Ken Borland

The Unlimited Titans and the bizhub Highveld Lions will once again be killing two birds with one stone when they start their pre-season competitive cricket with the Momentum eKasi Challenge, which the Southern Gautengers are hosting this year, at Dobsonville Oval on August 22.

The eKasi Challenge not only boosts grassroots cricket by bringing top franchise players to the townships, but also provides the team with valuable competitive action before the more serious competitions start.

The eKasi Challenge has become a sought-after trophy after just a single year – the Titans hosting and losing the inaugural match last August in Mamelodi – with Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana committing himself yesterday into playing his strongest available side, including five players who will have just returned from Australia on SA A duty.

“We’ll have everyone back and will play our strongest team as we’re looking to start afresh this season after being poor last year. Aaron Phangiso, Hardus Viljoen, Eddie Leie, Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada will all be back and although I was planning to give them a break, they really want to be involved in the game.

“The eKasi Challenge means a lot for us, four or five of our players come from Soweto and it’s a great thing for them to go back and play there,” Toyana said yesterday at the Wanderers for the announcement of the venue.

Titans veteran Ethy Mbhalati said there is a similar sense of expectation in their squad.

“It’s very exciting, just remembering Mamelodi last year and the amount of people that came to watch, making a noise and supporting, that makes it a more serious game. I love spending time with the kids, it’s what I enjoy the most and there could be another Ethy Mbhalati in the eKasi.

“You just want to leave something for them, show them that there are people from the townships who are in top cricket.

“The guys are looking fit, we’ve been running and bowling and hitting balls for the last couple of months and we can’t wait for the season to start,” Mbhalati said.

It seems the cries of Black African youth in the townships for greater opportunities in cricket are being heard, thanks to Cricket South Africa, Momentum and the two Gauteng franchises joining forces in such an effective manner.

“I have to thank Momentum for coming up with this plan to bring cricket to eKasi. We would have had so many township cricketers playing at a high level if it had happened before. As Phangy [Aaron Phangiso] always says, ‘don’t forget your roots and where you come from’ – which is eKasi,” Mbhalati said.

The face of South African domestic cricket will change even more in the coming season with every franchise team required to field two Black African players and Mbhalati said the effect of this could be phenomenal.

“There’s always a starting point but we need to go from two to three to four. We’ve got enough talent, we don’t need to worry about that, it won’t be a problem. We can pick four now and they would do well, they would be there on merit.

“Maybe if this had happened in the past, we would have had more Makhaya Ntinis, Lonwabo Tsotsobes or Monde Zondekis by now. If you have three or four Black Africans playing then it brings even more hype to eKasi. If there’s only one Black African in a team, then people in the township wonder if they can make it, but if there are three then they think maybe they can be the fourth player,” Mbhalati said.

The positive effects of seeing role-models in action are obvious; and bringing those same heroes to the townships can only prove the success of the eKasi Challenge concept.

 

 

 

While some critics are warning that Cricket South Africa’s new increased “targets” for players of colour – and specifically Black Africans – will curdle the milk of domestic cricket, Unlimited Titans coach Rob Walter says the new quotas won’t place him under extra pressure when it comes to selection in the season ahead.

Franchises will now be required to field at least five players of colour in all competitions, two of whom must be Black Africans, an increase of one for 2014/15.

The Titans have only contracted three Black Africans – pacemen Junior Dala and Ethy Mbhalati and wicketkeeper/batsman Mangaliso Mosehle – for next season, alongside six other players of colour – Qaasim Adams, Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, Eden Links, Rowan Richards and Tabraiz Shamsi.

“We have quality depth in all positions and we’re not sitting around thinking we’re going to be under pressure because of the new requirements. In fact we have to find a way of playing all these guys. A lot of our players of colour are actually pushing for places in the national side and they’re all there entirely on merit,” Walter said at the weekend during the launch of the new IXU brand of cricket equipment, for which he is an ambassador.

While there will obviously be more pressure on Mosehle, Mbhalati and Dala to perform, Walter said he thinks the added expectation will bring out the best in them.

“I have massive faith in Mangi. He’s had two stand-out 50-over campaigns and I’ve seen him make hundreds. In four-day cricket, he fell short last season, but I absolutely believe that he can score runs at that level.

“The pressure might actually be good for him, he’s occupying a hugely important position in four-day cricket. That number six/seven position has been key to many of the Proteas’ successes in recent years.

“Junior Dala has worked unbelievably hard in the off season after not having the best start to his Titans’ career, but we saw flashes of what he can do. He can bowl quickly and he’s clearly got something. Ethy was always going to be around anyway for another season, but having Junior in the squad has pushed him and he’s been working very hard,” Walter said.

