By Charles Randall

22 June 2012

The Club Cricket Conference are hoping to build on an initiative from Hertfordshire to encourage 'twinning' with clubs in Africa.

Stewart Wenham, chairman of Totteridge Millhillians CC, has developed a link with Arusha CC in Tanzania, and the CCC would like to promote a project encouraging more member clubs to build similar relationships in Africa generally. Using close ties with the Tanzanian Cricket Authority and their ICC-affiliated neighbours, the CCC have compiled a list of potential African clubs and hope to attract the support for what will initially be donation of kit from the UK such as used bats, pads, clothing and stumps.

The twinning concept could be broadened into coaching, club tours to Africa and hosting African players for experience during the English summer.

Robbie Book, CCC board member, said that the Totteridge Millhillians initiative would be monitored and feedback assessed. "We see this as the beginning of a long-term project helping cricketers of all ages in the poorest regions of the world to become part of the cricket family," he said. "We fully expect our membership to embrace this venture and, although we are starting on the African continent, there are many countries across the globe that could benefit."

The CCC look forward to allying with existing bodies that already provide such services and would welcome contact from member clubs who would consider becoming part of the Cricket Aid project.

Photograph: (left to right) Stewart Wenham, chairman of Totteridge Millhillians CC, with Rashid Dilunga, Yusuf Kashangwa and Mohammed Zeiyan from the Tanzanian High Commission who are about to despatch a consignment of kit to Arusha in bags donated by Sunil Gupta of Matrix Sport,