Tag: Corrie van Zyl

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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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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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2015/16 SUNFOIL SIZZLER

 

Hardus Viljoen of the bizhub Highveld Lions has bagged the Sunfoil Series Sizzler award for the first five rounds of the Sunfoil Series which currently sees The Unlimited Titans, the VKB Knights and the bizhub Highveld Lions locked in a three-way battle for four-day cricket supremacy. The Lions are the current title holders.

The Sunfoil Sizzler award is worth R15 000.

Viljoen, who made his debut for the Castle Lager Proteas in the third Sunfoil Test match against the England touring team at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, has had a phenomenal Sunfoil Series campaign taking 30 wickets in 4 matches. This included back-to-back 10-wicket hauls in successive matches against the Sunfoil Dolphins and the Warriors.

Other players who came strongly into contention for the award were his bizhub Highveld Lions team mate, Dwaine Pretorius, Werner Coetsee of the VKB Knights, Keshav Maharaj of the Sunfoil Dolphins and Tabraiz Shamsi of The Unlimited Titans.

“Congratulations to Hardus on his Sunfoil Sizzler award,” commented Cricket South Africa (CSA) General Manager: Cricket, Corrie van Zyl. “His performance in taking back-to-back 10-wickets hauls is special and earned him a fully deserved call-up to the Proteas.

“The results over the past six weeks have also shown that our domestic game is healthy, particularly if you look at the way players have taken the step up to international cricket when the opportunity has arisen. Stephen Cook’s century on debut for the Proteas underlines this point.”

The South African Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player index (SACA MVP) is used as the measuring tool in determining the Sunfoil Sizzler of the Month.

The SACA MVP is calculated using an internationally recognised formula which takes into account every discipline in the game of cricket.  Batting, bowling, fielding, captaining and winning are all factored in within the context of each individual match. Individual player performances in pressure situations, for example, carry more weight; thus players who deliver when their team needs them most, earn more points.

The SACA MVP latest ranking standings are updated weekly on the SACA website (www.saca.org.za), and may be viewed ‘per competition’ or by having a look at the ‘overall’ standings.

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