Category: Cricket News

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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AFRICA T20 CUP KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND

The third edition of the Africa T20 Cup kicks off this weekend, officially raising the curtain on the new cricket season.

The month-long tournament is the beginning of an exciting 2017/18 domestic campaign, with plenty of fresh talent expected to come to the fore.

Over the past two seasons, the likes of Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi and Andile Phehlukwayo have all played in the competition and gone on to represent the Standard Bank Proteas.

Others like Senuran Muthusamy, Patrick Kruger and Solo Nqweni have used the platform to become more regular players in franchise cricket.

Sahara Park Willowmoore in Benoni is the first stop from Friday to Sunday (August 25-27) where Pool A will be played.

Easterns are the host union for round one with the group also including Western Province, South Western Districts and Namibia.

The competition will then move to Senwes Park in Potchefstroom from September 1-3 when defending champions Eastern Province will begin the defence of their title by playing host union North West, Northerns and Gauteng in Pool B.

Pool C is next in focus with Kimberley’s Diamond Oval and home union Northern Cape, the stage for KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Kenya on the weekend of September 8-10.

The initial stage of the tournament then concludes from September 15-17 at Buffalo Park in East London where Border will host KZN Inland, Zimbabwe and Boland.

The Diamond Oval in Kimberley has been pre-allocated the semifinals and final weekend of September 24 and 25. Only pool winners qualify for the knock-out round.

“The Africa T20 Cup has come a long way since the first edition in 2015/16,” said Cricket South Africa (CSA) General Manager: Cricket, Corrie van Zyl.

“We have seen so many players play in the tournament who have gone on to play franchise cricket more regularly, while some have even made the bigger step-up to the Proteas.

“So we’re excited about the weekend. It will also launch the 2017/18 season and everyone is looking forward to it.”

The format is the same as in the previous two editions with the 12 CSA provincial members being joined by KwaZulu-Natal Inland and three African nations – Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.

 

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FICA CONGRATULATES THE ACA & AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL CRICKETERS ON MOU AGREEMENT

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today congratulated the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) on successfully negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of its members for the next five years based on the same partnership principles that have served the game so well, and including female players for the first time.

On behalf of the FICA Board, Tony Irish, FICA Executive Chairman said:

“We commend the ACA and Australia’s male and female players for the unity they showed during this difficult process. The ACA and the players they represent have come under enormous pressure in trying circumstances over the last year, and the outcome they have achieved is testament to that unity.”

“We particularly acknowledge the players who have stood up and spoken out, on behalf of their fellow professionals, and we applaud them for their leadership.”

“The majority of Australia’s professional cricketers were forced into unemployment and told they would not be back-paid. The ACA was deprived of vital information for much of the negotiating period. Repeated calls for the involvement of CA’s chief executive and proposals to mediate the issues (both of which would have led to a resolution of this dispute at an earlier date) were ignored. Yet despite all this the players and their players’ association showed tremendous resolve in ensuring that a fair revenue share model was retained, and that Australia’s female players were included in this arrangement”.

“This outcome is significant not only for the Australian players but also for players elsewhere around the globe. Revenue share is a key component in ensuring that players are genuine stakeholders in the game and we consider it to be international best practice in professional cricket around the world. The inclusion of women cricketers in this also leads the way in the women’s game which continues to grow and professionalise globally.”

FICA looks forward to continuing to assist and support other member players’ associations, and the newly formed Scottish Cricketers’ Association, being the first formally established players association in an ICC associate country. FICA will also continue to assist professional cricketers who wish to establish players’ associations in those countries where they currently don’t exist.

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SOUTH AFRICA ‘A’ CRUST AFGHANISTAN

Reeza Hendricks smashed an unbeaten 173, his ninth List A century, as South Africa ‘A’ crushed Afghanistan ‘A’ by 164 runs in Pretoria to secure their second win of the tri-series.

Hendricks, who carried his bat through the innings, struck 14 fours and five sixes in his 145-ball knock as the hosts posted 336 for 5 after being put in to bat. Afghanistan ‘A’ had as many as six batsman crossing double digits, with the highest being Rahmat Shah’s 55 at No. 3. They were bowled out for 172 in 32.2 overs with Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wrist-spinner, taking 4 for 19.

Afghanistan ‘A’ were up against it right from the outset as Hendricks and Henry Davids put on 79 for the opening wicket in 13 overs to set the platform. Mangaliso Mosehle was out for 17 but each of the other batsmen got among the runs. The middle-order lift was provided by Khaya Zondo, the captain, who made a 55-ball 62 during the course of a 135-run stand with Hendricks. The last 15 overs fetched them 144.

Afghanistan ‘A’ were rocked early when Dwaine Pretorius struck in the second over to remove Javed Ahmadi. He made it a double-strike by dismissing Usman Ghani in the sixth over. Rahmat hit five fours and a six to raise a half-century, but was trapped lbw by Shamsi to trigger a middle-order slide.

Najibullah Zadran (26), Afsar Zazai (24) and Shafiqullah (16) got off to starts but fell to expose the lower order. The innings was wrapped up when Dane Paterson bowled last man Fareed Ahmad to finish with three wickets.

Afghanistan ‘A’ have now lost both their matches in the tri-series. They take on India ‘A’ in their next outing on August 1 at the same venue – the LC de Villiers Oval.

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ELGAR AND BAVUMA KEEP ENGLAND AT BAY

Dean Elgar  was battered, bruised but unbowed but he and Temba Bavuma guided the Standard Bank Proteas to the less stormy waters of the close of play on the fourth day of the third Test match at The Oval in London on Sunday.

England nevertheless held an overwhelming advantage as they reduced the Proteas to 117/4 in pursuit of a victory target 492 from an initial 148 overs. Victory will give England a 2-1 lead in the series and will mean that they retain the Basil d’Oliveira Trophy.

At one stage it looked as though England would win the match on the fourth day after Ben Stokes back up his century in the first innings by dismissing Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis off successive balls with Bavuma coming to the crease on a hat trick.

But Bavuma, as he has had to do too often in the past, proved to be the right man to stabilize the innings in partnership with Elgar. By the close of play they had shared an unbroken stand of 65 for the fifth wicket with Elgar on 72 (111 balls, 11 fours) and Bavuma on 16 (59 balls, 1 four).

Elgar got hit on the hand several times and also on different parts of his body and, if he does go on to complete his 8th Test century, he will have earned it the hard day. This is his third half-century of the series and he has been far and away the most consistent batsman for his team. He was clearly in significant distress and many of his strokes were played almost one-handed.

He and Bavuma are certainly the best men on current form for the crisis in which the Proteas find themselves and it does pose the question as to whether Bavuma should be moved up the order for the final Test match at Old Trafford, starting on Friday.

The Proteas did a reasonable bowling job on the fourth day with Keshav Maharaj chipping away at the middle-order to take three wickets (3/50 in 13.5 overs) but the damage had already been done when England claimed a lead of 178 on the first innings and their position was consolidated by Tom Westley (59 off 141 balls, 11 fours), Joe Root (50 off 94 balls, 6 fours) and Jonny Bairstow (63 off 58 balls, 6 fours and a six).

Stokes was the pick of the England attack when it came to their turn to bowl (2/29 in an eight-over spell) but all the England bowlers proved hard to handle and the key fact is that they have been more successful than their Proteas counterparts in putting the ball in the right spot consistently.

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VAN NIEKERK ‘PROUD’ AFTER ENGLAND DEFEAT

Momentum Proteas skipper Dane van Niekerk, while disappointed with the loss, says she is proud of her team for reaching the semi-final and the manner in which they accomplished the feat.

The Proteas went down to the England in a thrilling ICC Women’s World Cup semi-final in Bristol on Tuesday.

The Proteas Women posted a modest total of 218/6 at the end of their innings after electing to bat first, however it was just enough for the hosts to seal victory in the final over.

“If you were in our change room you’ll probably be crying now – it’s tough,” Van Niekerk told reporters after their two-wicket loss.

“Especially losing a game so close, you know that hurts even more.

“We were kind of down and out half-way through (the game), but the character the team showed and the way they fought – it hurt even more. But at the end of the day, it wasn’t enough and we didn’t have enough on the board.

“The character and fight the team showed throughout the tournament. Not a lot of people thought we’d come this far and I’ve very proud of them.”

Van Niekerk thought her side were 30 runs short after England chased their target of 219 with only two balls to spare.

“We didn’t have a perfect innings, I think both teams made mistakes on the field. In every cricket match there’ll always be extras and mistakes and that’s part of the game,” said the Proteas skipper.

“Yeah, we were 30 runs short, but the way my team went out to try and defend that – I couldn’t ask for more.”

Van Niekerk thanked South Africans back home for their ongoing support throughout the tournament and looked to get to the final in the next World Cup.

“The support from everyone back home has been so amazing and I just want to thank everyone who has reached out to us and showed their support,” said Van Niekerk.

“We wish we could have done it for them, but we can take heart in knowing that at least at the next World Cup, we have the capability and ability to go all the way to the final. We hope we made South Africa proud.”

South Africa finished the round-robin phase of the competition in fourth place, only losing to England and Australia before their semi-final heartbreak.

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PROTEAS WOMEN CLINCH EMPHATIC WIN OVER INDIA

Half-century and four wickets from Momentum Proteas captain, Dané van Niekerk and a 65-ball 92 by Lizelle Lee lay the foundation for a resounding, 115-run victory for the over India, breaking India’s unbeaten streak when the sides met for the 18th match in the ICC Women’s World Cup in Leicester on Sunday. It was a strong statement by the South Africans, whose victory today was their first against India in a World Cup.

The day started with Lee, hitting 10 fours and seven 6’s on her road to laying the groundwork towards her side’s 273/9 after they were asked to bat first. She did well to continue the team’s momentum after the initial loss off her partner, Laura Wolvaardt for one run, eight balls into the match. Trisha Chetty (24) provided support for Lee, sticking around for 45 balls as their partnership reached 91 runs for the second wicket.

Van Niekerk entered the match when her side were on a shaky 162/5 and proceeded to hit seven fours and a six to reach her 57 runs in 66 deliveries and steer the innings in a more stable position. Other notable batting contributions came from Chloe Tryon, who made another good cameo, scoring a rapid-fire 24 from 18 and Mignon du Preez, whose 22 off 29 balls helped bring calm to the innings after the loss of Lee.

India’s Shikha Pandey was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 40, while Harmanpreet Kaur (2/18) and Ekta Bisht (2/68) returned two scalps each.

Their batting reply was stifled by yet another top class bowling display by the South African skipper, who returned figures of 4/22 in her 10 overs. Two of those were the wickets of her counterpart Mithali Raj and Kaur, who both fell for ducks in the same over.

Deepti Sharma provided the last stand for India, top scoring with 60 from 111 deliveries (five fours) as everyone else except Jhulan Goswami (43), opener Punam Raut (22), and Bisht (13) returned single figures.

Van Niekerk is proud of the manner in which her side bounced back from their 68-run loss to England on Wednesday.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team, that’s the response that any captain wants to see after a loss like that,” she said. “It was a very tough loss, a lot of bowlers went and had a bit of downtime where they reflected on their personal performances and came back with plans on how they were gonna do better.

“It’s a very tough tournament, it’s hard on the body and it’s a long tournament as well. We’re not used to playing tournaments this long so I’m glad they took that time. I’m glad that they hurt (after the England match), because today they came back firing.”

South Africa are now one step closer to a semi-final qualification. They rise to fourth place on the tournament log, while India remain steadfast in second place behind defending champions, Australia.

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DU PLESSIS TO MISS OPENING TEST

Standard Bank Proteas test captain, Faf du Plessis will miss the opening Test against England at Lord’s to remain with his wife after the birth of their first child. Dean Elgar will stand in as captain, leading South Africa for the first time.

Du Plessis will rejoin the squad later in the week to prepare for the second Test at Trent Bridge which begins on July 14.

In du Plessis’ absence, South Africa look set to pick Theunis de Bruyn ahead of newcomer Aiden Markram, who was included in the squad as cover for du Plessis. De Bruyn was preferred over Markram in the tour match at New Road last week, and made his debut in South Africa’s most recent Test against New Zealand after Stephen Cook was dropped from the opening berth. De Bruyn scored 12 runs in the match and selection convener Linda Zondi confirmed that when the batsman was reconsidered for a Test spot it would not be as an opener. This is, therefore, an opportunity to blood him in the middle order.

“Theunis played the one Test match in New Zealand. There’s been a sense of fairness to players,” Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach, said. “We haven’t really discarded a player after one Test match, or two or three innings. At the moment he would be ahead in the pecking order, ahead of a guy like Aiden.”

Even if Markram is made to wait, South Africa will still have at least one newcomer to the XI come Thursday. Heino Kuhn is set to partner stand-in skipper Elgar at the top of the order which means half of South Africa’s top four will be fairly inexperienced. Hashim Amla, with 103 Test caps, will bat at No.3 with Temba Bavuma and JP Duminy at No.5 and 6 respectively.

South Africa can call on seniority in the bowling department, though. Vernon Philander was passed fit after sustaining an ankle injury during a county stint at Sussex. His availability was particularly pleasing to Domingo, who regards Philander as among the tougher prospects for batsmen.

“Vernon is a fantastic bowler for us. He is probably the hardest bowler to face in our side and when he is not there, we tend to struggle a little but because he gives us that control but also gives us the cutting edge if there is something in the wicket and also balances our side with his batting. He is a fantastic cricketer.”

Philander will form part of a three-pronged pack alongside Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel. Duanne Olivier, Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo are the reserves.

With the focus on the make-up of their own XI as they “try to find out what the best combination is,” as Domingo put it, South Africa have not spent too much time weighing up their opposition. Like South Africa, England are under a new captain in Joe Root – although his is a permanent appointment – and Domingo suggested his side would look to a test a top order which continues to be juggled around.

“We haven’t looked too closely at their side. Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad, James Anderson are five seriously experienced players who are all match winners in their own right. They are a good side but they’ve also got some uncertainties,” Domingo said. “There’s a new opening batter in Keaton Jennings who has only played a handful of Tests and Gary Ballance has come back into the side. There are certain areas where they may be a little uncertain about that we want to expose.”

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FICA EXTENDS SUPPORT TO THE ACA & AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL CRICKETERS

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today extended its support to the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) and its members. 230 professional cricketers, whom it represents, have been rendered unemployed following the ending of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the players and Cricket Australia (CA) and the failure of CA to negotiate a new agreement with the ACA based on the same partnership principles of the previous MOU.

FICA is concerned with CA’s desire to end the percentage revenue sharing model that has so successfully underpinned the partnership between the players and administrators in Australia for twenty years. The model has not only been hugely successful for Australian cricket but has been a model of best practice adopted by associations in cricket and other sports, worldwide.

FICA is also seriously concerned with CA’s approach to its dealings with the ACA throughout this ongoing process. FICA commends the ACA and the Australian players for their unity and resolve and for their consistent attempts to negotiate with CA in a professional and transparent manner, including their willingness to use independent mediation to reach a resolution.

FICA notes the indications given by CA that it may attempt to restrict now un-contracted players from competing in other cricket events by refusing to grant them a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or threatening them with future playing bans. FICA reiterates its strong opposition to any artificial restrictions that unfairly attempt to prevent players from earning a living and that have not been agreed with players or their representatives. FICA believes that such restrictions would be open to legal challenge in most jurisdictions as a restraint of trade.

The entire FICA Board has offered its support to the ACA and the Australian players.

Vikram Solanki, FICA President said:
“The players are the game. History has shown that where country boards work in genuine partnership with players and their representatives the game thrives and succeeds. Cricket is at a crucial moment in its history, with new and competing markets for players, fans and broadcasters. I believe that boards should be working more collaboratively with players in the current cricket landscape, not pushing them away.”

Tony Irish, FICA Executive Chairman and SACA CEO said:
“FICA and its member associations stand shoulder to shoulder in support of the ACA and the Australian cricketers in their current dispute with their board. As an important stakeholder in the game, players and their associations deserve to be treated with professionalism and respect. It is in the interests of everyone in the world game that the situation in Australia is resolved quickly and in a manner that is acceptable to the players collectively.”

Lisa Sthalekar, FICA Independent Board Member and ACA Executive Member said:
“It has been heartening to see the unity shown from the male and female players across Australia at a time when they have come under immense pressure. I know there is a lot of support around the world for the principled stance they are taking to maintain a genuine partnership for all players, not just a few.”

Graeme Smith, FICA Independent Board Member said:
“I was part of a revenue share partnership model for many years as a player and this was a critical factor in fostering the relationship between Board and players. In the current cricket environment where players have other options I don’t understand why a board would want to change a partnership that has proved to be successful.”

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FICA CONGRATULATES NEW ICC MEMBERS AND URGES ICC TO PRIORITISE STRUCTURE

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today congratulated Ireland and Afghanistan on achieving full membership of the ICC and Mr Imran Khawaja on election as deputy chairman of the ICC Board and responded to other reported outcomes of last week’s ICC meetings in London.

Ireland and Afghanistan

FICA congratulates Afghanistan and Ireland on becoming full members of the ICC.

“The promotion of Ireland and Afghanistan to full member status is welcomed by FICA and we look forward to more countries being able to take this step in the future as one aspect of the global expansion of the game,” said FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish.

International Structure

FICA notes, from media reports, that there appears to be some progress made on Test match and ODI structures, but that there still appears to be no formal outcome on this.  FICA continues to urge the game to prioritise changes to the overall playing structure in order to achieve the most sustainable future for the game and for its players.

The player trends and the shifts in the games’ employment market, highlighted in previous FICA reports, have continued over the last twelve months and the game is becoming increasingly club based and fragmented, creating different markets for players.  The latest T20 league in South Africa, along with the proposed English league, are yet further indications of the clear direction of the game and that the alternative domestic T20 market for players will continue to grow.

“Because of the current playing structure of the game, players are being increasingly forced to choose between the traditional employment market involving international cricket and the more financially attractive new markets in domestic T20 leagues” said, Irish.

“The international game is being seriously challenged by these domestic leagues for time, resource, players and fans not only as a consequence of their attractive nature but also because of failing traditional structures.”

“Putting the best possible structures and context around international cricket is vital to improve the international cricket product, but it is also critical that such structure creates a situation where domestic T20 and international cricket can co-exist, and not compete.  I fear for the future of international cricket if this change doesn’t happen soon.”

FICA believes solutions to imbalances in the structure of the game in the shifting landscape can be found in some of the following:

  • a genuine global structure and scheduling framework for all three formats.
  • a balance between the traditional and new markets which promotes the best players being able to play in a balance of both.
  • a collaborative international approach which includes looking at scheduling windows and at how other sports balance club versus country conflicts.
  • a fit for purpose global regulatory framework agreed with and bought into by, the players.
  • a decreased focus on tinkering with micro issues and delivery mechanics which simply ‘plaster over’ some of the current failings.

Financial Model and Governance

FICA congratulates Mr Imran Khawaja on his election as deputy chairman of the ICC Board and welcomes the appointment of a representative of the Associate countries to this position.

FICA also welcomes a further step towards the unwinding of the ‘Big Three’ financial arrangements and a shift towards recognized principles of good governance and, notably, both the inclusion of a female independent director on the ICC and a more equalized voting system around its table.

“It is hoped that the fairer distribution of financial resources across the game will now be utilized in each country in such a way that it maintains the playing strength of that country.   It is also hoped that the governance changes at ICC will promote prioritization of the global interests of the game ahead of regional interests” concluded Irish.

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS WIN OPENING MATCH

The Momentum Proteas got their 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup campaign off to a winning start when they beat Pakistan by three wickets at Grace Road in Leicester on Sunday. This win marks the side’s highest-ever World Cup run chase after they were set a 207-run target by Sana Mir’s charges.

With Pakistan put in to bat first, Bibi Nahida represented a crucial presence at the crease as fellow opener Ayesha Zafar (nine) and then Javeria Wadood were all bowled by Marizanne Kapp and Moseline Daniels respectively for 43/2.

With just 20 runs managed inside the second 10 overs, it was looking like hard work for Pakistan.

But Bibi – who was dropped by Ayabonga Khaka on 26 – brought up her half-century off 75 balls to steady the ship. Her effort eventually ended when she was run out by Ismail but Pakistan boosted its total later on despite losing Sana Mir and Marina Iqbal off Ismail’s bowling in the final over.

The South Africa openers set about their business well early on with Lee bringing up 1 500 runs in ODI cricket with a six over mid-on before reaching her 10th ODI fifty in dramatic fashion as Sadia dropped a catch at long-on to concede four.

But when Lee and Wolvaardt – who brought up her fourth ODI fifty off 81 balls – were dismissed in the 26th and 31st overs respectively, panic seemed to spread through the South Africa team.

Trisha Chetty (11) was caught at midwicket by Javeria before the latter ran out Kapp (one), Chloe Tryon (three) was bowled by Sadia and captain Dane van Niekerk (two) was another run-out victim, this time by Nain, with four wickets lost for 19 runs.

Mignon du Preez then holed out to Asmavia Iqbal at deep midwicket but Ismail held her nerve.

Losing six wickets in 49 runs was not ideal, but Ismail made her biggest contribution in the game yet, smashing three boundaries in the second-last over to secure victory for her side.

Ismail said: “It’s really important to start tournaments like this on a positive note because it gives you momentum going into the next matches. The confidence boost from today’s game is going to take us a long way in this tournament, just that belief that we can pull off a win even when it looks as though we are down and out showed us that we are capable of more.

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KAPP TOPS ICC RANKINGS HEADING INTO WORLD CUP

Momentum Proteas Marizanne Kapp heads into the Women’s World Cup as the top-ranked bowler in One-Day International cricket.

The ICC Women’s World Cup will be held across five venues in the United Kingdom, from June 24 to July 23.

Defending champions and six-time winners Australia’s campaign will be led by captain Meg Lanning, who tops the batsman’s list in the Women’s ODI Player Rankings by a comfortable margin of 51 points over India captain Mithali Raj.

For three-time winners England, who won the World Cup both times they hosted it – in 1973 and 1993 – captain Heather Knight leads the batting line-up in 11th position.

New Zealand, the 2000 champions, boast Amy Satterthwaite who is ranked third and captain Suzie Bates, who has a huge reputation as she was the leading run-scorer in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013.

The Proteas women have the satisfaction of seeing Kapp at the top of the bowlers’ list, with Shabnim Ismail in 10th position.

Lizelle Lee (10th), who partnered in a record 163-run opening stand with captain Dane van Niekerk in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2014 match against Pakistan, will feature in her first World Cup and is the top-ranked batsman from her side with Mignon de Preez (13th) and Chloe Tryon (14th) not too far behind.

There are no separate ODI team rankings for women but the results of the ICC Women’s World Cup will have a bearing on the Women’s Team Rankings, which are a combination of ODI and Twenty20 International results.

Australia leads the table currently with 128 points. They could be overtaken by England (122 points) if the host wins all its matches and Australia also lose to New Zealand and the West Indies or fare worse.

South Africa are on 91 points, Pakistan on 76 and Sri Lanka on 67 points.

Top 10 women bowling rankings:

1. Marizanne Kapp (RSA) – 665

2. Stafanie Taylor (WI) – 636

3. Jhulan Goswami (IND) – 611

4. Katherine Brunt (ENG) – 606

5. Jess Jonassen (AUS) – 598

6. Ekta Bisht (IND) – 586

7. Anisa Mohammed (WI) – 577

8. Sana Mir (PAK) – 569

9. Ellyse Perry (AUS) – 558

10. Shibnam Ismail (RSA) – 543

Top 10 women batting rankings:

1. Meg Lanning (AUS) – 807

2. Mithali Raj (IND) – 756

3. Amy Satterthwaite (NZ) – 733

4. Suzie Bates (NZ) – 694

5. Stafanie Taylor (WI) – 687

6. Ellyse Perry (AUS) – 681

7. Alex Blackwell (AUS) – 623

8. Deandra Dottin (WI) – 583

9. Harmanpreet Kaur (IND) – 562

10. Lizelle Lee (RSA) – 560

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KLAAS EXCITED ABOUT FIRST 50-OVER WORLD CUP

Momentum Proteas bowler, Masabata Klaas will embark on her first-ever trip to the England when the team depart for the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup on Friday. This will be her first time participating in a 50-over World Cup, having previously played for South Africa in the last two ICC Women’s World T20 competitions.

The Free State native believes that exposure to a high-intensity competition like the World Cup, coupled with having to play in unknown English conditions is what she needs to take her game to the next level.

