In a bid to foster growth and to attract more opportunities, the Board and Management of the Sierra Leone Cricket Association (SLCA) led by Chairman Trevor Samura held fruitful discussion with the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Lisa Chesney, on Tuesday 2nd March, 2022 at her Hill Station residence, Freetown.
Present at the meeting was the Chairman of SLCA, Francis Trevor Samura; the Technical Director of SLCA, Gabriel Anthony; SLCA’s Director of Women’s Cricket, Madam Elizabeth French; SLCA’s Director of Development, Emmanuel Pessima; the CEO of SLCA, Philip Amara; SLCA’s National Cricket Development Manager, Andrew Foday Kanyako; and the Head Coach of the Ladies Patriots, Sarah Johnson.
The engagement covered five key areas: the Sussex Cricket Project, the Fourah Bay College Cricket Project, school cricket, women’s cricket, and the need for standard equipment.
Concerning Sussex and the Fourah Bay College Projects, Chairman Samura informed Her Excellency that they need support to get the two long-term investments up and running. He went on to disclose memories about the ties that exist between SLCA and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) that visited the country in 2019.
From his vantage point, Chairman Samura described the meeting with Her Excellency as good, fruitful, interesting, and bright for Sierra Leone cricket.
In response after being provided with an abridged explanation on all five key points, Commissioner Chesney welcomed the SLCA team, expressing the fact that she is fully aware of the existing ties between her office, the UK, and the SLCA. As the stage is set to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II to mark the 70th anniversary of her accession on 6 February 1952, Her Excellency asked that the SLCA organize a match in recognition of the occasion.
On the way forward, she requested the business plans of the Sussex and Fourah Bay College projects and expressed satisfaction with the effort the parent body has so far exerted to develop cricket in the country. She promised to share the proposals with development partners, individuals, and cricket clubs in the UK to seek assistance.
The SLCA committed to hand in copies of the plans requested in a fortnight.