The tournament, which involved primary schools from across the city, saw the participating youngsters lock horns in games that were played at the University of Dar es Salaam and Muhimbili Cricket Academy venues.
Successful organisation of the tournament has turned out to be a bold move by the national cricket governing body to ensure there is continuity in grooming youngsters that will, in future, feature for the senior men and women national cricket teams.
TCA, definitely deserve praises for hosting the tournament and give the youngsters opportunity to put their skills on show and gain experience, which is crucial for the latter's pursuit of success in the game.
We insist on the need for TCA to step up efforts to financial backing from sports stakeholders for the body's junior development programme, if the association's targets are to be fulfilled.
This year's primary schools league, for one, was organised in difficult conditions that include absence of sufficient modern cricket equipment.
Participating teams, as it was the case in previous junior competitions organised by the association, had to depend on a few equipment offered by the association.
TCA has, as well, been running the junior development programme in other regions of Arusha, Morogoro, Tanga and Mwanza and the regions have been facing similar challenges, when it comes to hosting competitions for youngsters.
Failure to invest in the junior cricket development programme will, definitely, spell doom for the sport in the ccountry as TCA will find it difficult to organise competitions for junior cricketers and, overall, run programme efficiently.
Serious investment should, as well, be directed to domestic tournaments supervised by the national cricket governing body, given the association has lately, not managed to organise the events annually.
The ability by TCA to organise the tournaments annually will provide junior players with a platform for improving their performance.
It should be noted that the country's success in major international cricket competitions largely depends on the presence of strong junior development programme and well organised domestic competitions.
TCA, which is an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has, in recent years, witnessed a significant reduction in the amount of funds allocated for the junior development programme, as it is the case for the rest of ICC's associate members.
The association, thus, can not solely depend on the little amount of funds offered by the ICC given the tendency seriously affects the former's efforts to improve the standard of cricket in the country.
Investment in the junior development programme will, moreover, ensure TCA realises successful promotion of the sport in the rest parts of the country.
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