“I can’t wait to go to England as it will be my first trip there and also my first 50-over World Cup,” she said. “As a team, we have prepared really well so far and playing in a competition like this, against the kind of opposition we will face, I can only get better as a player and it is an opportunity to up my game at the end of the day.”

“It’s definitely not an easy place to tour,” she continued. “Everyone is going to have to pull together and make sure we stick to our game plans. If we can learn from what we have seen from the men’s games, we will at least have taken a step in the right direction.”

Klaas, whose international career began in 2010 when she made her ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom, looks at how far the team has come since then and how much the women’s game has evolved.

She said; “Since my debut so much has changed for the women’s team. Momentum came on board with their sponsorship and changed a lot for us. The contracts that we got starting in 2013 have changed lots of girls’ lives and now our games are also on TV. I’m very excited about all our matches in the World Cup being televised on SuperSport.”

The team depart for England this Friday, 16 June 2017. An open media practice will be held tomorrow (Thursday, 15 June) at the outdoor nets at the CSA Centre of Excellence with interviews starting at 13:00.

Momentum Proteas ICC Women’s World Cup squad:
Dané van Niekerk (capt, Eastern Province), Chloe Tryon (vice-captain, KwaZulu-Natal), Trisha Chetty (wk, Gauteng), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Nadine de Klerk (Northerns), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Masabata Klaas (Free State), Lizelle Lee (North West), Sune Luus (Northerns), Raisibe Ntozakhe (Gauteng), Andrie Steyn (Western Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province).

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OUTCOMES FROM FICA EXECUTIVE MEETING IN LONDON

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today made comment following a FICA Executive meeting at the Oval in London that focused on the rapidly changing global cricket and player career landscapes.

The Changing Global Cricket and Player Career Landscapes

The rapidly changing global cricket and player career landscapes were discussed at length, including the impact of domestic T20 leagues in delivering various career paths and choices for players around the world. FICA will continue to advocate for the balancing of traditional cricket structures with new markets and domestic T20 cricket.

The meeting resolved to continue to oppose any unfair restrictions on freedom of movement that are imposed on players in the current landscape without the agreement of players and discussed the need for a new regulatory framework agreed with player representatives in an improved global cricket structure.

FICA Supports ACA and Australian Players

Alistair Nicholson, the CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Executive member of FICA, briefed the Executive on the ongoing dispute in Australia.

The meeting commended the ACA and Australian international and domestic players, men and women, for remaining united during attempts to divide them.

FICA affirmed its full support for the ACA and player revenue sharing principles, which it considers to be global best practice in maintaining player stakeholding in the game in each country. It also discussed the importance of governing bodies respecting players’ chosen representatives.

FICA to Meet with Male and Female Player Groups in the UK

The meeting reiterated the need to ensure proper collective representation of players at all levels, with an increasing focus on the representation of female players.

The importance of direct engagement with all player groups was re-affirmed, in ensuring that their views and opinions on key issues are represented effectively.

FICA will meet with male and female player groups during the ICC Champions Trophy and Women’s World Cup events in the UK.

Continued Support for the Formation of an Indian Players’ Association

FICA confirmed its commitment to assisting Indian cricketers to set up an independent players’ association after the Lodha Committee and Indian Supreme Court ruled that an association should be formed.

It noted that both India’s national and domestic players are key stakeholders in the world’s largest cricket economy. Assisting where possible to ensure those players have an independent collective voice, as well as creating player wellbeing, personal development and education programs will continue to be a priority.

Establishment of Scottish Cricketers’ Association

FICA confirmed its commitment to assisting players from associate countries to form players’ associations.

The Executive noted the formation of the Scottish Cricketers’ Association (SCA) as a significant step for players in Scotland and in associate countries generally. FICA looks forward to welcoming SCA as a new member of FICA, subject to formalities at the FICA Annual Meeting in September.

Health, Safety, Security

Passing on accurate and up to date security information to players continues to be a priority focus for FICA.

Security experts briefed the Executive on the current security landscape in all cricket countries, including in relation to both men’s and women’s ICC events in 2017.

Anti-Corruption

The meeting noted the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit’s commitment to forming a partnership with players, through their chosen representatives, and FICA looks forward to finalising a framework for such partnership.

Commenting on the meeting, FICA Executive Chairman, Tony Irish said:

“This was a forward thinking meeting and included in-depth discussions on the direction the game is moving and how we as the world players body need to deal with that.”

“The global cricket landscape is providing more choice and more variety for career direction for players around the world. Players are no longer constrained by the traditional vertical career pathway that focused on international cricket. The domestic T20 leagues, which are increasing in number and sophistication are presenting multiple new career options for players. It is critical that the right balance is found between the traditional and the new markets”.

“It is more important than ever to ensure players are represented collectively around the world. FICA and its players’ associations have committed to continuing to work closely together across all operational areas.”

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RABADA TOPS ODI BOWLING RANKINGS

Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s 22-year-old pace sensation, has leapfrogged team-mate, Imran Tahir, to become the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world. The top-two one-day bowlers aside, South Africa go into the ICC Champions Trophy with four of the top-ten batsmen in the format as well, as per the latest update to the ICC rankings. AB de Villiers leads the charts, while Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla complete the quartet.

Rabada climbed four spots following the three-match ODI series against England, in which he was the leading wicket-taker with seven wickets at 21.71 – including 4 for 39 in the third game, which helped reduce England to 20 for 6 – and an economy rate of 5.42. Overall in 36 ODI innings since his debut in July 2015, he has 64 wickets at 24.90 and an economy rate of 5.13.

Amla and de Kock were the second and third top scorers in the series, and both move up in the rankings – de Kock from No. 6 to No. 4, and Amla from eleven to ten. De Villiers retained the No. 1 spot, while du Plessis and Tahir lost some ground on the table, falling to No. 2 and No. 6 respectively.

Top-10 ODI batsmen
1 AB de Villiers, 2 David Warner, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Quinton de Kock, 5 Joe Root, 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Babar Azam and Martin Guptill, 9 Kane Williamson, 10 Hashim Amla

Top-10 ODI bowlers
1 Kagiso Rabada, 2 Imran Tahir, 3 Mitchell Starc, 4 Sunil Narine, 5 Josh Hazlewood, 6 Trent Boult, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Mohammad Nabi, 9 Shakib Al Hasan, 10 Mitchell Santner

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PROTEAS WIN FINAL ENGLAND ODI

Kagiso Rabada and Wayne Parnell cut a swathe through the England top order, taking 6/20 between them in the first five overs, as the Standard Bank Proteas coasted to a seven-wicket victory in the final match of their ODI Series at Lord’s on Monday.

It came too late to affect the outcome of the series which England won 2-1 but the visitors made an important statement ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament with their opening match against Sri Lanka at The Oval on Saturday.

The other teams in their Pool are India and Pakistan.

Rabada, on his first international visit to Lord’s, had figures of 4/39 while Parnell took 3/43, the other three wickets falling to Keshav Maharaj.

What will have pleased the Proteas most, was their improved fielding with Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis – his first one was a special effort – taking two catches each in the slips at the height of the new ball onslaught on a surface that provided assistance to the seamers throughout the match.

Parnell also swung the ball effectively and his two wickets up front of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan were particularly important ones.

The recalled Jonny Bairstow stabilised the England innings with 51 before he walked down the pitch to Maharaj and was stumped by Quinton de Kock by a distance.

England’s total of 153 in 31.1 overs – the match in total only last 60 overs – was well short of par and that became evident when De Kock and Hashim Amla sharing an opening stand of 95 – easily the highest of the match. In the process Amla completed 7 000 ODI runs when he reached 23 and once again was easily the fastest to his latest landmark.

AB de Villiers, who completed the series by winning all three tosses, also achieved a landmark of 100 ODI captaincies and he and JP Duminy completed the facile victory.

Rain threatened throughout the day and the weather must be a concern for all the Champions Trophy participants. It is a very short tournament and no side will be able to afford a washout. Australia’s warm-up match against Pakistan only lasted a handful of overs and South Africa A again were only able to bat half an innings in their second warm-up match against Derbyshire.

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HEINRICH STRYDOM NAMED DOLPHINS CEO

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins have announced that current North West Cricket Union Chief Executive Officer Heinrich Strydom will take over the reins as CEO of the Durban-based franchise from 1 August 2017.

Since the departure of CEO Pete de wet last year, the Hollywoodbets Dolphins were under the supervision of acting CEO Rajesh Behari until he vacated the position on 9 May, and was replaced by Muhammad Seedat. Seedat will fill the interim CEO role until 31 July, before Strydom moves into his new position.

Seedat, who has served within the structures of Dolphins cricket, will help in the transition into the Strydom-era when the newly-appointed CEO starts in August.

Strydom has been involved in cricket administration for the better part of a decade and his goals at the Dolphins are simple, but he realises the importance of making sure that he has got a clear grasp of the entire picture before he sets out to make his mark.

“I am not coming in to change everything,” Strydom mentioned.

“There are a lot of really good things at the Dolphins but I do believe that we can be in the top three franchises in the country.

“Having the chance to get this franchise into that position was one of the biggest draw cards for me.”

As well as filling the role of CEO at the North West Cricket Union, Strydom also serves as the General Manager of the Highveld Lions franchise in Gauteng.

Using that accumulated experience to make the right impact at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead is a priority for him.

“I want to spend some time just getting everything together and looking at all aspects of the business.

“The starting point for me will be to analyse everything and take it from there.

“It is an exciting prospect to work with Grant Morgan, a man I know quite well, having played against him in a Club Champs final!

“Taking on a national franchise was always the next step for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge of running the Dolphins franchise.”

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DE KOCK TURNS IN ANOTHER FIVE-STAR PERFORMANCE

Quinton de Kock  matched the previous performances of superstars Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers when he was named South African Cricketer of the Year and in all received a total of five awards at a glittering Cricket South Africa (CSA) awards function in Kyalami on Saturday evening.

Only Kagiso Rababa has done better with his six CSA awards last year. The other nine players to have received CSA’s most prestigious award are Jacques Kallis (2004 and 2011), Makhaya Ntini (2005 and 2006), Hashim Amla (2010 and 2013) and AB de Villiers (2014 and 2015) who have all won the award twice with the other previous winners being Shaun Pollock (2007), Dale Steyn (2008), Graeme Smith (2009), Vernon Philander (2012) and Rabada (2016).

In addition to the main award, De Kock was named Standard Bank Test Cricketer of the Year and Standard Bank ODI Cricketer of the Year, was honoured by his peers by being named SA Players’ Player of the Year and by the fans on being named SA Fans Player of the Year.

De Kock did, in fact, receive a sixth award which was for being named the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year.

His statistics for the year were remarkable, highlighted by his ODI innings of 178 against Australia in a series that saw him score 300 runs at an average of exactly 60 and a strike rate in excess of 137. His Test match performances were notable for his ability to score big runs when needed and to take the game away from the opposition.

In addition, the quality of his glove work was brilliant.

The only awards he did not win for which he was eligible were the Standard Bank T20 International Player of the Year award that went to Imran Tahir for the second year in a row and the KFC Award of Excellence that went to Temba Bavuma, again for the second successive year, for his brilliant run out of David Warner.

De Kock obviously was not a contender for RAM Delivery of the Year and that again went to Kagiso Rabada for his delivery that bowled Usman Khawaja at Perth.

Sune Luus was named SA Women’s Cricketer of the Year while Lizelle Lee was named SA Women’s Players Player of the Year.

The International Newcomer of the Year awards went to Keshav Maharaj and Laura Wolvaardt.

“Simply outstanding! What a year Quinton has had,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “He has shown the maturity of a seasoned campaigner with performances that have really counted when needed most, often blowing away the opposition in the process.

“It is encouraging that for the second time in a row our premier award has gone to one of our young stars who are shining with distinction alongside our world-class senior players.

“The way the Proteas have come through to rise up the ICC rankings in meteoric fashion has been quite brilliant and we now have a real team in the true sense of the word.

“Our domestic cricket remains blessed with great talents and congratulations to all the winners in those categories as well.

“I warmly congratulate all our winners, both at the international and domestic level, and I also wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge our umpires, grounds staff and scorers, too.”

The Multiply Titans were once again the biggest winners in the Professional Awards: Domestic category. Duanne Olivier of the VKB Knights was named Sunfoil Series Cricketer of the Year but for the rest it was the Titans nearly all the way well with Mark Boucher being named Pitchvision Coach of the Year, Farhaan Behardien CSA T20 Challenge Player of the Year, Henry Davids Momentum One-day Cup Cricketer of the Year, and Aiden Markram Domestic Newcomer of the Year. In addition, the Titans won the CSA Fair Play Award.

Colin Ackermann of the Warriors did the double of Domestic Players Player of the season and the SACA Most Valuable Player award.

Shaun George was named both CSA Umpire of the Year and CSA Umpires Umpire of the Year while there was a proud moment when Marais Erasmus received the David Shepherd Trophy as the ICC Umpire of the Year.

The Africa Cup T20 Player of the tournament went to Patrick Kruger of Northern Cape while PPC Newlands-based Evan Flint was named groundsman of the year

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ISMAIL SET UP MOMENTUM PROTEAS VICTORY

Shabnim Ismail took her second ever five-wicket haul while Raisibe Ntozakhe took an excellent 3/8 on debut to set up a convincing, eight-wicket win for the Momentum Proteas in the first One-Day International of the Cricket South Africa Women’s Quadrangular series against Zimbabwe in Potchefstroom on Sunday. The series includes Ireland and India. 

Ismail took 5/25 in 8.5 overs, which included two maidens to have the visitors bundled out for 78 in 26.5 overs after they elected to bat first. Zimbabwean captain, Sharne Mayers top scored with 24 runs from 29 deliveries as the rest of her line-up visibly struggled to hold their own against the home side. The second-highest score was an unbeaten, 42 ball 13 from Josephine Nkomo, who did her best to keep her wicket intact but had no assistance from the rest of the lower order.

South Africa’s disappointment was with their bowling effort, they yielded 20 runs, including 15 wides.

Nevertheless, the hosts began well with the bat as they embarked on what they would feel would be an attainable run chase. They reached the required total with 230 balls to spare and, with the exception of the lost wickets of Laura Wolvaardt (28) and Lizelle Lee (21), did so with relative ease.

South Africa will face the old enemy, India in their next match on Tuesday, 09 May 2017.

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PROTEAS RETAIN NO.1 ODI RANKING

Eighth-ranked Pakistan extends advantage over ninth-ranked West Indies as 30 September 2017 cut-off date for direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 gets closer

South Africa and Australia have retained the top two positions on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings following the 1 May annual update, but eighth-ranked Pakistan has opened up a nine-point advantage over ninth-ranked the West Indies, which can prove decisive since England plus the next seven highest-ranked sides as on 30 September 2017 will qualify automatically for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

The annual update is carried out to ensure the table continues to reflect teams’ recent form with older results being discarded. As such, the table now reflects all matches from 1 May 2014, with matches played from 1 May 2016 carrying 100 per cent weighting.

Both Pakistan and ninth-ranked West Indies have dropped points following the update – Pakistan slipping from 90 points to 88 points and the West Indies sliding from 83 points to 79 points. However, Pakistan’s pre-update seven-point gap has extended to nine points.

Seventh-ranked Bangladesh and sixth-ranked Sri Lanka have also conceded points.

Bangladesh has surrendered one point and is now on 91 points, but its gap over eighth-ranked Pakistan has increased from two points to three. Sri Lanka, which was sitting pretty on 98 points prior to the annual update, has slid to 93 points to now lead Bangladesh by only two points. However, Sri Lanka leads the West Indies by 14 points.

Meanwhile, number-one ranked South Africa has gained four points following the annual update and is now on 123 points, while world champion and second-ranked Australia has stayed on 118 points.

India, which will defend the ICC Champions Trophy title in the UK in June, has swapped places with ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalist New Zealand. Both the sides have gained points following the update but India’s five-point gain against New Zealand’s increase of three means India is now ranked third on 117 points and New Zealand is fourth on 115 points.

England, which will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, has retained its fifth ranking but has moved up one point to 109.

There is no change to 10th-ranked Afghanistan’s tally of 52 points, but 11th-ranked Zimbabwe has dropped two points and is now on 46 points. Ireland has gained one point and is on 43 points.

The small difference in points in the middle of the table adds a lot of context, entertainment and excitement to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy and other matches up to 30 September since performances during this period could help sides to qualify directly for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 rather than having to progress through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018.

MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 1 May, following the annual update)

Rank Team Points
1. South Africa 123 (+4)
2. Australia 118 (-)
3. India 117 (+5)
4. New Zealand 115 (+2)
5. England 109 (+1)
6. Sri Lanka 93 (-5)
7. Bangladesh 91 (-1)
8. Pakistan 88 (-2)
9. West Indies 79 (-4)
10. Afghanistan 52 (-)
11. Zimbabwe 46 (-2)
12. Ireland 43 (+1)

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FICA RESPONDS TO ICC MEETINGS OUTCOME

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today responded to the outcomes of this week’s ICC meetings in Dubai.

“Decisions made at this critical juncture are not only significant for the future of the game, but also impact directly, and indirectly, on players around the world,” said FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish.

Financial Model

In regard to the ICC’s financial model, FICA welcomes the unwinding of the ‘Big Three’ financial arrangement which promoted the interests of three countries above everyone else.

“FICA hopes that this will lead to greater financial clarity, consistency and transparency across all countries” said Irish. “The global game needs as many countries as possible to be economically healthy, but it will now be equally important to ensure that all countries apply sufficient resource to ensuring that their teams are competitive and that they are able to retain their best players in international cricket.”

Governance

In regard to the ICC’s governance, FICA welcomes the shift in the ICC’s constitution and governance structures but believes changes should go further.

“We will continue to urge the ICC to make those changes necessary to ensure that it becomes a truly independent global governing body, making decisions for the good of the global game” said Irish.

International Structure

FICA notes that no decisions have been taken relating to new competition structures for the three formats of the men’s game and on a global scheduling framework.

“This is a critical time in the game for a new global playing structure and framework” said Irish. “This structure must provide the right balance between international cricket and domestic T20 leagues, and accommodate clear trends in the global player employment market and the global cricket economy. The discussions on this at the ICC have been going on for some time now and I can’t emphasise enough how important it is for players that a better structure is finalised. FICA continues to urge the ICC to prioritise this issue.”

FICA also notes the ongoing work by the ICC Women’s Committee in developing and evolving clear competition structures for women’s cricket.

Development

FICA commends the ICC for committing to pay outstanding salaries for the national contracted players of Nepal while the Cricket Association of Nepal is suspended.

“FICA hopes that the ICC and Member Boards will take a similar approach in relation to the significant amounts which are due to players around the world for playing in events sanctioned by the ICC and/or Member Boards” said Irish.
“FICA and our member players’ associations have an important role to play, on behalf of all of the players we represent around the world, in working with key stakeholders in international cricket and domestic leagues and competitions to move the game forward in a positive way.”

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CSA ANNOUNCE ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY SQUAD

Left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, has earned his maiden One-Day International (ODI) call-up to the 15-man Standard Bank Proteas squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, which was announced on Wednesday.

The squad will play three ODI’s against England starting with the first match at Headingley in Leeds on May 24th, before their first group match of the ICC Champions Trophy against Sri Lanka at the Oval on June 3.

The 26-year-old Maharaj has had an impressive debut season for the Test squad and comes into the squad to bolster the spin options alongside Imran Tahir.

Morne Morkel makes a return to the limited-overs format after nearly 10 months, adding experience to the pace bowling group featuring Kagiso Rabada, Wayne Parnell, Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukwayo.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) convener of selectors, Linda Zondi, says the selectors have picked a strong squad which covers all of the combinations and conditions on offer for the eighth edition of the eight-team event. “We have been working with this group of players for the last two seasons where our key emphasis has been consistency in selection,” Zondi commented. “That has shown in how this group has performed over the last while, which has resulted in winning three consecutive ODI series.

“We feel we have a squad that covers every scenario that we could possibly be faced with on the tour. Most importantly, every player knows and understands their role and value within the squad.

“Keshav has had an exceptional debut season for the Test side and his inclusion in the squad gives us a spinner with different skills and extra batting depth. We have seen how important it is to bat deep in ODI cricket, this option will give us that cover if needed.” 

The squad will depart for England on May 16 and will begin their preparations with two 50-over tour matches against Sussex and Northants.
Standard Bank Proteas ODI squad for three-match ODI series against England and ICC Champions Trophy: Hashim Amla (BuildNat Cape Cobras), Quinton de Kock – wk (Multiply Titans), Faf du Plessis (Multiply Titans), AB de Villiers – captain (Multiply Titans), JP Duminy (BuildNat Cape Cobras), David Miller (VKB Knights), Chris Morris (Multiply Titans),  Wayne Parnell (BuildNat Cape Cobras), Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Imran Tahir (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (bizhub Highveld Lions), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Farhaan Behardien (Multiply Titans), Morne Morkel (Multiply Titans).

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MULTIPLY TITANS WIN MOMENTUM ONE DAY CUP

Centuries from Multiply Titans’ openers Aiden Markram and Henry Davids handed Titans a 236 run victory over the Warriors in the final of the Momentum One Day Cup at SuperSport Park,  Centurion. A record opening stand of 212 propelled Titans to 425 for 5 – the highest total in the history of South African franchise cricket – before Warriors were bowled out in 31 overs.

Having elected to bat, Titans raced to 100 in 16.2 overs, as Markram picked up eight fours and two sixes to bring up his century off 96 balls. In the next 27 deliveries he faced, the 22-year-old cleared the boundary five more times and hit three more fours to bring up his second-highest score in the tournament (161), after his 183 against Lions in Johannesburg. Davids, who finished the competition as the leading run-scorer with 673 runs at 84.12, joined in the run-fest with a fluent 98-ball 114 – studded with 13 fours and four sixes – in what was his third century and sixth 50-plus knock in eight innings.

Once Warriors captain JJ Smuts broke the stand with Davids’ dismissal in the 30th over, wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen sustained the onslaught with a 50-ball 60, before Chris Morris plundered six sixes and a four to inflict a final burst with an unbeaten 47 off only 12 balls. Heino Kuhn and Morris added 52 for the sixth wicket in the final 2.2 overs, helping Titans post a total in excess of 400 for the third time this season.

Of the eight bowlers used by Warriors, Smuts was the only one to leak less than seven runs an over. Anrich Nortje took the bulk of the beating, conceding 62 in six overs despite having picked up two wickets.

The fate of Warriors’ massive chase depended heavily on strong starts from openers Smuts and Gihahn Cloete – the side’s top two scorers in the tournament. But an early strike from Morris (2 for 41) set them back, as he bowled Cloete (3) in the second over of the innings. Lungi Ngidi’s subsequent double-strike off successive overs accounted for Colin Ingram (1) and Smuts (13), reducing the opposition to 22 for 3 in the fifth over. While Warriors failed to recover thereon, only Jerry Nqolo (40) offered any resistance before falling to Markram (1 for 7), who was named the Player of the Match. Junior Dala further dented Warriors’ chances with two wickets, taking his tournament tally to 16. 

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WORLD PLAYERS ASSOCIATION UNVEILS STRATEGY

UNI World Athletes, which brings together 85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries, has today unveiled its new strategic vision – #WorldPlayersUnited – to ensure the voice of the player is heeded in the running of sport.

The new vision sees UNI World Athletes become the World Players Association. #WorldPlayersUnited involves placing the voice of the players at the centre of world sport’s decision-making through a powerful strategic focus on three pillars:

I. Voice
Build the voice of the players and the power of the player association movement

II. Dignity
Embed the fundamental rights of the players in world sport

III. Humanity
Work to embed the human rights of everyone involved in the delivery of sport, included affected groups such as workers, local communities, journalists and fans.

“#WorldPlayersUnited introduces the organised and highly respected voice of the players and their organisations to the leadership of world sport,” World Players Executive Director Brendan Schwab said. “In so doing, it envisages a future world of sport that is very different to the one that exists today.”

“Our vision is to champion the dignity of the player and the humanity of sport.”

“We have a three-part goal in the pursuit of this vision. First, the human rights of everyone involved in the delivery of sport must be protected, respected and fulfilled. Second, the same must be true for the players. And, third, the impact of sport must be positive, including in sporting, economic, environmental and cultural terms.”

“The attainment of this goal in full is necessary if sport is to retain its social licence. The future world of sport will therefore be underpinned by adherence to universal principles and international law.”

World Players President Don Fehr, the Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players Association said, “The purpose of World Players is to ensure that the players across sports who have common interests get together and play their role so that the key decisions in world sport that affect them are no longer made without their agreement.”

“As a guiding principle, we hold that all players should be free to negotiate the terms upon which they are involved in world sport, and to be represented by persons and organisations of their choice.”

