Ken Borland

Jacques Faul is the new chief executive of Titans cricket, taking over from acting appointee Aniel Soma, who covered so efficiently in the wake of Elise Lombard’s tragic passing.

It may be considered a step down in some quarters for Faul, who was the acting CEO of Cricket South Africa for a year, but it is a return to franchise cricket that the former Western Transvaal player is excited about.

“I learnt a lot while I was with CSA, it was difficult, but we achieved what we set out to do, which was keeping the operations going and getting the sponsors back. It has also given me a more balanced view of cricket administration, having always been on the affiliate’s side of the fence before then. I wanted to stay in cricket and I want to make the Titans the best franchise in the world. It’s a fantastic organisation and I’m very privileged,” Faul said.

It has not been the best of timing for Faul with the Titans’ awful season a blow to their reputation as one of the country’s leading franchises. But the former North-West CEO has no doubts he can help get the amalgamation of the Northerns and Easterns cricket unions back up to the top.

“I want to take the organisation to a new level, but you can only react in four ways strategically when you move into a venture, and this applies from a pub to an accounting firm. You can stop, start, continue or change things.

“The Titans is a great organisation, so I’ll be continuing a lot of things. But my role demands that I stop, start and change certain things. Issues such as stadia and financial stability are always dynamic,” Faul said.

Faul played a major role in elevating the status of cricket in Potchefstroom when he became CEO in 2003, but he was actually brought up in Klerksdorp, where he played club cricket for 21 years and was elected president of the club when he was just 26.

Had he not been called into administration at such a young age, and shown such commercial vision, Faul might well have ended up coaching.

He has a Level III certificate and an academy at Klerksdorp High School and describes coaching as “what I enjoy most”.

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.