April 19, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Deputy Minister of Sports, Ishmael Al Sankoh-Conteh, Monday revealed that the Sierra Leone national cricket team, ‘The Patriots’, will be accorded a hero’s welcome this Wednesday when the return to Freetown, after winning the ICC-Africa World Cricket League Division 2 tournament in Benoni, South Africa.
The team’s title success also means an automatic promotion to the ICC-Africa Division 1, and will now face the likes of Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana and Tanzania.
The Deputy Sports Minister thus assured the players and entire delegation of a momentous welcome.
In an exclusive interview with Concord Sports, Mr. Sankoh-Conteh applauded what he called “the exemplary zeal, determination, commitment, hard work, patriotism and cricket artistry” which ‘The Patriots’ displayed throughout the tournament.
He said: “This triumph in South Africa has shown the world that we are alive and waxing stronger in the cricket world. This is something we are happy for and we are going to give them hero’s welcome.”
According to the deputy sports minister, ‘The Patriots’ latest success on the global stage is an affirmation of the significant progress Sierra Leone is now making towards positively redefining and rediscovering its potential for greatness.
Sierra Leone defeated Rwanda in the tournament’s opener by six wickets before they went on to defeat Mozambique in a double legged match on Sunday to lift the title with a game to spear.