“The players are very concerned about human rights, very concerned about labour rights and recognise that neither means very much without a prompt and effective remedy.”

World Players Vice President Theo van Seggelen, the Secretary General of FIFPro, the world football players’ union, said, “The world’s footballers are united with players across sport to ensure the rights of all players are respected and that international sport is governed free of corruption, cheating and the abuse of human rights. We will act across the world with solidarity. Players who are members of a player association in one country or sport can rely on the support of World Players and our affiliated player associations.”

The World Players Association is a sector of UNI Global Union. Its General Secretary Philip Jennings, who has been instrumental in the development of World Players, praised the new strategy.

“It is incredibly important to see the players of the world organise around both their rights and the rights of everyone involved in sport. The rate of player unionisation is increasing dramatically around the world for both men and women. Everyone involved in sport needs decent work and a fair wage, be they players, construction workers preparing for Mega-Sporting Events or workers involved in sports’ supply chains.”

Major player associations affiliated to World Players include
• FIFPro, the world football players’ union
• the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA)
• the International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA)
• the European Elite Athletes’ Association (EU Athletes)
• the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA)
• the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA)
• the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)
• the Japanese Professional Baseball Players Association (JPBPA)
• the Australian Athletes’ Alliance (AAA)

World Players Executive Committee

• Don Fehr (Canada), the Executive Director of the NHLPA (President)
• Theo van Seggelen (The Netherlands), the Secretary General of FIFPro (First Vice President)
• Jeff Reymond (France), the General Secretary of EU Athletes (Vice President)
• Omar Hassanein (Ireland), IRPA Board member and CEO of the Irish Rugby Union Players Association
• Tony Irish (South Africa), FICA Executive Chairman and CEO of the South African Cricketers’ Association
• Paul Marsh (Australia), AAA Board member and Australian Football League Players Association CEO
• DeMaurice Smith (United States), the Executive Director of the NFLPA
• Dejan Stefanovic (Slovenia), FIFPro Board member and president of the Slovenian footballers and athletes union
• Frederique Winia (The Netherlands), the Director of International Relations of FIFPro
• Takuya Yamazaki (Japan), Legal Counsel and Board member of the JPBPA
• Philip Jennings, the General Secretary of the UNI Global Union (ex officio)

World Players Executive Director
Brendan Schwab

UNI Global Union
The World Players Association was formally established in December 2014 as an autonomous sector of UNI Global Union (UNI). It has been known as UNI World Athletes until today’s announcement.
Based in Nyon, Switzerland, UNI represents more than 20 million workers from over 900 trade unions in the fastest growing sectors in the world – skills and services, including media and sport. UNI and its affiliates in all regions are driven by the responsibility to ensure jobs are decent and workers’ rights are protected, including the right to join a union and collective bargaining.

To arrange an interview with Brendan Schwab or for more information please contact: Richard Elliott, Director of Communications UNI Global Union, richard.elliott@uniglobalunion.org +41 79 794 9709

@WorldPlayersUtd ¦ @uniglobalunion ¦ @BrendanSchwab
www.uniglobalunion.org/sectors/worldplayers

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PROTEAS WIN SERIES AFTER RAIN WASHES OUT FINAL DAY’S PLAY

Rain was the winner on the final day of the Standard Bank Proteas’ international season as an abandoned final day of the third Test against New Zealand meant they finished with a draw at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday.

The result also ensured South Africa won the series 1-0 thanks to their eight-wicket win in the second Test in Wellington, while it ended a dream summer – they won every series – in second place on the ICC rankings, having started it in seventh back in August last year.

But it was a disappointing end to the tour for the Black Caps after they held all the aces heading into day five, only to be denied by the weather.

Over 50 mm of rain reportedly fell in the period between stumps on day four and lunch on day five, starting with heavy overnight downpours that left the ground drenched.

Despite the rain stopping for periods, it seemed to return each time the mop-up operation was underway, leaving umpires Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker with little choice but to call off proceedings.

The Proteas had their backs to the wall going into the last day on 80/5 in their second innings and still trailing by 95 runs. All hope rested on captain Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, both on 15, but they were not required to continue their innings.

 

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WARRIORS CLENCH VICTORY OVER KNIGHTS

Colin Ingram ended a sequence of four consecutive single-digit scores with a Man of the Match performance, scoring 83 in the qualifier to help Warriors beat the VKB Knights by 18 runs and seal a spot in the final of the Momentum One Day Cup.

Ingram came into bat early, with Warriors captain JJ Smuts falling in the seventh over after electing to bat. He put on 104 for the second wicket with opener Gihahn Cloete, who scored his fourth fifty of the season, a 103-ball 60. Ingram added a further 75 for the third wicket with Colin Ackerman (37) before falling to Marchant de Lange, to set Warriors up for the final six overs. They lost regular wickets in that phase – four in total – but added 52 to end with 249 in 50 overs.

Fast bowler Anrich Nortje removed Knights opener Rudi Second in the 11th over, and his partner Tumelo Bodibe (40) in the 17th. The Knights had put on 70 by that point, and a 110-run stand between Keegan Petersen and David Miller (52) for the third wicket brought them within 70 runs of a victory with nine overs to go. The bowling side then strangled Knights after Miller’s wicket, conceding only 40 off the next 48 balls. Even the settled Petersen couldn’t keep their chase alive, eventually falling at the end of the 49th over with the score on 220, having faced 117 balls for his 83.

Medium-pacers Andrew Birch (2-52) and Basheer Walters (1-36) bowled during that final phase, supported by the left-arm spin of Smuts, who conceded 30 runs in seven overs, and took a wicket.

The Warriors will face the Multiply Titans in Centurion on Friday 31 March for the Momentum One Day Cup Final.

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WARRIORS THUMP LIONS TO EARN QUALIFIER TICKET

Jon-Jon Smuts starred with bat and ball as the Warriors booked their ticket to the Momentum One-Day Cup Qualifier thanks to a comfortable 36-run Duckworth/Lewis drubbing of the bizhub Highveld Lions at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

The home captain first took 4/25 as the visitors were shot out for a woeful 154 in 43.2 overs after winning the toss and batting.

Smuts then struck 51 (57 balls, 8 fours) as the men from the Eastern Cape reached 123/4 in 32 overs, before the rain arrived with the hosts well ahead of the run-rate to clinch the result with a bonus point.

It was the perfect reaction from the Warriors after their midweek dismantling by the Multiply Titans and ensured they finished in the top three – sealing a meeting with the VKB Knights in Sunday’s qualifier.

And the bowlers were key in setting up the result, by striking back after a decent start by the Lions.

Rassie van der Dussen (14) and Reeza Hendricks (10) fel cheaply, but top-scorer Mangaliso Mosehle (39) and Dominic Hendricks (37) got their side back on track with a 65-run third wicket stand.

But Smuts and his brother, Kelly, who ran out Mosehle, started a slide that saw the away side lose the next eight wickets for 59.

Wiaan Lubbe made 31, but it was just single figure scores from the rest of the line-up as Colin Ingram (2/12) and Sisanda Magala (2/25) chipped in with two wickets apiece.

The Warriors’ chase was off to a flier thanks to Smuts and Gihahn Cloete (41) who put on 93 for the first wicket. Lubbe then struck thrice to give the Lions brief hope, but the small target meant the home side just needed a decent partnership to get over the line.

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KNIGHTS EDGE PAST DOLPHINS IN TENSE THRILLER

The VKB Knights will host the Momentum One-Day Qualifier on Sunday after they beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in a low-scoring thriller at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday night.

In a see-saw affair, the visitors made heavy work of a modest 205 target and had to rely on an unbeaten last wicket stand of 27 to get them over the line with four balls to spare. Sammy Mofokeng (17) and Marchant de Lange (7) were the heroes in a remarkable game that could so easily have gone either way.

Dillon du Preez and Imran Tahir claimed 4/31 apiece for their respective sides, but it boiled down to nerves at the end as the Knights held theirs in what was essentially a quarter-final meeting.

The Central franchise will now host the Warriors in Bloemfontein in the next round, with the Multiply Titans awaiting the winner in the March 31 final.

But they had to work hard to get there, despite a disciplined performance with the ball after they had lost the toss and were asked to bowl first.

The home side were in trouble from the outset after losing in-form openers Morne van Wyk (11) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (8) inside the first six overs. The visiting bowlers continued to chip away through the likes of Shadley van Schalkwyk (2/34) and Mofokeng (2/45).

Despite the efforts of top-scorer Sarel Erwee (44), the Dolphins were in a defensive mode for most of their innings, but did manage to pass 200 thanks to Andile Phehlukwayo (39), Robbie Frylinck (36) and Prenelan Subrayen (25).

The Knights then looked to be cruising to victory thanks to an opening stand of 61 between Rudi Second (39) and Tumelo Bodibe (20). But a collapse of five wickets for 12 runs saw the visitors plunge from 61/0 to 73/5 – David Miller amongst the wickets to fall when he was dismissed by Tahir for a first ball duck.

But a 56-run sixth wicket stand between captain Pite van Biljon (44) and Aubrey Swanepoel (42) looked to have steadied the ship, and they looked in more control after the latter was part of a 42-run seventh wicket stand.

More drama followed with three more quick wickets leaving the Knights on 180/9, but Mofokeng and De Lange squeezed their side home.

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TITANS SECURE HOME FINAL

An unbeaten half-century by Jonathan Vandiar paved the way for the Multiply Titans to conclude their Momentum One-Day Cup regular season with a comfortable eight-wicket win over the BuildNat Cape Cobras at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

The left-hander made 72 (78 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) to help his team reach their 185-run victory target with almost 20 overs to spare. Vandiar’s effort came after the home bowlers shot out the visitors for 184 after winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

Aviwe Mgijima was the only batsmen to hit a half-century, holding the innings together thanks to his 52 (96 balls, 2 fours). There were also contributions of 42 from Dane Vilas and 39 by Dayyaan Galiem as the Cobras were bundled out in 44.5 overs.

All the bowlers shone for the Titans, the pick of them being Lungi Ngidi with his 2/20 in eight overs, with two apiece also for Junior Dala (2/33) and Tabraiz Shamsi (2/53).

The reply was fluent one for the hosts, bar a hiccup, when the 100 was raised.

Aiden Markram helped Vandiar put on 75 for the first wicket, before Eddie Leie (3/54) removed the former for 49. The on-loan bizhub Highveld Lions spinner then took out Heino Kuhn (19) and Standard Bank Proteas captain AB de Villiers, who was caught and bowled for a second-ball duck, within the space of three deliveries.

That left the Titans on 100/3, but Farhaan Behardien and Vandiar put on 81 for the fourth wicket to ensure the home side won with ease – 111 balls to be precise.

 

 

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DE VILLIERS STEERS TITANS TO VICTORY

The Multiply Titans and Warriors go head to head in a Momentum One-Day Cup ‘final before the final’ clash with high stakes on the line for the winner at Sahara Park Willowmoore in Benoni on Tuesday.

The two are second and third respectively going into the penultimate round-robin match of the competition, which is a day game on Human Rights Day.

The victorious side are set to claim top spot from the Hollywoodbets Dolphins heading to the final set of games on Thursday.

Whoever tops the league phase of the tournament is guaranteed a home final and winning the clash on the East Rand tomorrow will go a long way towards deciding who that side will be.

“It’s like a final,” Titans coach Mark Boucher said. “Even though we don’t want to look too far ahead, if we can win tomorrow we can still effectively get a home final.

“So it’s a very big game for us and the boys are treating it accordingly. It will be a third game back-to-back and hopefully we can finish well.”

There is also significant team news for the home side ahead of the game. One of the biggest limited-over stars in the world and Standard Bank Proteas captain AB de Villiers is available. So too is South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris, meaning one of the strongest teams in the competition will be even stronger.

“We got some fresh faces in AB and Chris Morris, two not too bad players to be able to add to your squad,” Boucher added. “So we’ll be ready.”

The T20 Challenge champions have had some close run-ins with the Warriors in the recent past and Boucher conceded this will be no different. “Everyone knows the Warriors and the fight they play with,” the Titans boss concluded. “So we know exactly what to expect. We are well aware that rocking up and playing at 70 percent will not cut it. We have to be at our best.”

For Warriors coach Malibongwe Maketa, it is about time an important match against the same opponents went their way – but for effort rather than luck. “We feel that every time we play against them we do it very well because we know how good they are,” he said. “In close games, the rub of the green sometimes hasn’t gone or way.

“But we believe that through our hard work, it finally will go our way. Not because it’s our turn (for luck to turn or anything).

“The harder you work, the closer you will get to your opponent and we’ve worked really hard to get that result tomorrow.”

Despite the result going some way towards deciding where March 31 final will be played, Maketa was not at all interested in looking that far ahead. “We don’t look at permutations and those sorts of things,” he added. “We leave that to our supporters.

“We just want to go out there and do the job required.”

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BIRCH AND SMUTS SET UP WARRIORS WIN

Andrew Birch conceded only four runs to clinch a final-over finish for Warriors against VBK Knights at St. George’s Park, where JJ Smuts scored his second consecutive century in the Momentum one Day Cup.

Needing 11 off the last over while chasing 285, with Aubrey Swanepoel on strike on 73, Birch denied theM Knights any run off his first delivery. Three singles off the next three balls brought the equation down to eight off two. Seeing a fullish fourth delivery from Birch, No. 9 Marchant de Lange heled out to long-on, effectively securing the win for Warriors, as Swanepoel only managed to squeeze a single off the last ball, with Knights ending on 278 or 8.

Birch, who finished with 3 for 45, had earlier accounted for opener Rudi Second in the second over of the Knights innings, and bowled David Miller for 18 in the tenth, reducing the opposition to 48 for 4. Captain Pite van Biljon then resuscitated the innings with a 104-ball 84 and two consecutive 80-run partnerships with Luthando Mnyanda (43) and Swanepoel (76) for the fifth and sixth wickets respectively, to guide his side past 200 in 39 overs.

Earlier, having elected to bat, Warriors captain Smuts bludgeoned eight fours and five sixes on his way to a 144-ball 132, his sixth List A hundred, and strung a third-wicket stand of 151 with Colin Ackermann, who scored 86 off 96 balls, to take his side to 214 for 2 in 43 overs. Smuts, the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with a tally of 453 in seven innings, added 52 off only 28 balls with Lesiba Ngoepe (12) for the fourth wicket, before both fell off consecutive deliveries in the 48th over to left-arm fast bowler Mbulelo Budaza, who returned 4 for 69, the best figures for Knights on the day. Three quick wickets in the last two overs meant Warriors could squeeze in only another 18 runs, finishing on 284 for 8.

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Vikram Solanki Appointed FICA President

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today announced the appointment of former England international, Vikram Solanki as FICA President. Solanki represented England on more than 50 occasions between 2000 and 2007 and amassed almost 30,000 first class and List A runs during his professional career. He holds a law degree, is a current assistant coach of Surrey County Cricket Club and is a former Chairman of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (UK). Solanki replaces Jimmy Adams as FICA President.

Commenting on his appointment, Solanki said:

“I am privileged to accept the position as FICA President and look forward to having a hands on contribution to the organisation and to the player cause around the world. It is an important time for cricket, for FICA and for the players it represents.”

“I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of ensuring that the players’ voices are heard and that they are involved in shaping the future of the global game.”

Solanki replaces outgoing, long-serving FICA President and former West Indies captain, Jimmy Adams who has taken up the role of Director of Cricket at the West Indies Cricket Board.

Commenting on his departure, Adams said:

“It has been an honour to be a part of FICA over a number of years. I am proud of the work FICA does and the direction it is going. It is critical that players have a global voice and FICA will continue to be that voice in the future.”

FICA Executive Chairman, Tony Irish said:

“The FICA Board wishes Jimmy Adams all the best in his new role and thanks him for the significant contribution he has made to FICA during his tenure.”

“We are happy to have secured Vikram Solanki as our new President. Vikram’s background as both an international player and as a player advocate will be a big asset to FICA. His appointment will complement the appointments of Lisa Sthalekar and Graeme Smith as Independent Board Members in 2016, ensuring we have an experienced Board which oversees our representation of players around the world.”

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SMUTS HUNDRED GETS WARRIORS OVER THE LINE

Captain Jon-Jon Smuts celebrated the 100th appearance of his formidable List A career with a fine century, as the Warriors completed a comfortable 90-run victory over the BuildNat Cape Cobras in Sunday’s key Momentum One-Day Cup fixture at PPC Newlands in Cape Town.

Smuts’s 173 not out from 164 deliveries, which included nine fours and eight handsome sixes, carried the visitors to a plentiful final total of 305 for six in the allotted 50 overs.

Registering a career-best score, the highest of this year’s tournament and the third largest in the history of List A cricket in South Africa, the hard-hitting right-hander offered the national selectors a timely reminder of his limited-overs prowess, ahead of June’s ICC Champions Trophy in the United Kingdom.

The 28-year-old reached 100 off a measured 133 deliveries – and became increasingly cavalier en route to 150 off a further 22. Particularly severe on seamers Rory Kleinveldt and Dane Paterson through the closing throes, he was earlier equally adept at negotiating the wile and guile of spinners Eddie Leie, George Linde and Dane Piedt.

Smuts cherished fruitful support from fellow opening batsman Gihahn Cloete, whose 70 from 75 laid a decent foundation for middle-order duo Colin Ingram and Colin Ackermann to capitalise. Ingram and Ackermann briskly moved to 20 and 23, respectively, but were unable to convert quick cameos into the longer-term substance enjoyed by Cloete and Smuts.

On loan from the bizhub Highveld Lions, legspinner Leie proved the pick of the bowlers. His telling haul of four for 56 included the important dismissals of Cloete, Ingram and Ackermann. Paterson, meanwhile, was the worst of the lot. He travelled for an expensive 83 runs across nine wicketless overs.

The Cobras’ reply was spearheaded by centurion Richard Levi, but ultimately lacked enough stamina to hearten a Newlands crowd dotted with disappointed Cape Town Cycle Tour participants, after the world-famous event was cancelled due to severe winds earlier in the day.

Levi hammered a 70-ball 106, lined with 14 fours and a trio of sixes, but his questionable decision to briefly retire hurt before returning to reach three figures proved detrimental to the collective cause.

His initial and final departure saw the home side collapse from a promising 128 for two to an irreparable 193 for eight – and finally 215 all out in 37.3 overs.

Like their opposition, the Warriors deployed three spin bowlers – and benefited, in particular, from the leg-breaks of former skipper Ingram (three for 53) – and seamer Ayabulela Gqamane’s two for 22.

Host captain Piedt, when all was said and done, was left to ponder his decision to field first after winning the toss. His choice wasn’t necessarily incorrect, but he would have hoped for a sub-220 target, not 300-plus.

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ELGAR LEADS PROTEAS REVIVAL

Dean Elgar struck one of the finest centuries for his country to help the Standard Bank Proteas fight back from early trouble to end day one of the first Test against New Zealand with honours even at the University Oval in Dunedin on Wednesday.
 
The left-hander showed nerves of steel as he batted through the day to end unbeaten on 128 (262 balls, 22 fours) – South Africa reaching stumps on 229/4.
 
Elgar’s seventh career century was his second-longest in terms of balls, with the highest being the 316 deliveries he faced for 127 against Australia in Perth last year. It also came on the back of the tourists being in a huge hole at the start after they slipped to 22/3 in the first 19 overs against a disciplined Black Caps attack. Faf du Plessis (52 off 118 balls, 7 fours) and Temba Bavuma (37 not out) were also integral to the recovery.
 
The visiting captain won the toss at the start and took the rare option to bat first, the first time such a decision had been made in 22 Test matches in New Zealand – the last being in a clash between the hosts and Pakistan in Wellington during 2011. But it looked a questionable call as Stephen Cook (3), Hashim Amla (1) and JP Duminy (1) were all dismissed early, the latter pair removed within the space of five Neil Wagner (2/59) deliveries.
Elgar, who was dropped by wicketkeeper BJ Watling on 36, and Du Plessis then dug in as they put on 126 for the fourth wicket to give the innings a significant boost.
 
After the skipper fell to Jimmy Neesham (1/29), Bavuma proved the perfect foil with a typically determined 101-ball knock that enabled a further 81 to be added to the total with the visitors ending the day in the ascendancy.
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PROTEAS SEAL THE DEAL IN NZ SERIES

South Africa’s one-day side started in New Zealand as the No. 1 and they will end it there after an oscillating series went their way at a ground that now holds some good memories. There were a few jitters with the bat – there were bound to be, weren’t there? – but after a commanding performance in the field, which sucked the life out of New Zealand’s batting order, a target of 150 gave them breathing space.

From the moment that the hero of Hamilton, Martin Guptill, was defeated by Kagiso Rabada there was never any let-up from South Africa with the ball. Rabada was high-class on a surface offering more carry than any other in the series. Imran Tahir, who New Zealand have played well this series, then reeled off the most economical 10-over figures by a South Africa spinner – and the best by any spinner in an ODI in his country – as the innings almost came to a standstill.

Andile Phehlukwayo missed the Hamilton match with a minor groin injury and had a significant impact on his return with the wickets of Dean Brownlie and Ross Taylor. South Africa’s ground-fielding also conjured two wickets, including the major scalp of Kane Williamson, as New Zealand’s batting slumped for the second time in the series.

But they did not let their unbeaten one-day home record, dating back to South Africa’s visit in 2014, go easily and for a moment mid-chase, another Eden Park classic was not complete fantasy. Jeetan Patel had snaffled two – and had an lbw against Faf du Plessis overturned by DRS – and when AB de Villiers was bounced out by James Neesham – not a dismissal you would have put your house on – South Africa were 88 for 4. But du Plessis, who reached fifty with the winning boundary, and David Miller, ensured against any further drama.

It was a superb set-up from Rabada, a sharp bouncer which ensured Guptill had to be wary of planting forward, then a yorker which he tried to advance to but only got in a horrid position with his stumps exposed. As ugly as Hamilton was breathtaking.

Williamson and Brownlie weathered the rest of the opening ten overs but a horror few minutes sent the innings into a spiral. It’s a period Brownlie will want to forget. Firstly he decided to chance de Villiers’ fielding at midwicket which left Williamson stranded when the South Africa captain dived and flicked in the blink of an eye. Williamson’s bat got caught in the turf short of the crease, but he would have been short regardless.

Three balls later, Brownlie play round a full delivery from Phehlukwayo and almost walked before the finger was raised. Tahir’s first four overs cost just four; eventually overs 10-20 brought 31 for 4. As in Wellington, Phehlukwayo was key to that, bowling wicket-to-wicket at brisk pace, and was rewarded again when Taylor fell across a straight one.

Luke Ronchi’s stay was never convincing and he gloved a short ball as he tried to sway out of the line. Neesham, yesterday recalled to the Test squad, had looked as comfortable as any of the top order but for the second time in the series was removed by a short ball from Rabada, although it needed the DRS to confirm the top-edge.

The build-up to Mitchell Santner’s demise highlighted South Africa’s suffocating ground fielding. Three consecutive shots from Santner were intercepted sharply in the infield, then the fourth went to JP Duminy at backward point who slid and threw from the ground, hitting directly with Santner nowhere.

Tahir, who did not concede anything other than singles, gained his reward against the lower order. In three of the five matches, New Zealand had played him as well as anyone of late – “respect” had been the word used by both sides – but they became almost strokeless this time. The pressure of the occasion, the pitch, or just a good day for him? Only they will know.

Such was the swift end to New Zealand’s innings that South Africa batted before the interval. Patel again saw off Quinton de Kock – that change of tactic had worked a treat – and scoring wasn’t easy after the break. Hashim Amla completed a fifty-less series when he drove to cover as did Duminy – the latter far more of a concern – when he drove softly at Patel. Duminy had again been used ahead of de Villiers, but he has regressed during this series.

De Villiers has been far and away South Africa’s best batsman and he was eager to finish things himself. He took a six apiece of Patel and Santner but was then surprised by the nip and angled of Neesham’s bouncer, which followed him and took the glove to the keeper. As a single moment it was a superb spectacle, but not enough to open the game for New Zealand.

Du Plessis ticked over and for the first time in the series Miller played the type of forceful shots he has become known for. The target hurried into view. The sun had only just set. This time not on South Africa.

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COLIN ACKERMANN LEADS THE SACA MVP

At the start of CSA’s Momentum One Day Cup domestic competition on Friday 17th February, it is Colin Ackermann of the Warriors who is leading the overall SACA Domestic MVP Rankings on 328.424 points. He is followed closely by newly capped Proteas bowler Duanne Olivier of the VKB Knights on 327.582 points.