With David Wiese, Marchant de Lange and Richards also being key bowlers, and JP de Villiers and Vincent Moore in reserve, Walter is confident the Titans have the attack to win trophies next season, but he is hoping his senior batsmen dish up many more runs than in 2013/14.

“I think Rowan is going to do great things, he has pace and he’s a left-hander, it was just sad that he was injured last season; Marchant is doing nicely and he delivered some real heat when he played at the end of last season; and David was unbelievable with the new ball and showed real skill. So all of a sudden the seam attack looks very good, plus JP has come a long way and Vince Moore bowled particularly well in the four games he played.

“But first and foremost what we need to improve is the performances of our senior players. We’ve added Dean Elgar, who will be key as another senior player, but the guys already there – Davids, Behardien, Albie Morkel, Kuhn – they’ve been performing year in, year out and I’ll be looking to them to really deliver,” Walter said.

Apart from those established batsmen, there is real talent waiting in the wings in Graeme van Buuren, Cobus Pienaar, Adams, Theunis de Bruyn and Ernest Kemm, and that meant there was cover available should there be injuries, national call-ups or loss of form.

“The great thing is that if we lose a player, it’s not the end of the world. The young guys have been performing, showing no fear and just revelling in the opportunity to play. Graeme was a standout batsman when it came to playing under pressure and that’s huge, a really great thing. Theunis showed in his first outing that he’s ready for franchise cricket and Ernest made a fifty in his second game. So depth is not something I’m worried about,” Walter said.

The Titans started training for the new season on May 1 and have been working hard on improving their skills.

“We fell short on our ability to deliver our skills so we started training earlier and have been doing that every day,” Walter said.

And the Titans will start playing competitive cricket as early as August, with the eKasi Challenge against the Highveld Lions, two three-day practice games and the Global Softech Sixes and Northerns Bash.

Titans contracted squad 2014/15: Qaasim Adams, Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Marchant de Lange, JP de Villiers, Heino Kuhn, Eden Links, Ethy Mbhalati, Albie Morkel, Mangaliso Mosehle, Cobus Pienaar, Rowan Richards, Tabraiz Shamsi, Graeme van Buuren (rookie contract), Roelof van der Merwe, Shaun von Berg, David Wiese, Jacques Rudolph (One-Day Cup only). CSA-contracted – Dean Elgar, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Morne Morkel.

 

 

The Titans’ bold efforts to reorganise pre-season domestic cricket moved a step closer on Thursday with the announcement of the fixtures for the inaugural Global Softech Sixes to be played at SuperSport Park from September 4-7.

The Sixes tournament is the brainchild of Titans CEO Jacques Faul and is an attempt to attract a new audience to an enterprising brand of cricket, with an emphasis on corporate hospitality.

The first Global Softech Sixes will bring the six domestic franchises and six African countries including South Africa to Centurion for an event that Faul is hoping will grow to rival the famous Hong Kong Sixes.

There are going to be eight five-overs-a-side games on each of the four days and the South African team to play in Hong Kong this year will be announced after the tournament.

A major attraction of the event is the chance it will provide for leading players in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to play top-class cricket against the stars of the South African game.

“This is exciting for Africa cricket and our 23 member countries. It has never happened before in Africa, it is a special and unique concept, and it will be televised through the whole continent,” Cassim Suleman, the CEO of the Africa Cricket Association, said.

Dolphins coach Lance Klusener said the Global Softech Sixes will provide some competitive preparation for his team ahead of their participation in the Champions League T20.

“Any time out in the middle before the Champions League will be like gold. It’s only five overs, so our batsmen can get used to swiping from ball one, and it will be even more useful to the bowlers, who get a chance to bowl an over of yorkers. We’ll be able to see where we are in terms of our skills,” Klusener said.

Fixtures

Thursday, September 4: 10h00 Cobras v Knights; 10h50 Titans v Warriors; 11h40 Dolphins v Lions; 12h30 Warriors v Cobras; 13h20 Lions v Titans; 14h10 Knights v Dolphins; 15h00 Cobras v Lions; 15h50 Titans v Dolphins.

Friday, September 5: 10h00 Warriors v Knights; 10h50 Dolphins v Cobras; 11h40 Knights v Titans; 12h30 Warriors v Lions; 13h20 Titans v Cobras; 14h10 Warriors v Dolphins; 15h00 Knights v Lions; 16h10 Franchise Sixes final.

Saturday, September 6: 10h00 Kenya v Namibia; 10h50 Uganda v Tanzania; 11h40 South Africa v Zimbabwe; 12h30 Tanzania v Kenya; 13h20 Zimbabwe v Uganda; 14h10 Namibia v South Africa; 15h00 Kenya v Zimbabwe; 15h50 Uganda v South Africa.

