Interview - George Edward Ngegba – Inspiring Sierra Leone’s Youngsters

 

Coming from a country with growing cricket culture, 19-year-Old, George Edward Ngegba aims to make it big in international cricket and hopes that one day his country Sierra Leone will become major cricket nation, Play till Stumps interviews the young cricketer who is full of enthusiasm and shares with us his journey of cricket

George Edward Ngegba - Remember the name 

 

Q1. Welcome to Play till Stumps, George, how did you started playing cricket?

Ans:  I started playing Cricket as a kid when I was 7 years old. I was first introduced to cricket by my elder brother by the name of Abubakarr who took me along to a cricket seminar one morning when we were on school holidays. During the seminar we were first taught how to raise the cricket bat from the ground, how to hold it and take our guard and later how to play a defensive shot (Lesson one). We were also taught how to bowl, take catches and introduced some laws of the game to us. The seminar did lasted for three days and after that I was awarded as the Youngest Cricket in Sierra Leone. After that seminar we did took the game to our community and started playing it there until my colleagues and I popularised it in the entire barracks that caught the eyes of other children to join us playing it together.

Q2. What were the challenges that came across you as young kid when you decided to become a cricketer.

Ans : I was faced with enormous challenges being a kid who wanted to play cricket a country and community that is football obsessed. I was having challenges to get a cricket bat that was of my actual size, pads, batting gloves, helmet and other equipments. Fortunately for me, my uncle who was an expert furniture carpenter was carving a cricket bat for me of my own size and weight. Also, one of my senior teammates; Abass Gbla will go out and cut some branches of a palm tree and beautifully shaped it into a cricket bat for me. After some time using those bats my palms would get soar and probably got a cut or a mark on it. When practicing with my colleagues we were forced to use sticks as a wicket. We will try to arrange the sticks like a tripod stand so that we can use it as a wicket. Some of the times we will even use car tyres or draw three lines on a wall to use it as a wicket. I did played cricket by then but lacked a lot of protective gears, motivation and could only get encouragement from my family and my Coach.

George has been an inspiration for the upcoming cricketers 

Q3. What was your family's reaction when you decided to make career in cricket?

Ans: My family has been the biggest support pillar in my cricket career. They did accept and welcomed the whole idea of me taking cricket as a career. They have being there to support and motivate me throughout the highs and lows of my cricket journey. My Father has been playing an instrumental role to help grow my cricket game. His advices over the years to me have been beneficial and productive. My Mother as always, she has being my first Physio, Doctor and the one who launders my cricket jerseys and helps clean my kit whenever I got an hectic day at the field and got home exhausted. Fortunately for me, my elder brother was once a National Cricketer, so he does helps me with some technical advice in the game. In all four tournaments of my Senior team career he was my Team Manager and played a formidable role to get the best out from me in all facet of the game. I extensively got the backing of my family to take cricket as a career.

Since the start of my career to date I've got different Coaches and one Manager who has been with me since 2014 to date. My first Coach was Coach Ibrahim Omarr Sesay who learnt me all the basics of the game, the laws of the game and a bit of technicality before he departs. Later I got another Coach by the name of Coach Mustapha Kallon who helped developed me as a Spinner and a proper All Rounder. He spent so much time with me in the nets to work on my batting techniques and gave me sufficient matches to prove myself. After him I got a Manager by the name of Mr. Daniel Edward Koroma who has greatly impacted and influence my career till this current stage of my cricket journey. He has been providing mentorship for me since I came in contact with him. After working with him in less than a year, I was the highest runs scorer and one of the most economical bowler in the league. After that marvellous piece of work, I got my first call up in the Men's national team commonly called Patriot to represent Sierra Leone at an ICC tournament. He has also being guiding me how to act or work as a Captain or leader of the team. His advices has being leading me to a greater height. He has been the man behind most of my successes and achievements in my cricket career so far.

Q4. Tell us some special memories that you have from your childhood?