The SACA Domestic MVP Rankings list the top performing franchise players competing in CSA’s domestic competitions. Players earn points, based on an internationally recognised formula used by several players associations around the world, for batting, bowling, fielding and for contribution to matches won by their team. Points are weighted across the different formats to ensure that critical performances in each match earn the player the appropriate number of points.

The overall MVP Rankings combine a players’ performance in all three domestic competitions and are an indicator of consistency of performance through the season. Performances in a particular competition are also recognised in the SACA MVP Rankings relating to each of the Sunfoil Series (4 days), Momentum One-Day Cup (50 overs) and CSA T20 Challenge (20 overs) competitions.

“We are about two thirds of the way through the season and entering the final domestic competition’’, said Tony Irish, SACA’s Chief Executive. “It’s a very close race right now between Colin and Duanne, but there are a few other very experienced guys not too far behind. As always it’s interesting to see how the SACA MVP Rankings correlates with call up to the Proteas squad. I think it’s a very good indicator for the selectors of who is performing day in and day out in franchise cricket”.

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TITANS EDGE OUT DOLPHINS IN THRILLING FINISH

The Multiply Titans scrambled their way to the top of the Sunfoil Series table after edging out the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by two wickets midway through the final day of a closely fought affair at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.

Chasing a paltry 91 for victory, the champions made heavy weather of the win, before getting there with eight wickets down against a depleted hoMe attack that was without the injured Standard Bank Proteas spinner, Keshav Maharaj.

Another slow bowler in Prenelan Subrayen claimed a career-best 5/35 with his right-arm off-breaks, but it was still not enough as the valiant hosts were made to pay for their poor second-innings showing.

The Durbanites had started the final day on 146/5, a lead of only 44, and more poor batting on day four saw them lose their remaining five wickets for only 47.

Daryn Smit, who was unbeaten overnight on 62, top-scored with 72 (131 balls, 9 fours), but there was little else support from the rest of his team-mates – the home side bundled out for 192 in 61.3 overs.

Leg-break bowler Shaun von Berg was the pick of the bowlers for the Titans on the final day and ended with 3/66, with captain Henry Davids returning the best figures of 3/29, having caught the host off-guard when he opened the bowling the previous day.

With a target of less than 100 and plenty of overs to get them, the away side limped their way through.

Subrayen was the star man with his maiden career fiver-for giving the batsmen nightmares, while Senuran Muthusamy picked up 2/43 – the pair doing excellently in the absence of Maharaj, who suffered a grade one tear of his groin muscle on Friday.

Heinrich Klaasen top scored with 35, while Von Berg made a critical unbeaten 16 after the Titans had lost 6/46 at one point.
In the end, they got over the line in 31.4 overs to move back to the competition summit with one round to play next week.

Mark Boucher’s men now have 94.62 followed by the VKB Knights (92.24), the BuildNat Cape Cobras (85.74) and the Dolphins (84.67).

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PROTEAS GO 4-0 UP BUT THARANGA TAKES MATCH TO THE WIRE

Faf du Plessis played one of the innings of his life and then had to watch helplessly as Sri Lanka’s acting captain, Upul Tharanga, almost stole his thunder in a memorable fourth Momentum ODI at PPC Newlands on Thursday.

In the end the Standard Bank Proteas achieved what looked like a clear-cut win by 40 runs to go 4-0 up in the series and extend their winning home run to 13 matches but it was anything but that. Sri Lanka were right in the game until the start of the 44th over when Kagiso Rabada, as he has often done in his brief career, broke the menacing fifth wicket partnership of 79 runs between Sandun Weerakkody and Asela Gunaratne that sparked an astonishing collapse that saw Sri Lanka lose their last 6 wickets for 20 runs off 27 balls.

Earlier in the day Du Plessis had made the second highest score ever by a Proteas of 185 (141 balls, 16 fours and 3 sixes) – only Gary Kirsten has done better with his 188 against the United Arab Emirates at the 1996 World Cup – to set Sri Lanka what seemed an impossible victory target of 368, bearing in mind they had been unable to score even 200 in the preceding three matches.

Du Plessis became the 9th Protea to make a score of 150 or better although there have been 12 instances in all with Hashim Amla having achieved the feat 3 times and Herschelle Gibbs twice. Remarkably, all of the top five Protea batsmen in the current first-choice XI – Amla, Quinton de Kock, Du Plessis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy – have now achieved this feat.

The Proteas’ total was also the highest ever at PPC Newlands and meant that they had made totals of 300 plus in back-to-back games at this venue this season. They had previously made 327/8 against Australia in the famous whitewash series last year.

If the Proteas thought they were as good as home at the halfway stage, Tharanga certainly had other ideas. He took the lead with his consistent partner, Niroshan Dickwella, in putting on exactly 100 in the 10 power play overs with 13 fours and 4 sixes. This compared with the 59/1 the Proteas had managed at the same stage. He went on to finish with 119 (90 balls, 11 fours and 7 sixes). He and Du Plessis finished with almost identical strike rates.

Tharanga is no stranger to this sort of performance. He and the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya put on 286 in 32 overs for the first wicket against England at Headingley in 2006 and then he and Mahela Jayawardene added 213 in 38.4 overs for the first wicket against India in 2013. On the former occasion the pair posted 133 in the first 10 overs!

The Sri Lankans stayed miles ahead of the required run rate and De Villiers had to turn to Wayne Parnell for his get out of jail card. The latter made a concerted short ball attack to remove both the No.3, Kusal Mendis, and Tharanga in the space of three deliveries in a spell of 2/8 in 3 overs and he was then backed up by Rabada with 1/19 in his three that included a dropped catch that went for tour.

It was clearly going to boil down to which side held their nerve better and it appeared to be going Sri Lanka’s way when the Proteas dropped another catch in the deep to prolong the fifth wicket partnership even further.

But the match turned back the Proteas’ way when Rabada struck, Imran Tahir got two wickets in his last over, Dwaine Pretorius also got one and then Parnell cleaned up the tail to finish with the figures of 4/58 that were highly impressive in the circumstances.

It was statistically at least one of the great games played at Newlands in this format and victory here would have meant more to Sri Lanka than their success in the T20 Series. They lifted their game to a new level against what was to all intents and purposes a full strength Proteas line-up.

Du Plessis was named Momentum Man of the Match but it was an evening when it could easily have been shared.

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LIONS SCRAPE PAST WARRIORS TO STAY AFLOAT

Aya Myoli, Bjorn Fortuin and Beuran Hendricks took three wickets each to help the bizhub Highveld Lions secure a dramatic 14-run win over the Warriors late on the final day of their crucial Sunfoil Series meeting in East London on Sunday.

After the visitors declared overnight on their day three total of 153/2 at the start of day four, it left the hosts needing 258 for victory.

But they made a mess of the chase early on after slumping to 42/4 thanks to the pace of Myoli, who claimed three of the wickets at that stage before ending with 3/58. A fifth-wicket partnership of 102 between Colin Ingram (46) and Lesiba Ngoepe put the Warriors well on track. The Warriors needed another 104, but blew their prospects when both set men fell – Ngoepe going for a top-score of 77 (104 balls, 9 fours). Followed by Somila Seyibokwe (4) and Sisanda Magala (7) dismissed early on either side of a rain delay, the end looked close at 183/8.

Captain Simon Harmer struck a determined 45 and shared in a 54-run ninth-wicket stand with Anrich Nortje (26) to take his side to the brink. But they were removed by Fortuin (3/39) and Hendricks (3/70) respectively as the Lions sealed a memorable win.

The result helped the Johannesburg side climb off the bottom of the table and ahead of the Warriors with a total of 83.35 points to just about stay alive in the title hunt.

The Warriors are effectively now out of the race with their 78.66 total too far behind the leaders, the Multiply Titans, on 94.62.

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MOREKI DOUBLE STRIKE LEAVES COBRAS AND TITANS EVEN

Tshepo Moreki claimed two of the three late wickets to fall as the BuildNat Cape Cobras edged a weather-affected opening day of their Sunfoil Series clash against the Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

The fast bowler claimed 2/22 in six overs to leave the hosts on 114/3 after they won the toss and batted first in their round eight meeting.

Only 31 overs were possible after rain washed out two sessions, before bad light also played a part late in the evening

The hosts had dominated the opening passages of play once the game eventually got underway with Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar bossing proceedings during an 86-run opening stand.

Standard Bank Proteas opener Elgar top-scored with 43 and rookie Markram hit 32 before both were dismissed from successive Moreki deliveries in the 21st over.

Captain Henry Davids (10) then fell to Lizaad Williams with less than three overs remaining as the Cobras finished strongly.

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ZONDO AND MAHARAJ BOOST DOLPHINS LEAD

Keshav Maharaj and Khaya Zondo’s dominating first-innings performances against bizhub Highveld Lions helped HollywoodBets Dolphins consolidate their lead at the top of the table in the Sunfoil Series. Zondo struck his seventh first-class century, an unbeaten 290-ball 141 that included 21 fours, to lift Dolphins to 339 in the first innings after they opted to bat in Pietermaritzburg.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld chipped in with a brisk 53. Lions seam-bowling allrounder Dwaine Pretorius claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in first-class matches, returning figures of 5 for 54. In reply, the Lions were quickly reduced to 4 for 49. Dominic Hendricks and Pretorius brought the Lions some respectability with a 91-run partnership.

After Hendricks was dismissed for 78, Kagiso Rapulana hit a patient 52 to push Dolphins’ total to 267. Left-arm spinner Maharaj finished with figures of 6 for 86.

Entering the fourth day with a lead of 72, Dolphins set up a late declaration after posting 189 for 5 in 51 overs, taking the safety-first approach to ensure the Lions didn’t have enough time to bowl them out. Zondo struck a 139-ball 54. Left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks took 3 for 48. The Lions chose not to go after the steep target of 262, as the game petered out into a draw.

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS WIN WITH 240 BALLS TO SPARE

Phenomenal spells of bowling from Odine Kirsten and Marcia Letsoalo helped Momentum Proteas topple Bangladesh women for 68 and take the ODI series 4-1 in Cox’s Bazar.

For the hosts, it was a dismal end to the series, with eight of their players making single-digit scores after they had won the toss and opted to bat. Kirsten with 10-5-10-4 and Letsoalo with 10-3-13-3 were the wreckers-in-chief. This bode well for South Africa, who go into the World Cup qualifiers next month in Sri Lanka aware that they can thrive in subcontinent conditions. The top four teams from that tournament will qualify for the World Cup in June 2017 and join Australia, England New Zealand and West Indies.

Bangladesh have a chance to make it as well, but they would hope for better batting performances than Friday’s. They lost two wickets in the fourth over and struggled to give any kind of shape to their innings. Although seven players in the line-up faced 20 balls or more – indicating they were getting set at the crease – none of them made a substantial contribution. Captain Rumana Ahmed spent 44 minutes at the crease and wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana put in over an hour’s work but combined they gave the team only 19 runs.

Momentum Proteas needed next to no time to complete the chase, winning with eight wickets and 240 balls to spare.

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DU PREEZ SETS UP PROTEAS WOMEN SERIES WIN

Mignon du Preez’s 108-ball 79 and a disciplined bowling performance helped South Africa complete a series win after routing Bangladesh by 94 runs in the fourth ODI in Cox’s Bazar. After electing to bat, South Africa posted 251 for 7 and then bowled Bangladesh out for 157 off the last ball of the match.

South Africa were given a sprightly start by openers Lizelle Lee and Andrie Steyn. The pair put on 38 runs in 33 balls, before both batsmen fell in successive overs. Du Preez then combined with Chloe Tryon for a 74-run partnership off 96 balls to put South Africa’s innings back on track. Tryon contributed with 47 off 54 balls, including seven fours.

Strong contributions from South Africa’s middle and lower order helped them plunder 32 off the last three overs. Offspinner Khadija Tul Kabra returned figures of 3 for 48 in 10 overs, while Rumana Ahmed chipped in with two wickets.

Bangladesh’s chase didn’t begin well: they lost three wickets and scored 28 runs in the first 10 overs. The next 20 overs yielded just 35 runs without a boundary. Fargana Hoque struck her career-best ODI score, a 144-ball 67. It was her third ODI fifty. Ayabonga Khaka picked up three wickets. Moseline Daniels and Marcia Letsoalo claimed two wickets each.

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PROTEAS WOMEN CRUSH BANGLADESH IN OPENING ODI

Momentum Proteas got their tune up to the World Cup qualifiers off in fine fashion as they crushed hosts Bangladesh by 86 runs in the opening One-Day International.

The Proteas womens team are in Bangladesh to play five ODIs before they head to Sri Lanka for the World Cup qualifiers. They would be delighted after their efforts in the first game.

South Africa were off to a superb start thanks to Lizelle Lee and Andreie Steyn, who combined to add 122 in 22.4 overs after being put in to bat. While Steyn was guarded in her approach, scoring slightly over a run every two balls, her partner Lee was in a mood to destroy. Lee smashed 87 off just 71 balls, a knock that included six fours and seven sixes, to blast her team into a dominating position.

After Lee was dismissed, Mignon du Preez took over, hitting a well-paced 62 to further South Africa’s stronghold. Marizanne Kapp added a few lusty blows towards the end as South Africa ended with 251 for 3 in their fifty overs.

Bangladesh’s top three batters – Sharmin Akther, Sanjida Islam and Fargana Hoque – added a combined 22 runs off 95 balls to leave their side on the backfoot.

At 56 for 4 in the 23rd over, Bangladesh were in danger of a massive loss until Nigar Sultana gave the hosts’ total some respectability as she kept the tourists at bay. Sultana hit 59 off 90 deliveries, ending the innings in some style with a flurry of boundaries as South Africa romped home to an 86-run win.

Sune Luus picked up three wickets to finish as South Africa’s most top bowler on the day, while captain Dane van Niekerk impressed with figures of 2 for 23 in her nine overs.

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BEHARDIEN TO LEAD PROTEAS IN T20 SERIES

Farhaan Behardien  has been appointed as stand-in captain of the Standard Bank Proteas for the first two matches in the KFC T20 International Series against Sri Lanka.

Cricket South Africa named a 13-man squad that includes six new caps in this format – Jon-Jon Smuts, Theunis de Bruyn, Mangaliso Mosehle, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Paterson and Lungi Ngidi.

“We have decided to rest some of our key senior players for this series,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi. “This is the last chance we have to do this as the Momentum ODI series that follows is an important part of our build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy Tournament in England in the middle of the year.

“Those senior players who are involved in the Indian Premier League will be playing non-stop from now until the end of August with the tours coming up to New Zealand and England in addition to the ICC event.

“Farhaan was one of the standout players in our franchise T20 Challenge, being the second leading runs scorer behind Jon-Jon Smuts and finished at the top of the T20 Challenge leg of the SACA MVP rankings.

“Both AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel are due to resume playing at domestic level later this month and could come into contention for the third T20,” added Zondi.

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RABADA TAKES TEN TO HAD PROTEAS NEWLANDS VICTORY

South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Test series by claiming the last six wickets before lunch on the fourth morning at Newlands as Sri Lanka continued their ill-disciplined ways, a Test side irredeemably trapped in limited-overs mode. On the evidence of their tour of England last summer, and now here, in a changing cricketing world their appetite for the Test game cannot entirely be taken for granted.

The chief beneficiary of Sri Lanka’s faulty mind-set was fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who took four more wickets to finish with 6 for 55 and ten in the match for next to nothing.

Rabada’s graceful fast bowling has been one of the delights of the past year. That said, he is too talented and level headed to become over-excited about the praise that will fall upon him. A gentle shake of the head at a gimme wicket after Dinesh Chandimal chipped a stray delivery to square leg served as the perfect image of a morning when several gifts were bestowed upon him. His realism did him great credit.

Sri Lanka had anticipated a possible Test return to South Africa next year, but suggestions are growing that they might be jilted in favour of India. A 206-run win in Port Elizabeth has been followed by a 282-run margin in Cape Town. Big countries like to win; they also like to feel they have been in a fight.

Far from being a surface that was unfairly doctored to home team demands, this Newlands pitch possessed enough pace and bounce to provide captivating cricket and reward good batsmen and bowlers alike. Vibrant cricket is interesting cricket. Concentration needed other companions, not least cricketing nous and bloody-mindedness. Sri Lanka, overly given to limited-overs habits, were not up to it.

Rabada has looked a grand fast bowler in the making ever since he made his mark in Test cricket in South Africa’s home series against England, his action smooth, his development fast and his demeanour underlining that successful fast bowling does not necessarily have to come with glares and curses.

Sri Lanka, resuming on 130 for 4, retained three specialist batsmen as they sought to delay South Africa’s victory. All tossed their wickets aside like picture cards on top of a trump. Within 40 minutes, Rabada had dismissed not only Chandimal, but Upul Tharanga and the captain Angelo Mathews.

If anybody still wondered why Tharanga, a one-day opener, is carded in a Test to follow a group of ingénues and bat at No 7, his innings provided the answer. Met by a posse of close fielders, Tharanga struck three of his first balls for four with the air of a man who had no intention of hanging around. His downfall came in Rabada’s next over when he cut at a wide one which did not get up and under-edged to the keeper.

Rabada’s next two wickets did have intrinsic worth. Mathews’ attempt to drive a back-of-a-length ball of the back foot was exposed by challenging pace and bounce. And the dismissal of Suranga Lakmal was excellent: two hostile short balls in a row, the first of them fended uncertainly to short leg, the second deflecting off the glove to the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. Even then, with four wickets in a spell, Rabada’s response was gentle.

Amid all this mayhem, Kyle Abbott’s final Test could hardly have been more commonplace. Abbott pounded a challenging line, but to no avail: wicketless in the match.

Rangana Herath collected an unbeaten 35 while South Africa awaited the kill. It came with de Kock’s stumping of Lahiru Kumara as he made room to drive Keshav Maharaj through the off side and, finally, the splaying of Nuwan Pradeep’s stumps by Vernon Philander. And Johannesburg is next, the most demanding test of all

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TITANS WIN THE T20 CHALLENGE 2016

Multiply Titans claimed a second successive T20 title and denied Warriors a first trophy in seven seasons by defending 156, despite losing their captain Albie Morkel to a hamstring injury in their first over in the field. Lungi Ngidi and Junior Dala both conceded under seven runs an over but the hero was Malusi Siboto who defended 12 off the final over to secure a tense win.

A penultimate over that was boundary-less and cost Dala just six runs set the tone for Siboto’s heroics but they were not without drama. He sent down a slower ball first delivery, then a dot ball, and then only three singles to all but guarantee Titans the win. However, with what should have been the final ball, Siboto bowled a leg-side wide to leave open the prospect of a Super Over deciding the tournament. But he finished on target to leave Warriors wondering how they had left it to their seventh-wicket pair of Lesiba Ngoepe and Sisanda Magala needing to score 31 off 22 balls.

The enormity of the occasion – Warriors last played in a final in the 2010-11 season – seemed to overwhelm them but they showed glimpses of breaking their drought. They pulled Titans back from 105 for 3 to restrict them to a below-par score at altitude but none of their senior batsmen could anchor the chase.

Warriors reply began tentatively when Clyde Fortuin hit the ball straight to Aiden Markram at backward point but Titans’ joy soon turned to worry. Morkel grabbed at his hamstring in pain as the wicket fell and could not complete the over.

David Wiese took over the captaincy and bowled the next over from Morkel’s end, with equal success. He had the leading run-scorer in the competition, Jon-Jon Smuts, caught behind and Warriors were in early trouble. Their malaise could have deepened when Ngidi appealed for a catch against Colin Ingram, who had yet to score, but umpire Allahudien Paleker turned him down. Ingram only faced another eight deliveries before Ngidi had the last laugh and Titans took the Powerplay honours with Warriors on 44 for 3.

Colin Ackermann and Christiaan Jonker got them back on track with a clinical attack on the Titans change bowlers. They were particularly severe on left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, whose first over cost 14, but he could have had both their wickets. After Ackermann hit Shamsi over the grass embankment for six, he skied another strike but Siboto put it down and conceded a run. Off the next ball, Jonker tried to flick and was caught by Junior Dala to put Titans back in it.

Ackermann shared in a 30-run fifth-wicket stand with Qaasim Adams, who is on loan from Titans and gave it to his old team with a feisty 17 off 16 balls. Before he could do any more damage, though, Shamsi removed him lbw with the last ball of his spell. The tale twisted even more when Ackermann holed out to Ngidi and all but ended Warriors’ challenge.

That would have come as relief to Titans, who should have scored more after their strong start. They put on 35 in the first four overs, which included two overs from Kyle Abbott who was selected ahead of the competition’s second-highest wicket-taker Andrew Birch, despite Birch’s 5 for 16 against the same opposition at the same ground in the group stage.

Warriors fought back when Basheeru Walters made the first breakthrough and two further blows left Titans 73 for 3 in the 10th over. Despite needing some firepower Titans did not send in their star batsman Farhaan Behardien immediately and tasked Heino Kuhn with partnering Morkel in the middle. Kuhn was run out in the 14th over, which sparked a mini-collapse. They lost three for 21, including Behardien, who was unable to provide a replay of his 14-ball fifty from the weekend, and Morkel, also run-out.

At 126 for 6, with 16 balls remaining, Titans were in danger of finishing well below par but Wiese took them to respectability. He plundered 16 runs in a 19-run final over that took Titans over 150 and, in the end, it proved enough.

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INGRAM STEERS WARRIORS TO T20 FINAL

Colin Ingram’s unbeaten 56 saw the Warriors qualify for their first T20 Challenge final in five seasons since the 2011-12 summer. The Warriors finished second in the league phase and beat the third-placed Lions in a playoff on a slow Port Elizabeth pitch to set up a meeting with the table-topping Multiply Titans on Friday.

The home side had their bowlers to thank for setting up a straightforward chase after the Lions squandered a strong start. They slipped from 77 for 2 at the halfway stage to add just 59 runs in the last 10 overs, in which they also lost four wickets for 10 runs. None of the Lions batsmen scored more than 32 runs.

Rassie van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks put on 30 in the first three overs but Kyle Abbott pulled them back with a strangling second over which exposed the Lions’ batsmen. They played as though they were at altitude but the big hits did not get over the boundary. Van der Dussen swung and missed, Temba Bavuma and Hendricks swung and holed out and it was up to the middle order to post a competitive total.

Mangaliso Mosehle looked likeliest to anchor the second-half of the innings but was bowled by Jon-Jon Smuts and that sparked the collapse. Nick van den Burgh went back to an Ingram delivery and missed the cut shot while Wiaan Mulder and Hardus Viljoen were dismissed in the space of three balls in the penultimate over to leave the Lions well short of a winning total.

Warriors paced their chase well and even though they lost Smuts in the third over and Clyde Fortuin as the Powerplay came to an end, they were in a strong position at 48 for 2. Ingram had only faced nine balls at that stage and was content to rotate strike and let his team-mates attack while he settled in.

None of the Lions’ attack was able to maintain the control needed to put pressure on the Warriors and Ingram bided his time until he was joined by Christiaan Jonker. With the right mix of aggression and caution, the pair put on 78 runs off 64 balls and eased the Warriors to victory with 10 balls to spare. Ingram’s fifty came off 43 balls and was his third of the tournament. Smuts continued to lead the run charts, 14 ahead of Farhaan Behardien, who he will go head-to-head against in the final.

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DE VILLIERS STEPS DOWN AT TEST CAPTAIN

AB de Villiers has decided to step down as captain of the Standard Bank Proteas Test team with immediate effect.

de Villiers was appointed in January following Hashim Amla’s resignation, and led the team in two Test matches against England before injury forced him to miss the series against New Zealand and Australia at the beginning of the 2016/2017 season.

Commenting on his decision, de Villiers said: “The interests of the team must always outweigh the interests of any individual, including me. It was a fantastic honour for me to be asked to captain the Test side but I have missed two series and I am still in doubt for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Following the squad’s outstanding performances in Australia, it is clearly in the greater interests of the team that Faf du Plessis should be confirmed as the permanent Test captain.

“I have known Faf for almost 20 years, ever since we played in the same school side at Afrikaans Hoer Seunskool, and he will have my unequivocal support if he is asked to continue leading this exciting Proteas Test team.”

de Villiers has been ruled out of the three-match Sunfoil Test series against Sri Lanka after failing to recover sufficiently from an elbow injury.

Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee, explained: “AB’s left elbow is much improved but is still regaining the last few degrees of straightening. Fitness to play requires a full range of elbow movement and this may take another 3-4 weeks to achieve.