Sunday, September 7: 10h00 Tanzania v Namibia; 10h50 South Africa v Kenya; 11h40 Namibia v Uganda; 12h30 Tanzania v Zimbabwe; 13h20 Uganda v Kenya; 14h10 Tanzania v South Africa; 15h00 Namibia v Zimbabwe; 16h10 Africa Sixes final.

 

Pace bowler JP de Villiers will no doubt want to spend more time in the Titans team next summer and the 25-year-old reminded everyone of his talents when he won the Northerns Senior Provincial Player of the Year award at the union’s prizegiving over the weekend.

De Villiers played just two Sunfoil Series games for the Titans last season, but showed his all-round promise by averaging 29 with the bat and taking seven wickets at 27.28.

He was Northerns’ leading wicket-taker in the three-day competition, however, with 36 scalps at an average of 20.19 and he averaged 24.72 with the bat, including an unbeaten century.

De Villiers also helped himself to the best Senior Provincial Bowler award, while Shershan Naidoo and Heinrich Klaasen were his fellow winners, sharing the batting award.

Maggie Mpahlele was his mimic for the Northerns women’s side, winning the bowler and player of the year awards, while national captain Mignon du Preez took home the award for best batter.

Du Preez was honoured alongside Marcia Letsoalo, Sunė Luus and Andrie Steyn for making the national women’s team, while Northerns’ long-term future looks bright with

Driaan Bruwer, Aiden Markram, Corbyn Bosch, Luus and Steyn all acknowledged for making the SA U19 side.

Left-arm spinner Ryan Houbert has previously played for Northerns and he was named the Best Club Cricketer of the Year for his 53 wickets for CBC Old Boys.

A club-mate, Henk Coetzee, was the leading batsman with 880 runs, but CBC Old Boys could not prevent the top-class Tuks first XI from winning the Premier League.

A host of other awards were handed out as a memorable evening celebrated the achievements of cricketers from U9 to international level.

 

 

AWARD WINNERS – 2014

 

Primary Schools

 

U9 Large Schools League        –           Hennopspark

U9 Medium Schools League   –           Mayville

U10 Large Schools League      –           Hennopspark

U10 Medium Schools League –           Pretoria Oos

U11 Large Schools League      –           Midstream College

U11 Medium Schools League –           Tygerpoort

U11 Small Schools League      –           Die Poort

U12 Large Schools League      –           Lynnwood Laer

U12 Medium Schools League –           Elarduspark

U13 Large Schools League      –           Constantiapark

U13 Medium Schools League –           Tygerpoort

U13 Small Schools League      –           Lynnwood Ridge

U13 Girls League                    –           Boerefort

 

High Schools

 

A League                                –           Waterkloof 1

B League                                –           AHS 2

C League                                 –           AHS 3

D League                                 –           PBHS 2

E League                                 –           Menlopark 3

F League                                  –           Menlopark 4

G League                                 –           Wagpos

H League                                 –           Garsfontein 4

I League                                  –           AHS 4

J League                                  –           Erasmus

U15 A League                          –           Garsfontein

U15 B League                          –           Midstream College

U14 A League                          –           Menlopark

U14 B League                          –           Midstream College

U19 Girls League                    –           Zwartkops

 

Individual School Awards

 

Best Player of the year: U13 Standard Bank              –           Anslin Fortuin

Best Player of the year: U15 Week                            –           Shared : Dean Foxcroft

& Nkosinathi Msiza

Best Player of the year: U17 Week                            –           Jannaman Malan

Best Player of the year: U19 Coca Cola Khaya Majola –        Driaan Bruwer

Best Player of the year: U19 Girls Week                    –           Sunė Luus

 

KFC Mini Cricket

 

Recognition Award                 –           Ian Morton

Recognition Award                 –           Sagree Naicker

Recognition Award                 –           Nicolien van Deventer

Recognition Award                 –           Lana Hattingh

Recognition Award     –           Angie Makhafola

Recognition Award     –           Madelien Vivieres

 

 

Junior Clubs

 

U9 Platinum                –           Tshwane Metro A

U9 Gold                       –           Moot A

U9 Silver                      –           Tshwane Metro B

U11 Platinum              –           Assupol Tuks A

U11 Gold                     –           Tshwane Metro A

U11 Silver                    –           Assupol Tuks C

U13 Platinum              –           Centurion Kavaliers A

U13 Gold                     –           Irene Villagers B

U13 Silver                    –           Tuine C

U15 Platinum              –           Willowquins A

U15 Gold                     –           Defence B

 

Senior Clubs

 

Premier League                      –           Assupol Tuks 1

Promotion League                  –           Pretoria 1

Reserve League                      –           Shared : Assupol Tuks 3 & PHSOB 2

Presidents League                   –           Police 2

Second League                        –           CBCOB 3

Third League                           –           Assupol Tuks 7

Fourth League                         –           AC Old Boys 5

Fifth League                            –           Moot 3

Sixth League                            –           Shared : Pretoria 5 & AC Old Boys 7

