Ken Borland

Chartered accountant and Northerns Cricket Union treasurer Aniel Soma has been the man to steer Titans cricket through the difficult months following the tragic passing of long-time CEO Elise Lombard in August.

Although the franchise was understandably grieving the loss of the much-loved and highly-respected Lombard, someone needed to take over the reins with a Champions League to host and the new season about to start, and Soma stepped in as the acting chief executive.

“We didn’t drop any catches, so to speak, and the ship is running fine, it’s all in order. It’s about cricket and finance and I had big shoes to fill. The biggest challenge was maintaining the relationships with all our partners, but that’s bedded down now,” Soma says.

The quiet and unassuming Soma is steeped in cricket, having started playing when he was 13 and still representing Laudium Foresters when he was 50, and he admits to a nagging feeling of regret that he did not play more when he was younger. He was heavily involved in the development of Laudium as a Premier League ground, which also hosted matches during the 2005 Women’s World Cup.

Having studied BCom and BAcc degrees at Wits University, Soma did his articles at KPMG and has been a financial director since 1986, and is in his second stint as NCU treasurer.

Hailing from the agricultural town of Wallmansthal north of Pretoria, Soma was schooled in Marabastad and is passionate about sport in general.

“I love golf, I just don’t play enough. I do a lot of gyming and cycling these days and I’ve ridden three 94.7s and two Argus’s. I love soccer, which I played too, and I also enjoy watching rugby. Travelling is also something I enjoy,” he says.

Another interest is food and Soma has been in the restaurant business as well, his wife Preeya being a caterer.

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The Titans are busy developing tomorrow’s fans today with the introduction of their junior fan club.

On match days, a members’ area will be reserved exclusively for Titans Junior Fans at SuperSport Park. In addition, the first 10 members to arrive on the day stand a chance to meet and interview some of the Nashua Titans players.  And, as a Titans Fan Club member, if you buy two tickets you will get two tickets free.

Titans Fan Club membership is available for all primary school scholars from Grade 0 to Grade 7.