“He will be unavailable for the Test series against Sri Lanka and will target a return for the Momentum ODI series starting at the end of January.”

De Villiers has been out of action since the Caribbean Premier League in July and was expected to be fit for the Sri Lanka Tests but still needs another three to four weeks before being declared fully fit. He will target the ODIs later in January 2017, a format in which he remains captain, for a comeback.

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BEHARDIEN 55 TAKES TITANS INTO FINAL

Farhaan Behardien scored the fastest half-century in domestic 20 over history and the second quickest ever on South African soil as the Multiply Titans booked their ticket to the T20 Challenge final with a six-run win over the Warriors in a rain-affected fiver-over dash in East London on Sunday.

The Standard Bank Proteas batsman blazed 55 in a mere 15 balls (4 fours, 5 sixes) as the defending champions posted 80/2, before restricting their hosts to 74/2 in reply.

Rain had threatened to completely wash out proceedings at Buffalo Park in a match that was effectively a semi-final – the winner guaranteed top spot on the log and an automatic place in the final it would host next Friday.

But after the weather cleared enough for a five-over per side affair, the Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl first.

They kept things relatively quiet for the first two overs with the Titans on 11/2 at that stage. But Behardien then arrived and played a gem of an innings to put his side out of sight. His 50 was raised in only 14 balls, smashing the previous best domestic record of 19 balls, which was held by Martin van Jaarsveld, Albie Morkel, Andre Russell and Colin Ingram.

Jon-Jon Smuts and Sisanda Magala conceded 24 and 27 in their respective overs as the Titans were in complete control at the halfway stage.

Captain Smuts then hit 21 and Christiaan Jonker an unbeaten 26, but the scoreboard pressure and David Wiese’s outstanding fourth over, which went for only six, proved too much as they surrendered first position to the visitors.

The result meant the men from Eastern Cape dropped to second and must now play the bizhub Highveld Lions in a Qualifier in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday for the right to meet the Titans in Centurion for the title on Friday.

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NO RESOLUTION OF COBRAS PLAYERS AND COACH DISPUTE

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today confirmed that the Cape Cobras players’ dispute relating to their grievance against the Cape Cobras coach, Paul Adams, has not been resolved.

The players, SACA and the Franchise had agreed at the conciliation meeting held at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on 18 October 2016 to a fourteen (14) day extension period to give them a further opportunity to resolve the issues around the coach.

“SACA and the players are disappointed by the Franchise’s response to our proposals on a process which we believe would have resolved the matter once and for all”, said Tony Irish, chief executive of SACA. “We had proposed a process for an independent cricket person to monitor and assess the coach’s situation on the ground within the team over a three (3) week period and thereafter to make a recommendation as to what should happen with the coaching situation. His recommendation would be accepted by all, and binding on the players, SACA and the Franchise, and it would dispose of the current dispute”, said Irish. “The Franchise has however rejected the proposal out of hand without proposing any alternative, despite having indicated to us that they were in favour of some form of monitoring.”

“It is very obvious that the Franchise team is in disarray and the Cobras are currently rooted to the bottom of the Sunfoil Series log. In addition Alan Dawson, brought in as the convenor of selectors in an to attempt to beef up the structures around the coach, has now resigned citing that he believes it is impossible to work in an environment in which there is a fundamental problem between players and coach. The most frustrating aspect is that it appears that the board of the Franchise simply refuses to acknowledge that there is actually a problem at all, despite everything that has happened, and is now happening, around it”, said Irish.

SACA will seek a certificate of outcome from the CCMA confirming that the dispute has not been resolved. The issuing of this certificate will enable players to embark on lawful and protected industrial action (such as a strike), following proper notice to be given, should the players elect to go this route.”

“Any kind of industrial action is always a very last resort for players and we hope it doesn’t come to that”, said Irish. “However the players have been asking the Franchise to properly address this issue for many months, but to no avail, and have exhausted every constructive process available to them with the Franchise. We will now seek CSA’s assistance and intervention before considering what further steps to take.”

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OLIVIER LEADS SACA MVP RANKINGS AHEAD OF T20 CHALLENGE

VBK Knights fast bowler, Duanne Olivier currently leads the SACA MVP rankings, with Hollywoodbets Dolphins all-rounder Robbie Frylinck hot on his heels in second place, after both players turned in match winning performances for their respective teams during the Sunfoil Series.
Last season veteran and newcomer players battled for the title of the SACA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and this season promises to provide a similarly contested race amongst the country’s best domestic cricketers.

Olivier sits at the top of both the Overall MVP rankings and the four-day Sunfoil Series rankings, although there is still a long way to go in the Sunfoil Series and the two domestic limited-overs competitions still to come. With 28 wickets in five matches, which include two five-for’s and a nine wicket haul, Olivier is the leading wicket taker in the Sunfoil Series. His contribution thus far, has earned him 167.161 points in the MVP, to keep him 3.193 points ahead of Frylinck.
Frylinck’s record breaking performance with the ball in the second round of the Sunfoil Series against the bizhub Highveld Lions in Potchefstroom, which saw him end with a South African franchise record of 14 for 62, helped him climb 20 positions with his points’ tally leaping from 18.143 to 100.990 points. Frylinck has gone on to collect 163.968 from his five matches. His consistency and contribution with the bat and ball, has kept him in the race for the MVP.
The closest bunch of chasers in the SACA MVP at this early stage of the season are: 3rd Marchant de Lange (153.297 points), 4th Hardus Viljoen (134.512 points) and 5th Simon Harmer (131.857 points).
The MVP reflects a balanced distribution of points for players based on their on-field performances. Points awarded to players are based not only on runs and wickets, but also take into account catches, captaincy and the effect a player’s performance has on the success of his team and important stages of a match.
An indication of how reflective the rankings are is that 2015/16’s SACA MVP winner bizhub Highveld Lions’ Dwaine Pretorius and runner up, Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ Keshav Maharaj have both put in strong performances for their domestic teams in the matches they have played this season. Both players have also gone on to be selected for the Proteas, with Maharaj making his Test debut in the first Test of the current series against Australia. Pretorius has already played for the Proteas in the shorter format this year and has been called up to the Test squad following Dale Steyn’s series-ending injury.
Pretorius, currently seventh in the rankings, has played three games while Maharaj is 13th despite having only played two matches for his franchise.
The SACA MVP is an internationally recognised formula that records franchise players’ contribution to each match. Results are uploaded after each round of matches and the rankings are closely followed by players. The SACA MVP is an indicator of consistency of performance in each of the CSA Domestic Competitions and can be followed on the SACA website (www.saca.org.za).

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KNIGHTS, DOLPHINS DRAW IN DURBAN

Robin Peterson starred with six wickets for the Knights, while Imran Tahir and Senuran Muthusamy took four each for the Dolphins, in a draw in Durban. The match had only 188.2 overs being bowled due to inclement weather, with day two completely washed out.

The Knights put the Dolphins in to bat, and they started well, with openers Sarel Erwee and Imraan Khan putting on a 123-run stand. The duo scored 58 and 59 respectively, but with no one else scoring a half-century, the team was eventually dismissed for 311. Peterson took his first two wickets off consecutive deliveries before finishing with 6 for 83 off 21 overs.

In response, the Knights lost both their openers on 36 in consecutive overs. But a 107-run partnership between South Africa international David Miller (60) and wicketkeeper Rudi Second took the team past 150. With no other batsman crossing 20, though, Tahir and Muthusamy enjoyed a lot of success as the Knights were all out for 221.

The Dolphins came out to bat once again and they blocked their way to 12 runs off the nine overs they faced in the second innings.

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VON BERG, MARKRAM TAKE TITANS TO VICTORY

Aiden Markram’s second successive hundred and legspinner Shaun von Berg’s ten-wicket match-haul lifted the Titans to first place in the Sunfoil Series, as they defeated the Cape Cobras by an innings and 50 runs at Newlands in Cape Town.

Cobras were reduced to 74 for 4 in the first innings after Titans captain Henry Davids put them in. Stiaan van Zyl (65), who was dropped from the South Africa Test squad for the tour of Australia, stitched together a 92-run partnership with Justin Ontong (45) to stabilise the innings. However, they lost 3 for 8 in a span of 8.1 overs, to be reduced to 174 for 7. The tail then managed to drag the score to 235, before von Berg took his fifth wicket to bowl them out.

Markram lost his opening partner Heino Kuhn with only 33 on the board, but put on 122 for the second wicket with Grant Mokoena (59) and 75 for the fourth with Farhaan Behardien (79) as he secured the lead for his team, before falling for 139. Qaasim Adams’ 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket with David Wiese (31) took the Titans to 393 for 7 before a collapse resulted in them folding for 400. Dane Piedt and Rory Kleinveldt took three wickets each for the Cobras.

In the second innings, only four Cobras batsmen managed to get into double figures. Van Zyl (32*) and Ontong (20) once again briefly rescued the innings with a 42-run sixth-wicket stand after coming together at 44 for 5. Von Berg, who had Ontong caught by Wiese for the second time in the match, completed his five-wicket haul shortly after. Henry Davids took the last two wickets as Cobras slumped to their third loss this season.

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VILJOEN SEALS LION’S WIN

A day-four fourth innings collapse of the Warriors, fashioned by pacer Hardus Viljoen, handed the Lions a 148-run victory at the Wanderers. With the Warriors needing 288 to win on the final day, the Port Elizabeth side were reduced from 34 for 0 to 34 for 3 in 11 balls.

The Lions elected to bat, and Nicky van den Bergh’s 99 and Dwaine Pretorius’ 97 took them to 308; the pair added 180 in partnership, the only significant stand in the innings – no other partnerships touched 40 runs. Andrew Birch and Sisanda Magala shared seven wickets between them for the Warriors.

In reply, the Warriors were wobbling at 24 for 2 with both their openers dismissed early before Lesiba Ngoepe put on 95 runs – the third batsman to be dismissed in the 90s in the game – in partnership with the middle-order to take his side closer to the Lions’ first innings score, before Pretorius rattled them further in returning 6 for 81. Birch, who came in to bat at No. 9, contributed 82 crucial runs to take his side from 201 for 7 to 356, a 48-run lead.

A 98-run opening partnership for the Lions scratched out any advantage the Warriors had; openers Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen scored 48 and 51 respectively. At one-down, Dominic Hendricks scored his second fifty in as many games; his 61 along with Yaseen Valli’s 40 led the Lions to 335, before they declared early on day four.

So the Warriors were chasing 288 and ran into Viljoen, who picked up three of the top-four batsmen in the side before coming back to polish off the innings. The Warriors captain Simon Harmer – who already had a match haul of six – top scored with 42 from No. 8 as the team slid to 139 all out.

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MARKRAM & NGIDI CENTRAL TO TITANS’ INNINGS WIN

Multiply Titans surged to their first win of the season with a massive innings and 38-run victory over the Hollywood Bets Dolphins in Centurion, and they did it courtesy two franchise debutants. Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi were both making their maiden first-class appearances for the Titans and showed that the young talent in Centurion is blossoming.

Ngidi was first to the fore when he took four wickets in an opening spell that reduced the Dolphins to 61 for 4 in the 21st over. Senuran Muthusamy was the only Dolphins batsmen to show some fight and scored 52 but with no half-century stands, the Dolphins struggled to get over 200. They eked over the mark but not before Ngidi had picked up his fifth.

Markram was promoted to the franchise team in the absence of Dean Elgar, who has left on Test duty, and he was a perfect fit. He partnered Heino Kuhn in an opening stand of 203 and then put on 120 with Grant Mokoena for the second wicket while scoring 162 of his own. The Titans were well in the lead by the time Markram was dismissed with the Dolphins unable to make many inroads despite the return of Andile Phehlukwayo. Although none of the Titans bottom seven batsmen made more than 32, they batted into the third day and amassed 432, a lead of 225.

A worn-out Dolphins line-up up could not muster much resistance and by the time Ngidi bowled again, they were already three down. Khaya Zondo scored 68 but the Titans’ attack proved too strong for the rest. Wickets were shared all round with three each for Rowan Richards and Malusi Siboto while Ngigi added two for a match haul of seven.

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COBRAS END LOSING SEQUENCE WITH WARRIORS DRAW

Jason Smith and Aviwe Mgijima joined the PPC Newlands run fest on the final day of the Sunfoil Series clash between the BuildNat Cape Cobras and the Warriors as the match in Cape Town ended in a high-scoring draw on Sunday.

Smith hit 63 (99 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Mgijima made 54 (104 balls, 5 fours) – the pair both playing in the fourth franchise matches of their careers – as the hosts amassed 567/7 in reply to the visitors’ 525/7 declared.

Both totals were the highest against each other, in a match where bat dominated ball and only 14 wickets fell over the course of the four days.

There were three centurions – Colin Ackermann (146), Andrew Puttick (124) and Omphile Ramela (170) – to go along with six half-centurions.

Amongst the bowler, Basheer Walters was the most successful with 2/79, while Simon Harmer took 2/176 from a marathon 69 overs of spin.

The result at least provided some respite for the Cobras, who had lost both previous matches of the season to date. The Capetonians, who had resumed the final day on 374/3, took 2.82 points from the game.

The Warriors secured 4.98 points after one loss and one win from their first two matches.

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LIONS DRAW WITH KNIGHTS

 

Sunday, 23 October 2016

Duanne Olivier finished with six wickets on the final day as the Sunfoil Series clash between the VKB Knights and bizhub Highveld Lions ended in a draw at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Sunday.

The fast bowler followed his 3/101 in the first innings with 6/93 second time around, but half-centuries from Dominic Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius and Mangaliso Mosehle meant the visitors finished on 310/9.

The Lions, who started the day on 62/2, lost three early wickets to slip to 92/5. But Hendricks went on to make 65 (154 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) and shared in a 109-run sixth wicket stand with an aggressive Pretorius (80 off 89 balls, 14 fours, 2 sixes) that carried them past 200.

It was an important stand in the context of the game, but both were part of Olivier’s haul, the 13th time in his career that he managed five wickets or more.

Mosehle’s unbeaten 67 (122 balls, 13 fours, 1 six) then proved equally vital as he anchored a 78-run eighth wicket stand that helped the Lions secure a draw that gave them 8.78 points.

The Knights took 8.88 points to move top of the table after three rounds of the season.

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ACKERMANN SIGNS WITH LEICESTERSHIRE

Leicestershire have turned to South Africa to bolster their batting strength, signing batsman Colin Ackermann on a two-year contract.

The signing will encourage the belief that English counties are eager to raid South African players who suspect their chances of progression may be limited in their own country because of stiffened transformation policies.

Ackermann, a former South Africa U-19 international, will qualify as a non-overseas player. He has a first-class record approaching 40, the latest of seven hundreds coming for Warriors against the Multiply Titans last week. He also has 10 half-centuries in the two limited-overs formats.

Leicestershire’s head coach Pierre de Bruyn, a fellow South African, said: “Colin is a quality top order batsman who can also bowl some useful off-spin, and he will offer us a good option in all three formats of the game. He will provide us with further competition for places.”

Ackermann does have previous knowledge of Leicestershire, having represented Kibworth in 2012. He also played a Second XI match for Leicestershire that year, top-scoring with 73 in a low-scoring match against Northants.

Leicestershire have stabilised under the guidance of their chief executive Wasim Khan, a former chief executive of the Chance to Shine charity, which seeks to promote cricket in State schools. However, his specialist knowledge has – perhaps unsurprisingly considering the inevitable time lag – brought no overnight transformation in Leicestershire’s ability to produce players from a wider talent base.

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CCMA CONCILIATION MEETING ON CAPE COBRAS PLAYERS AND HEAD COACH ISSUE

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), Cape Cobras players and members of the board of the Cape Cobras Franchise appeared at a conciliation process meeting held at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Cape Town today. The conciliation meeting was held to attempt to resolve the grievance between the majority of the Cobras players and the Cobras head coach, Paul Adams.

“Some pretty forthright discussions took place between the parties at today’s meeting before the Commissioner,” said Tony Irish, chief executive of SACA. “It may well be the first time that players and board members have exchanged such frank views on this issue.”

It was agreed by the parties that the conciliation process be extended by fourteen (14) days until 1st November 2016 to give SACA, the players and the franchise an opportunity to try to agree a clear process to further monitor, assess and address the situation on the ground.

“The positive” continued Irish, “is that the parties have given themselves a clear two week period to come up with a mechanism which will hopefully finally resolve this dispute.”

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LISA STHALEKAR & GRAEME SMITH JOIN FICA BOARD

 

Former international captains Lisa Sthalekar and Graeme Smith were appointed as Independent Board Members of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) at the FICA annual meeting held in Cape Town between 10-12 October.

The meeting covered a wide range of issues that are important to players and the game globally. The meeting was attended by FICA president and former West Indies player Jimmy Adams, former Australian and South African captains Lisa Sthalekar and Graeme Smith, FICA Board Members and Head of UniWorld Athletes Brendan Schwab.

International Cricket Structure

The Board held lengthy discussions on the significant issues around the structure of international cricket. The discussions were guided by FICA’s 2016 International Cricket Structural Review, player insights, player surveys and FICA’s ongoing dialogue with the ICC and the ICC Member Boards.

It was resolved that FICA will continue to play an active role in discussions at all levels, with the objective of ensuring that the games’ governing bodies deliver a better structure that is fit for purpose, acknowledges the changing landscape of professional cricket and allows players’ career self-determination, giving them the opportunity to represent both club and country around the world.

Commenting on the structure of international cricket, Graeme Smith said: “players around the world are trying to build successful careers in a game that is rapidly changing. It is our role to ensure that players’ interests are protected, that players are a part of guiding the direction of the game and ensuring that structures and schedules are as good as they can be.”

Player Associations

The Board agreed that FICA should assist, guide and lead the development of associate country players setting up new associations in their countries.

In addition, it was agreed that FICA would, as a matter of priority, look to assist the Indian professional cricketers to develop their association, as recommended by the Lodha Committee and mandated by the Indian Supreme Court. FICA will explore all relevant avenues open to it to assist and to make a valuable contribution in this process, which it believes will be a positive for the players in India and for the game in India and globally. 

Women’s Cricket and FICA

Following the decision taken at the 2015 FICA annual meeting that both male and female players should be represented, the Board welcomed the appointment of Lisa Sthalekar as an Independent Board Member.

Commenting on her appointment, Lisa Sthalekar said: “I am delighted to be appointed to the FICA Board, and am looking forward to playing an active role around the FICA Board table. Women’s cricket is the fastest growing part of the game and ensuring all players are represented globally will be a huge positive for players and the game.”

Employment Rights

The Board discussed a number of cases of systematic non-payment of players and the shortcomings within the international contract structure. It was highlighted that the potential exists for this system to get worse. The Board mandated continued efforts to protect players fundamental employment rights.

In addition, the Board resolved to ensure that any unreasonable labour market restrictions are not imposed on players, and that artificial restrictions on player movement should not be viewed as a quick-fix solution for structural imbalances in the game.

Player Welfare and Integrity

The Board received two presentations from key players’ association staff on the twin issues of player welfare, wellbeing and career transition and anti-corruption and integrity.

The Board agreed that it is vital that players’ associations, both individually and collectively play a formal role in all areas of player welfare and integrity issues.

Specifically, FICA urges the ICC and ICC Member Boards to formally agree to partner with player collective representatives in the fight against corruption.

Commenting on the outcomes of the meeting, Tony Irish, FICA Executive Chairman said: “the FICA Board has endorsed our operational direction and has mandated our Executive to continue to make a significant, evidence based, considered and professional contribution for players in the game. FICA will continue our efforts to build relationships around the world with the ICC, Member Boards, MCC, league owners and other key stakeholders in the game to ensure that the global cricketers’ voice is heard.”

 

 

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HARMER PUTS WARRIORS IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

 

 

Simon Harmer led a clinical bowling performance by the Warriors with his four wickets to put his team on course for victory against reigning Sunfoil Series champions the Multiply Titans at St George’s Park in East London on Thursday.

The home captain took 4/63 as the visitors were bowled out for 235 shortly before stumps, leaving them a victory target of just 105, which was down to 86 by the close after the hosts reached 19/0 in the two overs they faced.

Heinrich Klaasen was the key contributor for the visitors with an unbeaten 97 (146 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) – the Titans wicket-keeper rescuing his team from complete annihilation after they slipped to 108/8 at one stage.  But he found a willing partner in Morne Morkel, with the Proteas’ fast bowler, in the team to get some much-needed game-time ahead of South Africa’s tour of Australia, contributing 36 in a 100-run ninth-wicket stand.

Harmer’s wickets came in the middle and lower order after the top-order was damaged by Basheer Walters (2/46) and Andrew Birch (2/56).

Earlier in the day, two Morkel wickets helped clean up the Warriors’ tail as he ended with 3/54.

 

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VILJOEN AND COOK PUT LIONS IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

Hardus Viljoen SACA MVP Sunfoil Series 2015/16 winner  took six wickets and Stephen Cook struck an unbeaten half-century to carry the bizhub Highveld Lions to the brink of victory after two days of their Sunfoil Series opener against the BuildNat Cape Cobras in Johannesburg on Thursday.  Fast bowler Viljoen, whose early season form last year forced him into the Proteas set-up, took 6/75 as the visitors were bowled out for 211 at the bidvest Wanderers Stadium on the second day.

Despite that being the highest score of the match, the Cobras’ paltry first-innings 102 meant that the Lions needed 160 for victory and they were racing there thanks to Cook’s brisk 63 not out (56 balls, 12 fours).  They closed on 117/0 and needed just 43 more to seal a winning start to the campaign. Rassie van der Dussen was with his skipper on an unbeaten 43.  But the first half of the day was all about two of the country’s rising talents.

Despite Viljoen picking up his 21st career five-for, it was the man supporting him, Wiaan Mulder, who enjoyed a dream debut. The South Africa Under-19 captain was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings with his 3/10 and he took a fine 4/54 with his right-arm medium pace second time around. It meant the 18-year-old all-rounder shared all 10 wickets with Viljoen. Another rookie that enjoyed a stellar outing was Cobras all-rounder Jason Smith. The 21-year-old, playing in only the second franchise match of his career, fell five runs short of a century when he top scored with 95 (117, 16 fours) in the his side’s second innings.

Smith was also the pick of the bowlers earlier in the day when he took 4/24 as the Lions were bowled out for 154. Temba Bavuma finished unbeaten on 76 (119 balls, 12 fours, 1 six).

 

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AFRICA T20 CUP CHAMPS TO BE CROWNED

The Africa T20 Cup reaches its climax this weekend when the 2016 champions will be crowned at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn.

After 16 teams started the competition four weeks ago, the list has now been whittled down to the four Pool winners – North West Seeff Dragons, Northern Cape, Zimbabwe and Eastern Province – in the playoffs.

Although all four will be confident of their progress, the Dragons and Eastern Province can be counted as the favourites to reach the final after winning all three of their matches thus far. The men from Potchefstroom swept aside all before them in Pool A when the competition was launched on September 2 in Pietermaritzburg, beating last season’s finalists KwaZulu-Natal Inland, Western Province and Namibia.

But their coach, Monty Jacobs, insists there is no such things as favourites in 20-over cricket. “T20 cricket is unpredictable and we definitely cannot say who the favourites will be,” he said. “We all play in different conditions and in different pools, so it will just boil down to how a team plays on the day.

“I think for us, we’ll play it as it comes. We’ve been keeping ourselves ready with a number of practice matches over the past few weeks, so we’ll be ready.”

Jacobs’s comments were echoed by the other team coaches too, although JP Trigaardt, who heads Northern Cape, was hoping their knowledge of conditions in Oudtshoorn will aid their bid to win the competition.

Pool B, which was topped by the Kimberley-based outfit, was based in the South Western Cape town, and NC claimed two wins from three matches with the other a wash-out to end ahead of defending champions Northerns, Kenya and hosts South Western Districts.

“We’re delighted to be here among the last four teams standing,” Trigaardt said. “And I think we stand a good chance considering we played here and we know the conditions. I don’t think those conditions will change too much.

“But all four teams in the last four are strong. I think it will always be about whoever rocks up on the day. I’m happy to say that we will be the underdogs, we always see ourselves that way and we strive on that.

“We also had massive support when we did play here and that will help us again.”

Eastern Province will be hoping to progress from the other semifinal, although their coach, Piet Botha, admits that facing an unknown Zimbabwe team will be tricky.

While the men from Port Elizabeth beat Gauteng, Boland and KwaZulu-Natal in Pool D to get here, the Zimbabweans reached the last four by virtue of an elimination draw after only two completed matches were possible in their Pool C because of adverse weather conditions.

Stephan Mangongo’s side were randomly selected ahead of Border, Free State and Easterns and Botha says it is hard to know what to expect.