Seventh League                       –           Pretoria 6

Women’s Premier                   –           Shared : Irene Villagers & Sinoville & Tuks

Women’s T20                          –           Assupol Tuks

Knock Out League                   –           Assupol Tuks 1

Club Twenty20 League           –           Shared : Assupol Tuks 1 & TUT 1

NCU Club of Excellence          –           Assupol Tuks

 

Individual Club Career Awards

 

53 Club Season Wickets                                  –           Ryan Houbert (CBCOB)

880 Club Season Runs                                     –           Henk Coetzee (CBCOB)

 

4393 Club Career Runs                                   –           Reinhardt Mostert (Villagers)

3441 Club Career Runs                                   –           Andre Malan (Villagers)

3253 Club Career Runs                                   –           Henk Coetzee (CBCOB)

304 Club Career Wickets                                –           Will Giessing (ACOB)

411 Club Career Wickets                                –           Piet Botha (ACOB)

166 Club Career Wickets                                –           Ricardo Moonsamy (Laudium)

 

Best Club Player of the Year                           –           Ryan Houbert

 

 

Differently Abled Awards

 

LSEN Player of the Year                                  –           Armand Coetzee

Intellectually Impaired Player of the Year     –           Kirby Legoabe

Deaf Player of the Year                                  –           Reinhardt Limbach

Blind Player of the Year                                  –           Marco van der Linde

Disabled Player of the Year                            –           Ruan van Aswegen

 

Scorer Awards

 

Titans Scorer of the Year                                –           Ashler Serwadi

Premier League Scorer of the Year                –           Kathy Kulper

Promotion League Scorer of the Year                        –           Armandt Oosthuizen

Best newcomer Scorer of the Year                –           Coert de Toit

Most dedicated Scorer of the Year                –           Eunice Mahlanyane

 

Umpire Awards

 

Best Junior Umpire in League                                    –           Katlego Molefsane

Most Promising Development Umpire           –           Lucky Motswege

Most Promising Senior Umpire                      –           Kevin Lawrence

NCUA’s Umpire of the Year                            –           Jurie Sadler

NCU’s Club Umpire of the Year                      –           Hassen Dawood

NCUA’s Club of the Year                                 –           Sinoville

NCUA’s Premier League Captain of the Year –          David Bunn

 

National Awards

 

SA Deaf                                   –           Gerard Kroese

SA Deaf                                   –           Reinhardt Limbach

SA Deaf                                   –           Prince Mashego

SA Deaf                                   –           Coenraad van den Berg

SA Deaf                                   –           Onalerona Seemise

 

SA Blind                                   –           Johan Schroeder

SA Blind                                   –           Vernon Barnard

SA Blind                                   –           Sedizani Netshikwele

SA Blind                                   –           Innocent Phiri

SA Blind                                   –           Marco van der Linde

SA Blind                                   –           Sean Schwan

SA Blind                                   –           Ephraim Mathapo

 

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Kirby Legoabe

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Karabo Matlakala

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Brendan Engelbrecht

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Sello Ndima

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Puseletso Modimola

SA Intellectually Impaired      –           Mzwandile Mhlongo

 

 

SA Women                              –           Mignon du Preez

SA Women                              –           Marcia Letsoalo

SA Women                              –           Sunė Luus

SA Women                              –           Andrie Steyn

 

SA U17 Cubs Invitation            –           Jannaman Malan

SA U17 Cubs Invitation            –           Rivaldo Moonsamy

SA U17 Cubs Invitation            –           Stefan Klopper

 

SA Under 19 Girls                    –           Sunė Luus

SA Under 19 Girls                    –           Andrie Steyn

 

SA Under 19 Colts                   –           Dustin Melton

SA Under 19 Colts                   –           Rivaldo Moonsamy

SA Schools                               –           Driaan Bruwer

 

CSA Colts XI                             –           Tian Koekemoer

 

SA Under 19                            –           Driaan Bruwer

SA Under 19                            –           Aiden Markram

SA Under 19                            –           Corbyn Bosch

 

USSA Representation              –           Heinrich Klaasen

USSA Representation              –           Sean Nowak

USSA Representation              –           Douglas Hewitt

 

Women’s Cricket Awards

 

Best Bowler of the Year                                  –           Maggie Mphahlele

Best Batsman of the Year                               –           Mignon du Preez

Most Promising Player of the Year                –           Andrie Steyn

 

Best Senior Women’s Player of the Year       –           Maggie Mphahlele

 

Senior Provincial Awards

 

Best Senior Provincial Bowler of the Year     –           JP de Villiers

Best Senior Provincial Batsman of the Year   –           Shared :

Shershan Naidoo &

Heinrich Klaasen

 

Senior Provincial Player of the Year               –           JP de Villiers