephen Fleming at its facility in Moratuwa along with the New Zealand Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy.

Fleming was introduced to the kids attached to the Cricket Live Foundation and even hosted a brief private coaching session, imparting some useful cricketing advice. The Kiwi legend also shared some of his experiences with the children, adding that cricket in New Zealand was inspired by the Sri Lankans’ part in revolutionising the ODI format during the 1996 World Cup-winning run. The Cricket Live Foundation, under the patronage of Sir Richard Hadlee, strives to provide disadvantaged children with an opportunity to learn life skills through cricket. It has partnered with the MJF Foundation, which bases its operations in Moratuwa, where it helps underprivileged and disabled children in the area. Speaking to the media, Founder of Cricket Live Alex Reese thanked the New Zealand government and the MJF Foundation for its support in making the Cricket Live initiative a success. “Currently we have three Cricket Education Centres in Sri Lanka and we are extremely privileged to work with the MJF Foundation. Coaches and teachers from New Zealand are responsible for educating a large pool of local coaches, who in turn are responsible for running our initiatives,” he stated.

The delegation from New Zealand, which includes Minister Guy and Fleming, will promote the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 during their one-week stay in Sri Lanka. The World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand while the first game will be played between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Christchurch. Pix by Upul Abeyasekara