“We don’t know much about the Zimbabwe team because we have never played them before, ever,” he added. “So for us it will be all about maintaining the same intensity from our pool. “We can’t think about things like favouritism or anything. We just need to go out there, focus and get the basics right. The rest will take care of itself.”

 

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CAPE COBRAS PLAYERS GRIEVANCE REFERRED TO THE CCMA

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) confirmed today that it has referred the Cape Cobras players’ grievance to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

“The players have exhausted the internal cricket process for dealing with their grievance and now have no option but to refer this to the CCMA”, said SACA chief executive, Tony Irish. “It is the only way that they can deal with it further and keep shining a light on the issue with the franchise. They are not able to seek a binding order from the CCMA but are able to have the grievance conciliated in that forum.”

The grievance relates to a breakdown in the relationship between the majority of the Cobras players and the head coach, Paul Adams. It involves a fundamental loss of confidence by the players in the coach’s ability to lead the coaching of the team arising from his inability to create an effective team culture, poor communication and man management skills, lack of tactical and technical knowledge and disorganisation in running proper practice and training sessions.

“Some people have been quick to point out that the team won trophies under the coach in the period after he took over” said Irish. “According to the players however the coach’s shortcomings back then were compensated for by the role played by senior players at the time and the situation has got progressively worse. It in fact deteriorated to such a point last season that in December 2015 the franchise itself surveyed the players on the issue and the outcome of several of these highlighted the seriousness of the breakdown. The problem wasn’t however addressed by the franchise and in May 2016, when the players heard that the franchise was planning to renew the coach’s contract, 10 out of 17 contracted players most of whom are senior players, raised a formal grievance and thereafter sought the players’ association’s assistance in dealing with it. We also know that players outside of the 10 sympathise with the grievance although have not put their names to it.”

“There is a quick and simple process in cricket for dealing with player grievances, but this was delayed by the franchise and it has now taken more than four months to process this grievance. In the recent mediation process the independent mediator, Paddy Upton, who was nominated by the franchise itself and is an internationally recognised expert on coaching and team dynamics, made a clear recommendation to the parties that the coach should stand down from the team, and be re-deployed in a different capacity if possible. Despite this however, the board of the franchise proceeded to confirm the coach’s re-appointment and stated that Upton’s report was deficient. We and the players concerned strongly disagree with this suggestion of the report’s deficiency. Upton was brought in to get an understanding of the grievance and to assist in resolving it, and he was specifically empowered to use whatever approach he deemed appropriate in doing so. He looked at the documentation, including the surveys, interviewed the individuals he considered relevant and produced a thorough report with a clear recommendation to the parties.”

“The players care about the Cobras team and its ability to perform going forward,” concluded Irish. “They are however extremely frustrated by the way their very legitimate concerns, which were clearly evident over nine months ago, have been dealt with and the length of time it has taken. They want the franchise to address the issue further.”

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ECB AND CSA ANNOUNCE ITINERARIES FOR PROTEAS AND SA ‘A’ 2017 TOURS TO ENGLAND

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) today announced the itineraries for the Standard Bank Proteas and the South Africa ‘A’ tours of Britain in 2017.

The Proteas will play four Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and three T20 International matches against England while South Africa ‘A’ will play three ‘A’ 50 overs matches against the England Lions as well as one ‘A’ four-day match.

The ICC Champions Trophy Tournament, which is also in England during June 2017, will take place between the Proteas’ one-day and T20 series against England.

“This is going to be both an exciting and challenging time for our Proteas,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “Test matches in England are always special and, together with the ECB, we have agreed a schedule that gives us a good chance to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy. We can all anticipate some thrilling cricket in 2017.

“By having South Africa ‘A’ touring England at the same time, we can take full advantage of making sure that all our players are exposed to English conditions and ready for any call up.

“By announcing these fixtures well in advance we are hoping that our loyal fans will travel to support our Proteas in England,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison commented: “With England also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season in addition to the two South African men’s tours as well as the West Indies, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket – and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”

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GCB NAME MADISENG AS PRESIDENT

The Gauteng Cricket Board announced today that Jack Madiseng has been named as the new President of the organisation, effective immediately.

Madiseng will replace former President, Thabang Moroe, who was appointed Vice-President of Cricket South Africa in August.

Madiseng brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his time as Chairman of Alexandra Cricket Club, and has been a non-executive member of the Gauteng Cricket Board since 2013 where he served on the Development Cricket, Transformation, and Ethics Sub-committees.

“Firstly, I would like to thank my predecessor, Thabang Moroe for his leadership, insights, commitment, dedication – and most importantly – his passion for the administration of cricket which has left the GCB in the position it is today. I wish him all of the very best as Vice-President of Cricket South Africa,” said Madiseng.

“I would also like to thank the Directors of the Board for having the confidence in me to lead the team. I am truly grateful and your confidence in me is highly appreciated. We will lead as a team and work for the overall benefit of cricket. Words of my gratitude will be expressed by continuing to take our brand on the growth trajectory we are currently on.

“I have big shoes to fill but I’m confident that this Board has the hunger and the fire to take this brand to the next level. My challenge is to leave this entity, it’s staff, and the assets having improved on their current status.

“We have made substantial improvements in various areas of our core business and with the Members of the Board, whom I have served with over the years, we have padded up and held each other accountable, stretching ourselves to face the challenges we have been confronted by and adopted an ‘ownership’ mentality that will take the GCB to the next level.

“Aligning with all the GCB Stakeholders, Sponsors, Affiliates, and CSA will be a priority in achieving the strategic plan our Directors on the Board have put in place. The growth and transformation of cricket, at every level of the game we all love, is key to us getting the bums on seats which our fans in the ‘Bullring’ will help us achieve,” the Corporate Executive, who started playing cricket in the mid-1980’s, concluded.

In his playing days, Madiseng was a talented all-rounder and was first introduced to the sport through Bakers Mini-Cricket. He went on to play alongside Neil McKenzie in the under-12 Transvaal side before representing PG Bison at under-15 level and receiving a cricket scholarship to King Edward VII school.

Following his career as an opening batsman and off-spinner, Madiseng went on to work for several multi-national companies in highly specialised positions. In 1999, he joined the Woolworths Management Programme before being appointed as an Operations Executive at Total SA and then a Project Manager, and finally an Executive at Barloworld Logistics. He currently serves as an Executive within the Strategy, Marketing and Business Development at Imperial Logistics.

The Gauteng Cricket Board is situated in the Gauteng Province and oversees all cricket that is played in the following demarcated areas: Soweto, Kagiso, Johannesburg North, Alexandra, Wits and surrounding areas, Vaal, South East Area, Jeppe, Lenasia and Johannesburg Central.

 

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ICC INTRODUCES CHANGES TO CODE OF CONDUCT

The International Cricket Council has introduced changes to the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, effective 22 September 2016.

There has been no change to the list of offences in the Code of Conduct, or the current penalty regime of warnings/fines/suspensions applicable to each offence, but players who have breached the Code will now also accumulate Demerit Points, which can see repeat offenders suspended. Demerit Points will remain with a player for two years, and all players will start with a zero balance from 22 September to coincide with the introduction of these changes.

The new ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel can be read here, with the changes confined to Article 7 of the Code.

The new DRS playing conditions relating to the LBW ‘Umpire’s Call” will also come into effect on 22 September, with the first match to be played under these regulations the ODI between South Africa and Ireland in Benoni on Sunday.

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PROTEAS WOMEN PREPARE FOR NZ SERIES

The Momentum Proteas have spent the past this week at the Cricket South Africa Centre of Excellence in Pretoria as they begin final preparations for two big tours against New Zealand and Australia in the coming months.

The 18-women contingent met for a camp that will see a final 15 chosen for the seven-match One-Day International series against New Zealand’s White Ferns beginning on 8 October in Kimberley. The first three matches form part of the ICC Women’s Championship, the qualifying competition for next year’s ICC Women’s World Cup.

The country’s national women’s team are coming off a successful tour of Ireland where they comfortably won a ODI series 3-1 and drew their two-match T20 sequence.

They will boast a full-strength squad when they face New Zealand.

“For us it’s actually been a good week so far,” coach Hilton Moreeng said. “We have a lot of fringe players in the squad, all the players from the KIA League as well as all the players from the Ireland tour where a lot of learning happened (are here).

“I think for us it was important to touch base with each and every player to make sure we sharpen our skills because we’ve got two tough tours coming.”

“As far as the ICC challenge is concerned, we need to make sure we win these tours in order to qualify in the top four.”

The Momentum Proteas are currently fifth in the race for the World Cup, only a point behind New Zealand, which makes their meeting even more important.

Moreeng also reflected on the trip to Ireland.

“It was very encouraging, especially if you see how the youngsters carried themselves in very tough conditions,” he continued. “I don’t think anyone in the team (under normal circumstances) experiences those sort of conditions when it’s wet, rainy and cold, so those sort of conditions took some getting used to. The players were put out of their comfort zone and how they came across and the results we got from some of these players was very good.”

“One of the things that was very positive was how our batters applied themselves on those difficult wickets. It shows with the records that were broken on the tour.

“As a team, I think we are developing and maturing. We’re moving in the right direction and it shows that we’re slowly getting where we want to be as far as the depth is concerned.”

With so many players putting their hand up in the absence of the star names, it has also brought about a selection headache for the selectors.

“We have to look at everything that has transpired in the last two months. I think we had a good winter where all the contracted players and fringe players here, about 18 of them whom we worked with daily in the National Academy over the winter,” Moreeng added.

“The results showed. It’s important to take that going into the New Zealand tour where the first three games are extremely important, but we’ll take it one game at a time.

“It’s always difficult when you’re playing a home series regarding the pressure that you have to deal with, but mentally, I think the girls are in a good place.

“The intensity and work we’ve done this week has been very impressive, so we’re very happy with where the squad is as a whole. We can’t wait to get started.”

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FICA RESPONDS TO ICC COMMENTS ON WORKSHOP ON BILATERAL INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today responded to ICC comments on the Workshop on Bilateral International Cricket in Dubai, and the ICC’s confirmation on the failure to come to agreement on a workable Test league.

“Whilst we await full details of the outcomes of the meetings at the ICC, and the reasons for various proposals not being taken forward, it would be disappointing if the concept of Test leagues or other similar workable structures were shelved so early in this process.” FICA Executive Chairman, Tony Irish said.

“We look forward to confirmation of plans regarding the future of all three international formats, and continue to urge the ICC to explore all options in relation to a new structure for international cricket. We also look forward to that structure working alongside, and not competing with domestic T20 leagues. ”

“We remain concerned about the rising trend towards free agency in the current system, and the impact it will have on the global game. The growth, success and expansion of domestic T20 leagues is good for the game and for players, but bilateral international cricket is not moving with the times and is increasingly becoming an unattractive product.”

FICA remains committed to advocating for a more coherent and clear global cricket structure for fans, players and broadcasters, and one that is based on global, not regional or country interests.

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FICA URGES ICC TO DELIVER CLEAR & COMPELLING FUTURE

Following completion of FICA’s annual player survey, and ahead of further discussions at ICC level on the structure of international cricket, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today urged the ICC to deliver a clear and compelling future for international cricket, which includes meaningful change to competition structures. FICA is supportive of improving, and adding context to all three formats of international cricket, ensuring a structure that delivers better clarity and balance between the formats, and one that will address the continued decline in popularity of much of international cricket. Cricket needs a new international structure now to allow it to survive and thrive in the future.

“It is clear that there is a ground swell of opinion around the world that the current structure of international cricket is not serving the game globally, and that the status quo is not good enough for the long term future success of cricket” Tony Irish, FICA Executive Chairman said.

“We have been involved in the ongoing discussions on the structure of the game, on behalf of players, and there is no doubt that the game’s stakeholders have a unique opportunity to be bold and to provide a compelling future for the international game. The entire cricket economy, including all professional players, both international and domestic, is highly dependent on international cricket. To ensure its survival the game needs to evolve. It has many strengths and its rich history must be protected, but it is time to significantly move the game forward. That is not an easy task, but thinking globally, and not based on regional or country interests, is a good place to start” Irish continued.

“To date, the issue that has been talked about most is Test cricket, but we believe that this review is about creating clear visions for all three formats of international cricket, and balancing them alongside the continued expansion and success of the various domestic T20 cricket leagues. We know from our player surveys, and our engagement with players, that they are facing a conflict between international cricket and domestic T20 cricket leagues. This is a fundamental issue that we want any future structure of the game to address. Our concern is that if nothing is done, international cricket may very soon lose more and more of its best players to free agency and the T20 leagues.”

“This re-structuring of international cricket should be about providing a better sporting product for fans, players and broadcasters. ICC management has done some excellent work on this, and we strongly encourage Member Boards to look beyond their own individual country interests in taking this forward. We understand that not everyone is in agreement over the divisional Test structure currently proposed, but this should not derail the entire process. We urge the game to thoroughly explore all potential options to create a coherent new structure that adds more context and meaning to all matches. It is time for global, collective thinking.”

World Player Views
• AB de Villiers, South Africa: “We have already raised our intensity and urgency just knowing that a Test league might happen. There is nothing like the pressure and adrenaline that comes with knowing you need to win matches. It’s time for all international matches to have more meaning.”
• Jason Holder, West Indies: “Creating windows (for domestic T20 tournaments) would make the whole situation a lot easier as players would not be forced to choose. If players could play both domestic T20 and international cricket, it would definitely help to keep players in international cricket.”
• Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh: “It would be a great thing for Bangladesh to play more regular international cricket. I have been playing for 10 years and have only played 42 Tests. If I was from India or England I would have had the opportunity to play double that amount.”
• Steve Smith, Australia: ”We want our best players to be on the park as much as possible playing for our countries, and at the moment that isn’t always happening. Players should absolutely have a say in the future of the game. We are the ones out there doing the job, we have a close up view of what’s happening in the game, and it is important we are involved in decision making.”
• Ross Taylor, New Zealand: “We need to find ways of keeping our players. To survive as a cricket nation, we need our top players playing for New Zealand and not retiring early.”

Additional Player Data

FICA has recently conducted its 2016 player survey of 193 current professional players from all seven FICA affiliated countries, including 111 international players. Notable, selected results relevant to the structure of cricket include:
• Despite overwhelmingly indicating that Test cricket is the most important format to play in, more than 52% of all international respondents in the current structure still indicated that they would consider rejecting a national contract in favour of free agency in domestic T20 leagues;
• 70% of all respondents think there should be “ring fenced” windows in the calendar for certain domestic T20 events to prevent clashes with international cricket;
• 75% of all respondents think that closing the wage gap between domestic T20 and international cricket would help to retain players in international cricket;
• 72% of all respondents would support the introduction of a divisional Test competition to add more meaning to each match;
• 75% of all respondents would support the introduction of a Test match final/play off match.

FICA International Cricket Structural Review
FICA released its International Cricket Structural Review earlier this year, in which FICA encouraged the ICC and Member Boards to focus on the following key issues in the ongoing discussions:

1. Global thinking: for the good of the global game;

2. Balancing the three formats better and working together with domestic T20: introducing windows for T20 leagues where possible;

3. International cricket should be “best v best”: players should not be forced to choose between club and country, and scheduling between formats should generally not conflict;

4. All International cricket needs context and it needs to be competitive: new competition structures with context, based on merit, should enable this;

5. Providing clarity in the calendar and fair protections for players: in regulations and contract structures;

6. Retaining talent in the international game by redistributing money more equitably to help close player wage gaps between domestic T20 and international cricket: this does not mean players from top earning countries should be paid less. Players from all countries should be paid fairly

7. Clear pathways for associate countries, based on merit

FICA’s full International Cricket Structural Review can be found at: http://www.thefica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/L-FICA-International-Cricket-Structural-Review-2016-single-page.pdf

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MILLER 100 LEADS SA ‘A’ TO VICTORY

David Miller slammed his fourth List A century to help South Africa A nail a 288-run chase with five wickets in hand against National Performance Squad in the quadrangular series on Wednesday. Both teams are out the race for a spot in the finals, however, after Australia A sealed the second spot with a one-run win over India A on Tuesday.

Miller’s unbeaten 124 off 104 balls took South Africa to 288 for 5 in 46.3 overs at the Ray Mitchell Oval in Mackay. That was after the NPS batsmen put together a collective display to steer them to 287 for 7.

Miller strode out with South Africa having lost both their openers with 54 on the board. That would soon become 62 for 3, when he was joined by Qaasim Adams and the pair strung together a 91-run partnership in 102 balls. Adams was dismissed for a 52-ball 44, before Andile Phehlukwayo joined Miller for a 35-run stand. Thereafter, wicketkeeper Dane Vilas and Miller shut the door on NPS, coming together for an unbroken 100-run sixth-wicket partnership. Miller had hit nine fours and six sixes; Vilas stayed not out on 45 off 39 balls, helped by four fours.

The spinners Matthew Short and Kyle Gardiner took two wickets each, while Hilton Cartwright accounted for opener Khaya Zondo.

NPS had to rebuild early after choosing to bat with Matt Renshaw perishing in the fourth over for 16. Caleb Jewell and Sam Heazlett then struck half-centuries and added 115 for the second wicket, before the rest of the middle order made handy contributions to drive NPS to 287.

The two teams will clash again in the third-place play-off on Saturday. The final takes place the following day at the same venue.

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BOUCHER APPOINTED AS MULTIPLY TITANS COACH

Mark Boucher has been appointed as coach of the Multiply Titans, winner of all three domestic titles the past two seasons. He will replace the successful Rob Walter, who recently left the Titans to join the Otago Volts as head coach.
Boucher’s Test career was terminated by default rather than by design as he was hit in the eye by a bail in a warm-up game on the tour to England in 2012. He was in the South African changing room for 14 years, representing the Proteas in 147 Tests and 295 One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
As a wicket-keeper he finished with a world-class record of 532 catches and 23 stumpings and established a career as one of the finest glove-men in the recent history of the game.
Boucher loved the scrap, the heat of the battle. He lived for the big moments of the game. When the chips were down, Boucher was at his best.
It was evident in the second Test of his career when he established a world-record 195-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Pat Symcox at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium.
Boucher was orthodox as a batsman, and could hold his own against any fast-bowling attack, striking 5 515 test runs at an average of 30.30.
He was a free-flowing batsman who could play shots all around the park, and he didn’t mind the hostile chin music. In fact, he would regularly hook or pull dismissively for four.
Boucher lost the lens, the iris and the pupil of his left eye in that freak accident that terminated his cricketing career in 2012.
Since then, he has launched a conservation project in conjunction with South African Breweries, which aims to raise funds to register rhinos on a national DNA database so that they can be tracked down if poached.
“I am stoked by the opportunity to get back into domestic cricket. Upon my retirement, I realised I would not be able to play the game any longer, but to be involved in the capacity as coach of a domestic power house like the Multiply Titans is thrilling,” said Boucher.

“I would like to fully utilise the opportunity to develop the skills of the Titans squad even more. Rob has left behind an enormous legacy, and it willd be big boots to fill.

“But my challenge is to leave my own footprint and to make a seamless transition in association with a mature and enormously determined group of stars,” he added.

“We are privileged to gain the experience and the astute leadership and knowledge of one of the legends of South Africa as our senior coach,” said Jacques Faul, chief executive of the Multiply Titans.
“We believe it is the perfect fit. We naturally play an explosive brand of cricket. Boucher never shirked his responsibilities in the eye of the storm. He believed that the best form of defence was to attack. And he did so on countless occasions when the circumstances demanded defiance,” said Faul.
“He will be an asset to the Titans and we are looking at Boucher to entrench our position as a domestic cricketing leader on and off the field.”

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VILJOEN SIGNS WITH KENT

Hardus Viljoen, the South Africa fast bowler, has signed as Kent’s overseas player, to strengthen their attack for the last four Championship matches of the season. Kent are currently third in Division Two and pushing for the single promotion spot on offer.

Viljoen, 27, made his only Test appearance to date against England in January, taking the wicket of Alastair Cook with his first ball. The bizhub Highveld Lions player has recently been in action for South Africa A, playing in Townsville against Australia A and Harare against Zimbabwe A.

“I’m delighted to join Kent and experience county cricket,” Viljoen said. “I’ve just played a tri-series for South Africa A so I feel in good shape after a few weeks off. I’m looking forward to representing Kent and I will give it my all as it’s always been a dream to play county cricket.”

Kent’s leading wicket-taker in the Championship this year is Mitch Claydon, while only Matt Coles and Will Gidman – who has played one game on loan from Nottinghamshire – average less than 30. Viljoen takes over from his compatriot Kagiso Rabada, who had a spell with Kent in July. Tom Latham, the New Zealand opener, began the season as their overseas player.

With next year’s Championship featuring an eight-ten split between Divisions One and Two, only one team will go up this year. Kent are currently 24 points behind leaders Essex and one point behind second-placed Leicestershire.

Kent’s chairman of cricket, Graham Johnson, said: “We’ve carried a lot of injuries in the seam bowling department this summer. With four important games left in the campaign we wanted to give ourselves the best chance to build on the work done to get us into the current position to challenge for that one promotion spot. The experience and spark that Hardus can bring will be important in the run in.”

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WOLVAARDT HISTORIC INNINGS

Laura Wolvaardt became the youngest centurion, male or female, for South Africa in international cricket. The 17-year old opener struck a match-winning 105 against Ireland Women to wrap up a 67-run victory in Malahide.

Wolvaardt’s innings began with consecutive fours against Lewis in the fourth over. She had nine boundaries by the time she raised her fifty – off only 51 balls. Her 13th hit to the fence took her to 99 in the 37th over and a couple the next time she got on strike gave her a maiden ODI century. She was 233 days younger than the previous South African record-holder, Johmari Logtenberg of the 2007 women’s team, and a full two years younger than Graeme Pollock when men’s international cricket is taken into account. In women’s cricket, only India’s Mithali Raj has made a hundred at a younger age.

Wolvaardt’s innings was part of an opening partnership that added 192 runs. From the other end, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Trisha Chetty contributed with 95. With a total of 260 to defend, legspinner Sune Luus picked up her second five-for in three matches to leave the Irish women with very little chance. She took two of the first four wickets to fall leaving the score at 75 for 4. Isobel Joyce and Kim Garth struck half-centuries each, but their efforts barely mattered in a match South Africa dominated. Ireland were bowled out for 193, with six single-digit scores.

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SACA STATEMENT ON CSA CORRUPTION FINDINGS

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today responded to the Cricket South Africa (CSA) findings in its anti-corruption investigation.
“It will always be a sad day for the sport when players are found to have been involved in corruption”, said SACA chief executive Tony Irish.

“It’s important that where players are found to be guilty under the anti-corruption code that they are then appropriately punished and that the message goes out that cricket will not tolerate any form of corruption. In this regard I would like to commend the CSA investigators for conducting a thorough and professional investigation to date which has resulted in these severe punishments for guilty players.”
“Despite the shadow this casts over the game I think it’s also important to emphasise a few positives in all this. South African cricket has shown that it has measures in place to detect and uncover corruption, properly investigate it and then follow through with prosecution against those who are guilty. Players are properly educated, there is a highly competent anti-corruption unit and there’s a zero tolerance towards corruption.”
“Corruption is however a worldwide issue in cricket and needs to be fought everywhere and at every level. Because it has now been shown to exist in domestic competitions there needs to be a co-ordinated and concerted effort in every country. The players are at the heart of this fight and it’s virtually impossible to successfully defeat corruption unless players are prepared to come forward and help with that fight.

Fortunately this is what has happened in South Africa and I commend those players who came forward to report and to assist with this investigation. The vast majority of our cricketers in South Africa are clean and play the game hard and fair. Although players are obliged under the provisions of the code to report corrupt activity to the authorities it still takes a lot of courage for a player to actually do this.”
“SACA will continue to work with the players and with CSA to protect the integrity of the game.”

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PROTEAS WOMEN THRILLING WIN

The Momentum Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the two-match women’s Twenty20 (T20) series when they beat Ireland by four wickets in a last-ball thriller in Dublin on Monday.

After starting out well and restricting the hosts to 79 for four in 12 overs (Sune Luus 2-24, Moseline Daniels 1-18, Ayabonga Khaka 1-27), the visitors were unable to break the 61-run, fifth-wicket stand between Isobele Joyce (31) and Kim Garth (30) that saw Ireland reach 140 for four at the end of their innings.

With the bat, South Africa recovered well after the early loss of Trisha Chetty (7) thanks to a 45-run, second-wicket partnership between Mignon du Preez and Laura Wolwaardt (24).