Ans : I really do enjoyed playing cricket during my childhood days. I do got a lot of positives from my childhood cricket days which made it extremely fascinating. Firstly, there was one morning when I decided to train with my colleagues in the practice net and as our bylaws demands the younger one's would have to bat first and if they take your wicket you'll have to walk out without no other chance for you to train more. When I got the opportunity to bat i had to bat throughout the morning session without giving them any near miss to take my wicket. I batted so skillfully and patiently until all of them had to bowl to me for over 10 minutes each and non of them were able to take my wicket for that session. We later resumed again at 1630hrs with me still going to bat and I batted again till 1800hrs and we called it a day. No bowler was able to take my wicket for that day. Secondly, during one of matches in our Inter-Area U13 league against Guard Room Community team I had to bowl my first ball and took the off stump off, but the Umpire did called it and signalled a no ball, I came bowled the same bowl again and took the off stump for the second time but it was a free it and bowled the same ball again and eventually this time it was a fair delivery and it hit the off stump again and I got the wicket. Furthermore, when I was 10 years old I was registered to represent my community team in the U17 Inter-Area community league and I was the youngest to play it. My team did won three out of four group stage matches that automatically qualifies us for the semi finals but I wasn't part of the playing 11 in all those four matches. On the day of the semi finals Abass Gbla who was the team Captain got injured two hours before the match and fortunately for as the least player in the team, the Coach had to selected me in the playing 11 and also gave me the responsibility to Captain the team for that particular match. After winning the toss I did chose to bat first and we did scored a formidable winning target that was well above 110 in a T20 match. We came in to field and restricted the opponent to 87 runs all out and eventually we won the semifinal and qualifies for the final. It will interest you to know that I didn't bat nor bowl in that match. I was the number 11th batman for that match and was also not part of the bowling line up. I was only there as a Captain to lead and qualifies my team to the final and upon the return of our Captain I was again taken out of the playing 11.

 

 

The Country's Cricket need more cricketers like him

Q5. Who has been your coach and how have they guided you?

Ans: Since the start of my career to date I've got different Coaches and one Manager who has been with me since 2014 to date. My first Coach was Coach Ibrahim Omarr Sesay who learnt me all the basics of the game, the laws of the game and a bit of technicality before he departs. Later I got another Coach by the name of Coach Mustapha Kallon who helped developed me as a Spinner and a proper All Rounder. He spent so much time with me in the nets to work on my batting techniques and gave me sufficient matches to prove myself. After him I got a Manager by the name of Mr. Daniel Edward Koroma who has greatly impacted and influence my career till this current stage of my cricket journey. He has been providing mentorship for me since I came in contact with him. After working with him in less than a year, I was the highest runs scorer and one of the most economical bowler in the league. After that marvellous piece of work, I got my first call up in the Men's national team commonly called Patriot to represent Sierra Leone at an ICC tournament. He has also being guiding me how to act or work as a Captain or leader of the team. His advices has being leading me to a greater height. He has been the man behind most of my successes and achievements in my cricket career so far.

 

Q6. Tell us something about how Cricket is doing in Sierra Leone?

Ans : Cricket in Sierra Leone is still in the amateur level but with lots of potentials to accelerate to a very big level should the requisite facilities, support and trainings are brought to the fore. Talents are in excess, the will power and willingness to learn is in abundance. All that is needed is the right push.

Q7. So far you have won 5 International awards at both the ICC (International Cricket Council) and ACA (Africa Cricket Association) organised cricket tournaments. What has been your strength as a cricketer?

Ans: My strength is adaptability. As a young man, you listen and take tuition from varied tutors sometimes at the same time but my ability to adapt and optimize my potential whenever the need arise has been a very big plus for me coupled with lots of other virtues such as calmness, resilience, punctuality and respect to cite but a few examples.

 

His aim is to ensure Sierra Leone shines on Cricket's map

Q8. You have an excellent record as a player 1000 runs and 100 wickets which shows that you are an allrounder, what are the challenges in modern game for an allrounder?

Ans: The challenges in the modern game are numerous, one can't discern all the challenges one statement but the most challenging ones ranges from strike rotation, body building and game awareness/ mentality (switching on and off) In order to overcome such, one must but well in tune to the game on a ball by ball basis analysis.

Q9. What are your suggestions for the young cricketers especially those who want to represent Sierra Leone?

Ans: All I will suggest for young cricketers to do is to be focused, build on their abilities, engage in personal trainings and be willing to learn. With the above, I am sure the future will be bright.

Q10. What are your future goals ? Do you aspire to play in IPL or other T20 Leagues someday?

Ans : My aspiration is to break the ceiling by making a mark at internationally recognised tournaments/ franchise such as the IPL and many others. With that, it will give hope and will serve as an inspiration to hundreds of talented cricketers in Sierra Leone as well as around Africa. That will definitely be a dream come true and on that faithfully day, I will feel fulfilled.

Thank you for sharing your journey with our readers