Since the start of the National Secondary School League, one person has continued to be a great figure in all the matches. The person has not been playing for any of the teams or even involved in the organization of the inaugural tournament that has taken the participating schools by storm.
Pearlyne Omamo the national ladies team opening batter has become a magnificent figure among the participants as she has been able to act as a role model to the players who are all looking forward to play for the country as she has done in future.
From the first match where Mount Laverna played Ruaraka High, Omamo has always been a common figure among the players with words of encouragement and this has gone a long way in psyching up the girls of whom majority have never been on a cricket field prior to the league.
“I want to see young players coming up. I want to see them enjoying the game as I do as early as possible,” Omamo says.
Lesson learnt in the past
Omamo who is regarded as Kenya’s top batter among ladies says she is enjoying seeing the talent among the young players and hopes that the talent will not go to waste as it was the case in the past.
“I have witnessed with a lot of pain many players who had talent and passion for cricket goes to waste simply because there were no opportunities to play cricket. I wouldn’t like to see this happen. I want to see these players take up cricket and get Kenya to the next level in our cricket,” she says.
During the matches, one would see the right arm off spinner giving the players lectures that are commonly done by a coach. At times, she takes the players to a corner where she engages them in a candid session. During the session the girls get opportunities to ask her questions on cricket too.
“I try to give them any knowledge I have of my game. I want them to know what is expected of them as cricketers and what we as Kenya Ladies cricketers we expect from them. They take whatever I tell them positively and I hope they transform that in their game,” she says.
Second league fifty
This past weekend, she witnessed the second half century of the league and was astonished by Quinta Achieng’s knock.
“This girl left me speechless, at the age of 12 and batting as she did just showed that she is the kind of players that we need to encourage at all times. Having stood in the match umpiring I couldn’t believe seeing her select her shots and punishing anything short. She just had an inning that she will always cherish,” she says.
With her knock, Achieng joined Omamo, Sarah Bhakita, Emily Ruto and Sharon Akoth as the only players who have scored half tons in a competitive cricket match.
“I took almost seven years to get my half century and I still remember how I felt. I know how hard it comes. I am very grateful for Achieng. I hope that will make her work even harder,” she adds.
All looking forward to her
The players themselves are really enjoying her presence and are saying she is already a role model to them.
“She gives us the urge to play cricket. With her around us we feel that we have an extra player in the field. She makes us believe in ourselves and we are very grateful,” says Kenya High opening batter Laventa Obare.
“When I went in to bat she told me that imagine that I am the only batter in my team and for sure that made all the difference,” she added.
Mount Laverna team remembers on how Omamo has been taking them through warm up before the matches. “She is a mentor to us and she always wants us to do our best. When we fail we realize that we have let down our role model,” Zoe Angela says.
After the weekend’s matches result Omamo says the league is still open and any team can win it.
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