The former captain hit an outstanding 55 runs from 41 deliveries to pave the visitors’ way forward, but wickets falling in clumps at crucial intervals gave the home side hope.

South Africa needed 22 runs from the last two overs with Lara Goodall and interim captain Dinesha Devnarain at the crease. Between them, they scored 13 runs in the 19th, leaving nine required for the final over.

The pressure mounted when Goodall was run out for eight off seven balls, leaving the visitors needing four from the last two deliveries. Devnarain (17) kept a cool head and hit the winning runs, securing a thrilling win for her side in the end.

The second and final match of the T20 series takes place on Wednesday, 3 August.

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KP JOINS DOLPHINS FOR THE RAM SLAM T20

The Sunfoil Dolphins have re-signed global T20 star Kevin Pietersen for the upcoming RAM Slam T20 Challenge, adding a fresh injection of energy as the franchise prepares for the 2016/17 domestic cricket season.

Pietersen has again signed a five-match deal that will see him represent the KZN franchise in the second half of the round robin stage and will also turn out for the Dolphins in the playoff and final should the team progress to the knockout phase of the competition.

“I’m as excited as anything to have signed with the Dolphins again,” explains Pietersen.

“I had such a wonderful season with them last season and I really enjoyed the team, the camaraderie and the competition so it was a very easy decision to sign again for this season’s T20 competition.

“It will be great to getting back onto the cricket field again and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone in Durban again as well.

“Here’s to a successful campaign!” he adds.

While disappointed to see Sunfoil Dolphins CEO, Pete de Wet’s time in charge of the KZN franchise draw to a close shortly, Pietersen is relishing the opportunity of working with newly appointed head coach, Grant Morgan again.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to deal with Pete (de Wet) – I’m sorry to see him leave the Dolphins, but I’m really excited to work with Grant Morgan who I know very well,” says Pietersen.

“Its great to have Kevin coming back and playing for the Dolphins again this season. He is a world class player in all formats of the game and in T20 he is no doubt one of the best there has ever been.” Said Morgan.

While Pietersen’s mentoring role was again evident during his time with the Dolphins last season, taking players such as Andile Phehlukwayo under his wing and guiding the exciting all-rounder, it was his effort with the bat that left the most telling impression.

The former Maritzburg College pupil and KZN age group player blasted 401 runs in just seven innings – including two hundreds and two fifties at an average of 80.20 and a strike of 172.84 – that ignited the competition as a whole and played a key role in seeing the Dolphins reach the final.

“Through my involvement with the Warriors last year, from the side of the field one could see and feel the impact Kevin had on the game,” says Morgan. “His results were of a freakish nature that really helped pilot the Dolphins into the final.”

“It’s a privilege to have a player join us at the Dolphins who has such an impact on the squad, the tournament as well as the fans and we look forward to him having a huge impact on our team, and indeed the whole competition, once again.”

Outgoing CEO, De Wet is another thrilled by Pietersen’s return and believes his inclusion in the squad’s T20 plans will yield positive results for the franchise.

“I’m extremely pleased we’ve been able to sign Kevin to the Sunfoil Dolphins again for this season’s RAM Slam T20 Challenge,” says De Wet.

“He added immense value to our franchise last year and having a guy like him around can only do wonders for the Dolphins again this time around.”

“We got very close to winning the T20 competition last year but unfortunately weren’t able to get over the line against the Titans in the final; hopefully having KP around again this year can help us achieve part of what we’re trying to achieve as a franchise this season.”

De Wet is also confident the remainder of the Dolphins squad has what it takes to achieve the franchise’s goals for 2016/17 and wishes the players and coaching staff well for their upcoming campaign.

“As the Dolphins gear up for a big season, Grant (Morgan) has been working really hard with the players that are not playing overseas and are available to him now and we’re already starting to see those guys hitting their straps.

“I will look back on my tenure at the Dolphins with much fondness and will certainly be keeping a close tabs on the results from New Zealand.

“I would like to wish the squad all the best of luck and hope that they will continue to put in the hard yards in the next couple of weeks and months leading up to the season.

“I have no doubt that they will bring success to Dolphins franchise in the very near future,” says De Wet.

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SA A, ZIMBABWE A DRAW FIRST TEST

South Africa A and Zimbabwe A drew the first four-day Test in Harare after an impressive batting effort by the hosts on Monday.

The tourists went into the fourth and final day well-placed with a lead of 307 after closing day three on 121/2.

They batted for a further seven overs to set a target of 358 thanks to an attacking half-century by Theunis de Bruyn, who made exactly 50 (55 balls, four fours).

Stiaan van Zyl ended on 43 not out, while Dane Vilas plundered one six and one four in his 18 from 9 balls – the South Africans declaring on 171/3 at the Harare Sports Club.

Despite losing first-innings batting hero Brian Chari (13), out leg before wicket to Vernon Philander (1/9), with only 15 on the board, the home side batted bravely to reach 192/1 by the time the two captains shook hands at the end.

Tino Mawoyo and Prince Masvaure were the heroes for their side thanks to an unbroken 177-run second-wicket stand that lasted more than 60 overs.

Opener Mawoyo was unbeaten on 79 (205 balls, 9 fours) at the end, while number three Masvaure was still there on 88 (183 balls, 11 fours, 1 six).

The second and final match of the series begins in Bulawayo on Friday.

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RAMELA PUTS SA A IN A COMMANDING POSITION

An unbeaten century by Omphile Ramela put South Africa A in a commanding position before Zimbabwe A fought back by the close of day two of the first four-day Test in Harare on Sunday.

The Cape Cobras Sunfoil Series captain made 101 (224 balls, 9 fours) to take the tourists to 455/6 declared, with the hosts then replying with 107/1 in the 45 overs they faced in reply.

Ramela’s eight career first-class ton was all about patience as it took nearly five and a half hours to amass.

Contrastingly, there was an excellent lower-order blitz by all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius, who fell 11 short of a century after smashing 89 (83 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes).

Ramela and Pretorius put on 125 for the sixth wicket, with the latter falling to the pick of the bowlers, Shingirai Masakadza (3/83).

The two other wickets to fall in the South African innings on day two were that of Test duo Stiaan van Zyl for 73 (183 balls, 5 fours) and Dane Vilas (1).

When it was time for the South Africans to bowl, the visitors managed just the wicket of Tino Mawoyo (30) in the final hour – the opener dismissed by Dane Piedt (1/23).

Vernon Philander’s return in national colours failed to produce any wickets, but his nine overs came at a cost of just 15. The Proteas’ seamer is playing his first game for his country since sustaining an ankle injury in November.

Zimbabwe’s hero of the day was Brian Chari with his 71 not out (152 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) as they closed 348 runs behind.

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RAMELA RELISHING SA A CHANCE

Cape Cobras batsman Omphile Ramela is relishing the opportunity of representing the South Africa A team during their forthcoming assignments in Zimbabwe and Australia.

A group of national hopefuls have been in Pretoria over the past few days preparing for their tours to both countries.

The SA A team will play a two-match, four-day, Test Series against Zimbabwe A in Harare from 9-18 July 2016, before they head out to Australia for two four-day Tests and a triangular series that also involves India A.

“I think it’s a stepping stone to trying to get closer to playing for the Proteas,” Ramela said. “I think these tours are important and if one performs, it adds another feather to your cap and gets you closer to playing for the national team. That’s why everyone is here and what they are hoping for.”

Ramela is part of a strong batting contingent named for both trips, alongside others like captain Stephen Cook, Qaasim Adams, Heino Kuhn and Stiaan van Zyl, to name a few.

He said he was hoping to learn from the experience.

“It’s about imparting knowledge to other players, but it’s also about learning from them,” the 28-year-old said. “You can learn from each and I think it’s important to learn from each other.

“Even myself, I’m still growing as a player, but I’ll definitely be trying to help where I can and where my advice will be needed.”

Ramela, who captained the Cobras in the Sunfoil Series last season, recorded 592 runs at an average of 42.28. He also scored two hundreds and two 50s and is hoping to build on that form in 2016/17, starting with the A tours for his country.

He added: “I think the preparation more or less stays the same, you just try and improve on your weaknesses and really make sure your strengths always shine.

“So there’s nothing more different, but I think you really just try and tighten up your game and get better with the focus of trying to excel in the domestic season as well.”

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DU PREEZ STEPS DOWN AS PROTEAS WOMEN’S CAPTAIN

Proteas women’s captain Mignon du Preez announced on Tuesday that she will be stepping down from the captaincy in all formats with immediate effect.

Du Preez will be succeeded by Dane van Niekerk.

Du Preez cited a desire to work on her game as the main motivation for stepping down. The announcement comes a month ahead of the team’s tour to Ireland in July.

Du Preez led the Momentum Proteas in 46 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), 50 T20s and one Test match in her four years at the helm. Her greatest achievement was to lead the side to its first ever ICC Women’s World T20 semi-final in 2014 and she was also the first women’s captain to beat India and Bangladesh in ODI series away from home.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision and took a lot of introspection, but ultimately I believe that this is the best step forward not only for myself, but for the team,” Du Preez said.

“Stepping down from the captaincy role will give me an opportunity to work on my own game, which has taken a downturn in the last couple of seasons. I believe I can make a better contribution by putting runs on the board and offering support and advice to the next captain.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cricket South Africa for the faith that they have shown in me for the last five years in granting me the privilege of being the captain of the national women’s team. I would also like to thank my team mates and our management staff for all of their support over the years and for helping me make the Momentum Proteas the team that it is today.

“I would be remiss to fail to mention Momentum and my personal sponsors for their support and kindness towards me over the years. I hope that I can be an even better batter and continue to make you all proud.

“Finally, I would like to wish incoming captain, Dane van Niekerk, all the best in her new role. It is a thoroughly deserved appointment and I look forward to watching her grow in this all important role.”

Cricket South Africa (CSA) General Manager Corrie van Zyl thanked Du Preez for her contribution.

“We (as CSA) respect and accept Mignon’s decision to relieve herself of her captaincy duties and understand the reasoning behind the decision. As a senior player and now former captain, she will still have a massive supporting role to play for the new captain and in assisting in the further grooming of the youngsters coming into the national team,” he said.

“We would like to thank her for her many years of service and look forward to seeing her star continue to rise on the international stage and hope that she reaches the new goals that she has set for herself.

“At the same time, we would like to congratulate Dane van Niekerk and thank her for taking on this new role in the team. We look forward to watching her lead the team to many a victory in the future.”

Twenty-three-year-old Van Niekerk said she was both humbled and excited by the appointment.

“This is the biggest honour of my career so far,” she said.

“Captaining my country has been a dream since I began playing cricket and I am humbled that CSA have chosen me for the job. I would like to thank Mignon for paving the way and bringing the team this far. I look forward to filling her shoes as best I can and moving the team forward.”

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PROTEAS CONFIRMED TO PLAY ADELAIDE DAY-NIGHT TEST

CSA announced today that the third Test against Australia in Adelaide, starting on 24 November 2016, will be a day-night fixture.

“Following careful consideration and engagement with all our Test players, and acknowledging the need to exploit the potential of playing day-night Test match cricket, I am pleased to announce that we have agreed with Cricket Australia to proceed with this fixture,” said CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

The Proteas are currently scheduled to arrive in Australia in mid-October and will proceed immediately to Adelaide to play a warm-up match with a pink ball under lights as part of their preparations. This will be the very first time they will be exposed to such conditions.

An additional warm-up match under lights prior to the third Test is also being planned, giving the players a further opportunity to acclimatize to the pink ball.

In addition to the warm-up matches, the first four-day match of the upcoming A series tour between Australia A and South Africa A, starting on 30 July, will also be played with a pink ball, providing some of the potential Test players further opportunities to acclimatize to the pink ball.

“Our Proteas were initially hesitant to play such a key Test match without previous experience and adequate preparation but after working through all their concerns and the possible options to prepare sufficiently, there is new-found excitement for this novel Test match.  Our players deserve credit for the way they have worked through their concerns which were clearly not insignificant.

“I want to express appreciation to my counterpart, James Sutherland, for his understanding of the issues and willingness to accede to our requests for adequate preparation as well as to the South African Cricketers’ Association for their support and assistance in working through the issues,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

James Sutherland, the Chief Executive for Cricket Australia, welcomed the decision by Cricket SA and the Proteas.

“Cricket fans will be delighted to hear the news that the third match of the Test series against South Africa will be played as a day-night match, particularly those planning to attend Adelaide Oval,” said Sutherland

“Nearly 124 000 people attended the inaugural day-night Test match in Adelaide last year and there has been great anticipation about future day-night Tests since.  It’s wonderful that the next one in Australia will be against South Africa. This announcement will further fuel the excitement about what promises to be a fascinating series between formidable rivals.

“I would like to acknowledge the open manner in which Cricket South Africa and the South African Cricketers’ Association have worked through this matter with us. We look forward to welcoming the South African players to Australia in late October and offering them the best possible preparation ahead of the series.  We know everyone involved will relish the challenge and fully expect the Test match will be a memorable occasion,” Sutherland added.

There’s excitement in the Proteas camp following the confirmation of this match. “As players, we are really happy to have grown our confidence to play a day-night Test match in a positive way,” commented Standard Bank Proteas captain, AB de Villiers. “We were never against this exciting concept, but only wanted to give ourselves the best opportunity of competing in conditions that will be new and foreign to us. Two warm-up matches will hopefully give us an idea of what to expect and hopefully our preparations will help us to adapt accordingly.

“This will be the first time that our players in the Test squad will play pink ball Test match cricket in front of such a large crowd and to be part of this novel concept will no doubt be a landmark moment in all of our careers,” he said in conclusion.

 

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ICC CRICKET COMMITTEE MEETING OUTCOMES

 

 

International Cricket Structure

 

The committee received a presentation on ICC’s plans to bring greater structure and context to international cricket by creating dedicated competitions in each of the game’s three formats, and there was unanimous agreement from committee members that the current structure of international cricket needed to change.

The committee was very supportive of the efforts to widen the audience for Test cricket across all member countries, and acknowledged the success of the inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide.

It stressed, however, that day-night Test cricket needs to be delivered to a consistently high standard across all member countries if the concept is to be successful, noting that the combination of ball, pitch, lighting levels and environmental conditions needed to allow for an even contest between bat and ball at all proposed day-night Test venues.

The committee also discussed a number of other issues relating to Test cricket, believing a coordinated approach to the marketing of Test cricket was needed, and also expressing concern about the quality of Test pitches, and in particular the common practice of home countries overtly preparing surfaces to suit their own teams.

 

Use of Technology

The ICC Cricket Committee had a long discussion about the future use of technology in international cricket, and particularly umpiring, after receiving a presentation from the MIT engineers on their testing of the current technologies used as part of the Decision Review System (DRS).

The presentation covered the performance of edge-detection systems (both heat-based and sound-based systems), and ball-tracking with predictive path, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each type of technology, and how each could contribute to increasing the number of correct decisions made across international matches.

The presentation was positively received, and the committee believed that the ICC needs to take a more prominent role in the management of the DRS technologies used in international cricket, by firstly establishing a structure and tighter processes to approve new technologies, and then to ensure a more consistent application of the technologies used from match to match.

A detailed report, along with a list of recommended changes to DRS protocols will be finalised over coming weeks and presented to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and Board meetings at the end of June.

 

MCC research into the balance between bat and ball

 MCC sought the committee’s guidance on the desirability of making changes in order to redress the balance between bat and ball. The Committee received a research paper from MCC citing a wealth of scientific and statistical evidence showing bats have become more powerful in recent years, primarily due to having larger ‘sweet-spots’.

The committee’s view was that MCC should strongly consider limiting the dimensions of cricket bats to help achieve a better balance between bat and ball.

 

Concussion substitute

 The committee considered a proposal from Cricket Australia for a “concussion substitute” to be trialled for two years in domestic first-class cricket.

The committee acknowledged the seriousness of the issue of concussion in cricket, and stressed the need for consistent concussion policy to be implemented in all countries, but its view was that the current Laws and playing conditions allow players to receive the best possible medical treatment, and further change to the regulations in this area is not required at present.

 

Helmet safety

The committee considered the matter of helmet safety following a presentation on injury surveillance trends by ICC medical consultant Dr Craig Ranson. The committee expressed concerns that there were still too many instances of international cricketers wearing helmets which did not meet the latest British Safety Standard (BSS).

It recommended that the ICC should enforce the wearing of the latest BSS compliant helmets in all international cricket.

 

Suspect illegal bowling actions

The committee noted considerable progress in policing suspect actions in international cricket and encouraged all countries to continue their efforts to screen bowlers in domestic competitions before they reached international level.

 

Women’s cricket update

The committee received a report from Clare Connor, the Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee, on the impact of the recent ICC Women’s World Twenry20 in India, which showed the women’s event received greater exposure than ever before and attracted 24.5 million TV viewers in India alone, as well as generating an average audience of 100,000 in the USA on Willow TV.

The Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee Anil Kumble said: “We have had positive and constructive discussions across a wide range of different issues and I would like to thank all the members for their valuable contributions and input.

“The main thing that came out of the meeting was regarding Test cricket. The new structure was discussed and everybody was positive and forthcoming in supporting that. The committee acknowledged the importance of efforts being made to promote and grow Test cricket, be it through the introduction of meaningful competition structures, better pitches and marketing.

“Our recommendations will now be taken forward to the next ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and the ICC Board meeting in Edinburgh in July.”

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ABBOTT JOINS WARRIORS

Proteas fast Kyle Abbott will be the major arrival at the Warriors for the 2016/17 season after moving south from the Sunfoil Dolphins.

The 28-year-old leaves the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU), having spent his entire career based in Durban.

Abbott made his debut for the franchise back in 2008/09 and went on to play in 39 four-day matches, taking an impressive 149 wickets in the process. He has 240 wickets in his entire first-class career, including 21 for South Africa in just seven Tests.

He also has over 200 limited-overs wickets to his name for the Dolphins and for South Africa.

Another newcomer is batsman Lesiba Ngoepe from the Western Cape.

The rest of the Warriors’ side has a familiar look about it, with stalwarts like Jon-Jon Smuts, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Andrew Birch and Basheer Walters still on their books.

The full Warriors squad is: Colin Ackerman, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Clyde Fortuin, Ayabulela Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Kyle Abbott, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jerry Nqolo, Sisanda Magala, Thandolwethu Mnyaka, Michael Price, Jon-Jon Smuts, Mohamed Vallie, Basheer Walters, David White, Ngazibini Sigwili.

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VANDIAR, SIBOTO NEW ARRIVALS AT TITANS

Malusi Siboto and Jonathan Vandiar will wear the colours of The Unlimited Titans in the 2016/17 season.

The pair join from the VKB Knights and Sunfoil Dolphins respectively, while Daniel Sincuba also switches from KwaZulu-Natal to the Easterns Titans franchise.

Seam bowler Siboto, 28, has grown in leaps and bounds since his Knights debut in the 2011/12 season.

Despite a lengthy injury lay-off, the right-armer was a key part of the team for the Central Franchise last season. Siboto has over 150 first-class wickets and more than 100 in the limited-over formats. He will be joined by two former Dolphins players at the Titans.

One is batsman Jonathan Vandiar, who previously played in Gauteng with the bizhub Highveld Lions. The 26-year-old spent a few seasons at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, but failed to stake a regular place in the team.

Sincuba, also a batsman, is a franchise cricket rookie having played seven matches for the Dolphins since his debut in 2014/15.

The Titans also boast the most number of nationally contracted player with six in total. They are Test and One-Day international captain AB De Villiers, T20 skipper Faf Du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Farhaan Behardien, Morne Morkel and Quinton De Kock.

Titans squad: Qaasim Adams, Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Morne Morkel, Heinrich Klaasen, Heino Kuhn, Farhaan Behardien, Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Grant Mokoena, Albie Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, AB de Villiers, Tabraiz Shamzi, Malusi Siboto, Daniel Sincuba, Grant Thomson, Shaun von Berg, David Weise, Quinton de Kock, Rowan Richards, Jonathan Vandiar, Faf du Plessis.

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SWD APPOINT MOLES AS HEAD COACH

Former Warwickshire batsman  has been put in charge of South African provincial team South Western Districts (SWD) for the next two seasons. Moles, who had coached New Zealand, Hong Kong, Scotland, Kenya and Afghanistan in the past, has a long-standing association with South African cricket, having spent five seasons playing at Griqualand-West in Kimberley and coaching Free State.

Moles was in charge of the Free State side, which included players such as Boeta Dippenaar, Nicky Boje and Morne van Wyk, in 1998 – before South Africa’s domestic system was franchised. Then, he coached at the highest domestic level in the country.

He has now accepted a post in the second tier of the structure. South Africa’s six franchises form the top level of domestic cricket, with the 13 provincial semi-professional sides making up a lower level. SWD, who are based in Oudtshoorn – 350 kilometres east of Cape Town – feed into the Cobras set-up and contain a rich basin of cricketing talent that Moles hopes to tap into.

“I have followed the structures and growth in SWD during the past decade and I firmly believe that there is a pool of exceptional talent in the Southern Cape,” Moles said.

In 2013, SWD were granted CSA affiliate status and they have continued to grow since then. Their home ground has received major upgrades, and this summer, they are one of the four hosts of the Africa T0 Cup, which will also be Moles’ first assignment. Last year, SWD missed out on a place in the playoffs after beating Gauteng and losing to Kenya by one run. However, they are hoping to improve on those performances this time around and challenge in the three-day and one-day cups as well.

“Andy has achieved great success at every level he has coached at and we expect that he will continue to achieve such success at SWD upon his appointment as our new head coach,” Rudy Claassen, the SWD president, said. “We believe that he has what it takes to get the best out of our players as he brings something special with him in that he has a proven track record, and hopefully his experience and expertise aids in SWD winning some silverware in the near future.”

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WISE SIGNS WITH SUSSEX

English county Sussex have announced the signing of South African all-rounder David Wiese for next week’s NatWest T20 Blast matches at The 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

The 31-year-old will be available for Sussex’s first two home matches, against Somerset on Wednesday, June 1 and Surrey on Friday June 3, filling in before the arrival of Bangladeshi left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League.

The seamer has featured regularly for South Africa’s T20I squad throughout 2015 and was part of South Africa’s 2016 World T20 squad. To date, he has played 20 T20 Internationals and six One-Day Internationals, having taken 33 wickets across the two formats.

His best international figures of five for 23 came against the West Indies in Durban last year.

Wiese, who is currently also in the IPL, playing with fellow Sussex star Chris Jordan for Royal Challengers Bangalore, said of his move to Hove: “I am really excited to be joining Sussex and taking part in the NatWest T20 Blast campaign.

“I have always wanted to play county cricket and from speaking to Chris Jordan here in the IPL and my discussions with Mark Davis I have heard a lot of very good things about the club.”

Sussex’s head coach, Mark Davis, told the county’s official website: “It’s great to have David joining us fresh from the IPL. He is an accomplished cricketer in T20, having played a key role for South Africa in the format.

“He can bowl at any stage of the innings, and is a hard-hitting batsman, which makes him a valuable cricketer and we look forward to him being an asset to us whilst he is here at Hove.”

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MASTERS CHAMPION LEAGUE FAILS TO HONOUR PLAYER CONTRACTS IN FULL

 

FICA Executive Chairman, Tony Irish today made comment in relation to the inaugural Masters Champions League (MCL) event held in Dubai in January earlier this year. The MCL was run by Zafar Shah and event organisers Grand MidWest Sports.

 

“A significant number of players who played in the MCL have not been paid their contractual entitlements. As far as we are aware only one team, the Gemini Arabians has been paid in full and on time.” Irish said.

 

“We understand it is a new event, however, the event finished more than three months ago, and the situation is entirely unacceptable. If it is possible for the Gemini Arabians to do things the right way and to honour commitments to players, we don’t see why the organisers have not ensured the same has happened for all players. They have an obligation to do so”

 

“Cricket is a career, and just like other professionals, players make decisions based on the contracts they sign. It is extremely disappointing that many player contracts have not been honoured in full, and we hope that given the potential of this event, MCL pay the outstanding amounts to players immediately.”

 

“The dishonouring of player contracts is an issue that the entire global game should address. Player contracts are a fundamental part of professional cricket in all countries and should be viewed as assets by event owners and administrators alike because they secure player participation, whether for club or country. This story is too common in cricket and there are players with outstanding amounts owed to them around the world” Irish continued.

 

“The game needs robust player contract systems that work and are respected in all countries. This benefits everyone in the game, not just players. We also believe there should be fair and independent recourse and contract enforcement mechanisms for players in the event of disputes like this, such as a global arbitration body.”

 

FICA will assist affected players where possible, and will continue to advocate for a global system in which player contracts are honoured in all countries.

 

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PHILANDER MAY TURN UP FOR SA A

As hope is fading fast that South African fast bowler Vernon Philander will feature on the English county circuit, the chances are increasing that he might feature for South Africa A against Australia.

Philander is an indispensable part of South Africa’s immediate test plans and was contracted for another two years in January 2016. But he has been a victim of a long-term injury and limited game time, while the plans to re-insert him into the line-up of Nottingham suffered a setback when the Australian fast bowler Jackson Bird got the nod ahead of him.

According to Arthur Turner, Philander’s agent, Bird was preferred because he was available for the whole season and had not been injured recently. Philander only played in three first-class matches the past season, featuring with a match haul of 5-68 for Western Province and nipping out five batsmen at a strike-rate of 39.6 in two matches for the Cape Cobras.

The 30-year old bowler also featured very infrequently for South Africa in 2015 and operated for 93 overs, taking two wickets in four matches.

“Any player who doesn’t play Indian Premier League, for a county or South Africa will be available for (South Africa A) selection and that includes Vernon,” said Zondi.

He said there will be a clearer picture on Friday 20th May about the composition of the SA A-team to Australia.

Allan Donald, a South African fast bowling legend and former national bowling coach, recently warned that Philander had lost some of his nip away from and into the right-hander in his latter spells as he could not sustain that ideal speed of between 136 and 138 km/h which makes him such a wonderful spearhead in opening spells. He also warned that Philander requires an extended time in the middle in order to regain his bowling rhythm. “Just remember, New Zealand (who is visiting South Africa in August) won’t be a push-over,” he added.

André Nel, a former South African fast bowler, said it is not ideal that bowlers are managed by resting them due to what some call extended work-loads. He said bowlers don’t improve by sitting on the side-lines. You cannot expect bowlers to operate for 10 overs a week and then bowl 70 overs or more in a test. You also manage bowlers by hardening them and allowing them to spend time in the middle.

“The problem is that you cannot match the intensity of match conditions by bowling in the nets. That is why it is imperative to spend time in the middle,” he said.

Philander captured 100 wickets in his first 19 test for South Africa, and 24 in his past 13 appearances in white uniform.

Zondi confirmed that Dale Steyn won’t be in action for South Africa A, but will spend time on more rehabilitation prior to the test series against New Zealand.

 

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THEUNIS DE BRUYN NAMED AS KNIGHTS CAPTAIN

The VKB Knights Board of Directors has announced that Theunis De Bruyn has accepted the offer to lead the team as captain for this coming cricket domestic season.

“The appointment of De Bruyn as captain starts a new era for the VKB Knights. Theunis comes from one of the most successful Cricketing Clubs (TUKS) which has won the title of World Club Champs in Dubai. We are confident that he will install a positive mindset and approach towards the modern game,” commented VKB Knights Chief Executive Officer, Johan van Heerden.

Head Coach Nicky Boje welcomed De Bruyn’s appointment and paid tribute to his predecessor, Werner Coetsee.

“Werner Coetsee has done a great job over the last couple of years but we are moving into a new era and I am excited that Theunis de Bruyn will be leading the way forward for this coming season. I wish him all the best as Captain.”

De Bruyn has had an outstanding career to date, being the third quickest South African batsman to reach the landmark of 1 000 first-class runs, doing so in 20 innings. He represented the South Africcan A team against the England Lions at home and on the tour to India in 2015. He was part of a loan deal with The Unlimited Titans last season to play for the VKB Knights franchise during the T20 Domestic campaign and is now a permanent member of the Knights squad.

“I feel honoured and privileged to captain the Knights Franchise next season,” he commented. “These are exciting times for the Franchise, with new players building their careers, a new environment and structures and these developments are leading towards something positive. The Franchise is looking to create a new culture and legacy which is a winning one and hopefully within the next few years bring us some silverware,” he concluded.

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FICA COMMENT ON WITHDRAWAL OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PERERA

FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish today made comment following the withdrawal of disciplinary proceedings against Kusal Perera under the ICC anti-doping code, after the WADA-accredited laboratory in Qatar withdrew its original Adverse Analytical Finding.

“We are pleased that the right result has been achieved and welcome the decision, however, this case brings to light several issues in regard to anti-doping regulation in cricket” Irish said.

“The damaging impact of the error on Kusal’s career is not to be underestimated. He has been removed from the game for a significant period of time in the middle of a developing career, for reasons which have been found to be unjustifiable.”

“The case highlights many of the pre-existing concerns held by FICA and athlete representatives around the world around the inflexibility and unfairness of the WADA code, the requirement for sports to be compliant and its appropriateness for sophisticated team sports such as cricket. We have voiced these concerns to the ICC over the past year, and will seek to discuss this further.” Irish continued

“The concerns raised have included the view that the WADA program is ineffective in safeguarding the interests of clean athletes and is open to penalties being imposed on players who are not ‘cheats’.”

Irish went on to say, “FICA is supportive of fair, proportionate and appropriate measures to ensure that cricket is a clean sport. However, the game must ensure that any measures are effective and tailored to the game of cricket.”

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MANOHAR ELECTED INDEPENDENT ICC CHAIRMAN

 

Mr Shashank Manohar has been elected by the Board unanimously and unopposed as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the ICC Full Council’s approval of constitutional amendments proposed by the Board following its April meeting.

Mr Manohar, who on Tuesday resigned as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is the first elected independent Chairman of the game’s governing body and will commence his two-year term with immediate effect.

According to the election process, ICC directors were each allowed to nominate one candidate, who had to be either a present or past ICC director. Nominees with the support of two or more Full Member directors would have been eligible to contest the election, which was scheduled to have been concluded by 23 May.

However, given that Mr Manohar was the sole nominee for the position and the Board has now unanimously supported his appointment, the independent Audit Committee Chairman, Mr Adnan Zaidi, who has been overseeing the election process, has declared the process complete, and Mr Manohar the successful candidate.

Mr Manohar is a prominent Indian lawyer who served his first stint as the BCCI President from 2008-2011. Following the passing of Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, Mr Manohar was re-elected as the BCCI President in October 2015 and, by virtue of that position, has held the role of ICC Chairman since then.

Commenting on his election, Mr Manohar said: “It is an honour to be elected as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council and for that I am thankful to all the ICC directors who have put their faith and trust in my abilities. I also take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues in the BCCI who have supported me during my recent time as the BCCI’s President.

“These are exciting times for international cricket as we are presently carrying out a comprehensive review of the 2014 constitutional amendments which is aimed at not only improving governance structures, but cricket structures as well. The ultimate objective is to grow our sport and engage a whole new generation of fans and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to shape the future of cricket, which has a proud history and rich tradition.”

In order to accommodate the new position of an “independent” ICC Chairman, on Monday the Full Council unanimously approved various amendments to the ICC’s constitution. The amendments also included the abolishment of the President’s post with effect from the 2016 ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh, which has become redundant.

 

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DOLPHINS APPOINT MORGAN AS HEAD COACH

The Sunfoil Dolphins have announced the appointment of Grant Morgan as the new Head Coach, marking a return to KwaZulu-Natal for the former coach of the KZN Inland side before furthering a very successful career as one of the top provincial coaches in the country.

Morgan, who originally hails from Port Elizabeth, is one of the country’s most decorated coaches at Amateur level and gained invaluable Franchise experience during his time as Assistant Coach of the Warriors during the 2015/16 domestic season.

The 44 year-old’s distinguished Amateur track record throughout South Africa, together with his strong ties to cricket in KwaZulu-Natal having been head coach of KZN Inland in 2012/13 and 2013/14, sees him take the reins of a Franchise team for the first time full of confidence.

“Being appointed as head coach of the Dolphins comes as a huge privilege, not only because of the honour associated with being chosen, but the excitement of being able to make an impact as well!” says Morgan.

“I have waited many years to coach at Franchise level and coached around the country however the nice thing about my journey is that I’ve managed to gain success at every stop along the way and hopefully that can continue here at the Dolphins!” he adds.

A product of Grey High School, Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Morgan enjoyed a strong career as a club and provincial player.

After making his debut for Eastern Province against England in 1993/94, he went on to earn a combined 52 First Class and 40 List A caps during his time at EP and Northerns.

With the transition into coaching starting during the twilight of his playing career already, taking on the role of player/coach at club level, Morgan made coaching his full focus upon his retirement in 2002.

Morgan was recognised for his contribution at provincial level with the award in 2005 of the Khaya Majola Memorial Award for service both on and off the field to amateur cricket.

“I’ve done my time and now I am ready for this incredibly exciting challenge!”

The experience and knowledge gained during his time as head coach of Northerns Cricket Academy, Tshwane University of Technology and University of Pretoria then saw him serve as Assistant Coach to Ray Jennings in the South Africa U19 setup that narrowly lost to India in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia in 2007.

Morgan then served as National Academy head coach (2007 and 2008), head coach of the powerful Highveld Strikers (2008/09 to 2010/11) and NMMU’s National Club Championships winning side before taking control of the KZN Inland outfit.

The CSA level four accredited coach also served as Assistant Coach to the Royal Challengers Bangalore during the 2009 IPL and is a true product of the South African cricket system, now eager to make a strong contribution to the Sunfoil Dolphins setup.

“You’ve got to be a hard worker at this level, but I guess I’m also a bit of a maverick and can be quite gimmicky at times with charts, positive songs, notes, etc. but at the same time I’m all about trying to keep things simple whilst always trying to challenge the players,” explains Morgan.

Sunfoil Dolphins CEO, Pete de Wet was joined by Andrew Hudson, Shafiek Abrahams, Ben Dladla and Yunus Bobat on the five-person panel tasked with appointing the new coach.

“Grant has achieved great success at every level he has coached at and we expect that he will continue to achieve such success at Franchise level upon his appointment as our new head coach,” says De Wet.

“Grant comes with a unique coaching style, nurtured and tweaked over the years based on his wealth of experience and unwavering passion for the game, and we believe that he has what it takes to get the best out of our players.

“We were also struck by the tremendous understanding of the culture that exists within the Dolphins and here at Kingsmead and his appreciation of the goals we have set ourselves as a Franchise and the pathway we are currently on in order for us to achieve those.

“We are looking forward to the arrival of the new season and what it has install for us under Grant’s mentorship, as well as the future of Dolphins Cricket,” he adds.

Morgan will take office from 1 June 2016, in time to start pre-season preparations with the members of the squad who are not currently playing overseas, while Sunfoil Dolphins caretaker coaches Roger Telemachus and Yashin Ebrahim will return to their posts as coach of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial side and the KZN Cricket Academy respectively.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Roger and Yashin for so willingly stepping into the role of caretaker coach of the Sunfoil Dolphins, as well as Rivash Gobind for taking care of the Provincial Team for the last 6 weeks of the season,” says De Wet. “They all performed their duties admirably and we are grateful to them for the enthusiastic way they approached the challenge!”

“We extend a warm and hearty welcome to Grant, even though he has a relationship with the Dolphins that goes back a few years already,” adds KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union President, Fa-eez Jaffar. “Grant brings something special with him in that he has a proven track record of working with youngsters and taking them to the next level and hopefully his experience and expertise aids in the Dolphins winning some silverware in the near future.”

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SHAMZI NAMED IN PROTEAS ODI SQUAD

 

Tabraiz Shamsi today was named as a new cap in the Proteas ODI squad for the triangular series in the Caribbean next month against hosts, the West Indies, and Australia.

The Unlimited Titans 26-year-old left-arm wrist spinner will become the 116th player to represent the Proteas in the 50 overs format.

“We have opted for three specialist spinners as we anticipate the pitches in the Caribbean to be on the slow side,” commented CSA selection committee convener, Linda Zondi. “Tabraiz has certainly earned his call-up following outstanding form both in our domestic cricket and in some of the major domestic T20 leagues including the Caribbean Premier League.

“He has shown what he can do in the T20 leagues against international batsmen. I am quite excited about the state of our spin bowling and the variety we have. We are sending two wrist spinners to the Caribbean plus left-arm and right-arm finger spin options. Spin bowling is becoming an increasingly important part of both limited overs formats and we are only just over a year away from the ICC Champions Trophy Tournament in England.

“In the short term our immediate focus must be to get back among the top ranked Test nations and for this reason we are resting Dale Steyn for this tour. He is vital to our ambitions in the longest format and he is going to have a heavy workload in the months ahead with home and away series against New Zealand, a home series against Sri Lanka and an away Test series in Australia which is where we need to perform,” explained Zondi. “He is certainly not out of the ODI picture and could well feature in the home series against Australia later this year.”

Wayne Parnell returns to the Proteas ODI squad for the first time since last year’s ICC World Cup in Australasia. “Wayne has the ability to become a quality all-rounder for us and, like Tabraiz, he is being rewarded for outstanding domestic form,” concluded Zondi.

Faf du Plessis has been included in the squad despite the current injury to his finger, and is expected to return to action for the Proteas’ second match of the triangular series. Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee explained:

“Faf sustained a broken left ring finger during the IPL two weeks ago and had fixation surgery to repair the bone tip this Tuesday in Cape Town. The surgery was a success and we are expecting a period of between four to five weeks for a full recovery. At this stage we are targeting for him to return to action for our second ODI against Australia on June 7.”

Proteas ODI squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Warriors), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (The Unlimited Titans), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Wayne Parnell (Cape Cobras), Aaron Phangiso (bizhub Highveld Lions), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Tabraiz Shamsi (The Unlimited Titans).

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AMLA SET TO JOIN KINGS XI PUNJAB

South Africa batsman Hashim Amla is set to replace the injured Shaun Marsh at Kings XI Punjab. Marsh was ruled out of IPL 2016 on Monday due to a back injury.

It is understood that clearances for Amla’s stint with the team have been obtained and ESPNcricinfo has learnt that he is expected to join the side soon.

Amla, who stepped down as South Africa’s Test captain in January this year, is yet to make his IPL debut. The batsman was part of the player list for the 2016 auction in February, with a base price of INR 1 crore, but remained unsold.

Overall, Amla has played 88 T20s scoring 2446 runs at an average of 31.35 and a strike rate of 125.95. He scored two fifties as an opening batsman for South Africa in the recent World T20, tallying 120 runs in four matches in the tournament at a strike rate of 134.83.

 

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STEYN SET FOR MAIDEN CPL

Dale Steyn is set for his first Caribbean Premier League stint, having been picked by Jamaica Tallawahs to replace Lasith Malinga, who is recovering from a knee injury.

Steyn is the sixth South African signed the CPL for its third season. “There are some outstanding, world-class players signed up across all six teams,” he said, “And I’m looking forward to playing against some of my great friends and team-mates, amongst them Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and Morne Morkel this summer. It will certainly add a nice bit of spice to the mix.

“I have seen CPL grow over the last few years and it is always a great experience playing in the Caribbean. The crowds and the atmosphere are always special and the fans really get behind their team.”

Steyn is likely to be in the region from June 3, with South Africa, Australia and West Indies scheduled to play an ODI tri-series.

The South Africans involved in the CPL will have a fairly tight turnaround before gearing up for a Test series at home against New Zealand. The CPL ends in late July while the Tests begin on August 13.

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PLAYERS VOICE THEIR CONCERNS OVER DAY-NIGHT TEST MATCH

AB de Villiers, South Africa’s Test captain, has voiced concerns over the day-night match in Adelaide and has suggested that a few Australia players may also be reluctant to go ahead with the game.

The third Test of the series between Australia and South Africa has been allotted to Adelaide between November 24 and 28, according to the 2016-17 summer fixtures released by Cricket Australia, but there is no confirmation yet on whether this will be a day-night game. With the possibility of a No. 1 Test ranking at stake in the match, de Villiers said that that a day-night game could be “fundamental change” to the itinerary.

“At the moment, we are not too keen on playing in the proposed day-night Test match due to a few concerns that have come from a number of sources involved in the maiden Test played last year,” he told Independent Media. “We had a meeting with Steven Smith and some of the Australian players when they toured here earlier this year, and the consensus from our talks were that there are just too many unknowns. Players from both teams were reluctant to go ahead with it.

“South Africa and Australia have a great cricketing rivalry, and this is a series that we value. We could well be playing for an opportunity to regain the No.1 Test ranking, so playing a day-night match is a fundamental change to the itinerary.

The first ever day-night Test, between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide last year, was dominated by quick bowlers and ended in three days with a three-wicket win for the hosts. De Villiers raised doubts about the durability of the pink-ball used in the format, and said that alterations to the pitch, to reduce wear and tear on the ball, were also a significant factor.

“The pink ball has had some issues with how it responds to 80 overs of Test cricket and that is one of the key issues that we feel plays a big role in the success of the day-night Test,” De Villiers said. “The pitch also had to be ‘doctored’ to minimise the abrasive wear and tear to the pink ball, which seems to happen quicker than the red ball, and this is also an area we feel is a big factor in the run of play.”

De Villiers did not believe that a practice match could help his side adjust to the pink ball: “I don’t think it (warm-up game) will. I don’t think it’s something that you acclimatize to in one match and the intensity of an international cricket match also brings in other factors which are hard to replicate in a warm-up match.”

South Africa fast-bowler Dale Steyn, meanwhile, said he is keen to play a day-night Test in his career. “I don’t want to go through my whole career without playing a day-night game,” Steyn told cricket.com.au in Rajkot where he is playing the IPL . “How cool are they? I thought it looked awesome when New Zealand and Australia played one. It looked entertaining, there was a big crowd. The ball is pink – it’s something different. You want to test your skills with that whole thing and it’s very exciting.”

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SACA CONGRATULATES DOMESTIC MVP WINNER DWAINE PRETORIUS

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today congratulated Bizhub Highveld Lions all-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius, on winning its Most Valuable Player (MVP) title for his performances over the three domestic competitions in the 2015/16 season.  Pretorius finished on a total of 468, 282 points.

The SACA MVP is a cumulative points system that rewards franchise players for every run scored, wicket taken and catch held in the three franchise domestic competitions, and also takes into account the context of the match and in which the performances are achieved. Each of the CSA domestic competitions has a unique weighting for each discipline, dependant on what is considered more important in that format (for example strike rate and economy rate in the T20 format).

Following his remarkable start to the season, Pretorius’ hard work with bat and ball earned the Lion’s all-rounder a total of 641 runs and 60 wickets in all competitions. Despite picking up an injury half way through the season, Pretorius was a strong contender for the top spot throughout, and in the end, he took the overall MVP title, 31.929 points ahead of Sunfoil Dolphins left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who finished second.

“The SACA MVP is something all of us franchise cricketers strive to win because it combines what you do with bat, ball and in the field in all three competitions.  It is recognised by players as a measure of consistency throughout the season.  I’m proud to have won this but must also give some credit to my Lions teammates in helping me to do it” said Dwaine Pretorius.

The SACA MVP rankings also focus on performances in each particular competition.  Bizhub Highveld Lions paceman, Hardus Viljoen clinched the top spot in the four day Sunfoil Series MVP rankings from team mate Pretorius, doing so in the Lions final match against the Warriors. Viljoen’s performance kept him in the running for the title as he held his position at the top of the ranking for five of the nine Sunfoil Series matches he played.  He finished the Sunfoil Series as the top wicket-taker with 47 wickets.

Alviro Petersen was a runaway winner of the Momentum One-Day Cup MVP award after a record-breaking season in which he scored 726 runs, an astonishing 31% of all his teams runs. His remarkable total included five centuries, four in consecutive matches, and was compiled at an equally remarkable strike rate of 100.13 runs per hundred balls. His was the outstanding contribution in the Lions’ successful Momentum One Day Cup campaign.

The Unlimited Titans T20 captain, Albie Morkel, started the RamSlam T20 with a bang and stayed within touching distance of the top spot throughout the tournament. Morkel’s steady flow of runs and wickets, as well as his captaining proficiency, saw him edge out the VKB Knights international star, Andre Russell, by just 0.92 points.

“I’d like to congratulation Dwaine on winning the overall SACA MVP,” said SACA chief executive, Tony Irish.  “To achieve the top spot a player has to perform for his franchise pretty much week in and week out throughout the season.”

“I would also like to congratulate Hardus, Alviro and Albie for leading the way in each of the domestic competitions.  There were some pretty impressive individual performances from a number of players this season and I think Heino Kuhn’s 1126 runs in the Sunfoil Series and Alviro Petersen’s five hundreds in the Momentum One Day Cup deserve special mention.  Well done also to the entire Titans squad for winning the Sunfoil Series and the RamSlam and to the Lions Squad for taking the Momentum One Day Cup.”

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PARNELL DELAYS TITANS TITLE BID

Wayne Parnell followed up his 12 wickets in the previous game with another five on the opening day of the Sunfoil Series clash between the Cape Cobras and The Unlimited Titans in Paarl on Thursday.

The Proteas’ left-arm quick bagged 5/62 as the log-leaders were shot out for just 168 at Boland Park.

Parnell, whose 12/105 set up victory against the Sunfoil Dolphins last weekend, was again in lethal form as he easily ran through the batting of the visitors. He was then one of the unbeaten batsmen at the close, which the home side reached on 172/5, thanks mainly to captain Omphile Ramela’s 84 not out (145 balls, 16 fours).

That gave them a lead of eight and capped a good day overall. The Cape side had won the toss and chose to bowl first with Parnell dismissing Heino Kuhn for a six-ball duck in the second over – the competition top-scorer still left stranded on 999 runs this season.

Dane Paterson (3/36) also helped Parnell dismantle the Titans, who had captain Henry Davids to thank for even getting any sort of meaningful total after he made 74 (96 balls, 8 fours, 1 six).

Davids was the second last wicket to fall with his side rolled over in 43 overs.

The Cobras were in early trouble on 10/2 thanks to twin Ethy Mbhalati (2/43) strikes, but recovered thanks to a 95-run fifth wicket stand between Ramela and Cebo Tshiki (47), the latter playing in just his second franchise game.

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ELGAR, ADAMS BAT TITANS TO A DRAW

A tremendous batting performances by Dean Elgar and Qaasim Adams helped the Unlimited Titans take a step closer towards the Sunfoil Series title with a battling draw against the bizhub Highveld Lions in their high-profile clash in Centurion on Sunday.

Proteas opener Elgar struck a monumental 173 (386 balls, 23 fours, 3 sixes) after batting for over nine hours with his side eventually finishing on 385/6.

Adams too played his part and was there at the end on 71 not out (190 balls, 10 fours) – himself batting for over four hours having arrived at the crease with defeat looking the likeliest of outcomes at SuperSport Park.

The top-of-the-table Titans had started out the day on 156/1 in their follow on innings and still needing another 223 to make the Lions bat again.

But they lost four wickets in the first session on Sunday as Grant Mokoena (27), Theunis de Bruyn (7), Mangaliso Mosehle (0) and Henry Davids (0) fell to the pace of Pumelela Matshikwe.

They were precariously placed at that stage on 216/5, but a 110-run sixth-wicket stand between Elgar and Adams rescued them. Not only did the pair keep hold of their wickets, but more importantly, they ate up time as their stand lasted more than 40 overs.

Matshikwe, who took all six wickets to fall for figures of 6/58 in 31 overs, eventually dismissed Elgar with more than 20 overs to play, but Adams found an unlikely batting ally in fast bowler Marchant de Lange. The Proteas paceman batted for over 20 overs with Adams to make 23 not out as the game ended in a draw.

 

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FIFTEEN WICKETS FALL ON DAY ONE IN KIMBERLEY

Fifteen wickets fell on the opening day of the Sunfoil Series clash between the VKB Knights and Warriors as the two sides went to stumps with honours even in Kimberley on Thursday.

The title-chasing hosts saw their championship prospects take a blow when they were dismissed for a woeful 128 after losing the toss and being asked to bat first at the Diamond Oval. But they then roared back to reduce the visitors to 93/5 by stumps.

The Eastern Cape side, who have lost seven out of their eight matches this season, would have been smiling after their effort with the ball in the first innings.

Only three of the home batsmen managed to reach double figures – top-scorer Rudi Second (41 not out), captain Werner Coetsee (33) and Reeza Hendricks (18).

Medium-pacer Jerry Nqolo and spinner Simon Harmer shared seven wickets with the former claiming 4/11 in just eight overs and the latter squeezing 3/25 in 13 overs – the Knights dismissed in 51 overs.

But there was a twist to come as the hosts roared back thanks to two wickets apiece for Malusi Siboto (2/2) and Duanne Olivier (2/27). This after the Warriors had made a strong start by reaching 47/1 in the 15th over. But they lost 4/46, including the wicket of rookie opener Edward Moore (35) to go to stumps on the back foot.

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