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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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Subrayen and De Klerk Win 2024/25 SACA MVP

Today, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) announced the SACA Most Valuable Player (SACA MVP) winners for the 2024/2025 domestic cricket season, recognising outstanding individual contributions in Division 1 and Division 2. Dolphins captain Prenelan Subrayen claimed the Division 1 SACA MVP award, while Eastern Cape Iinyathi all-rounder Jade de Klerk secured the Division 2 SACA MVP title.

Division 1 MVP: Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins)

Prenelan Subrayen led the Division 1 SACA MVP rankings with a remarkable 382,761 MVP points, showcasing consistent performances across both the 4-Day Domestic Series and the CSA One-Day Cup. The Dolphins captain proved pivotal, leading his team to the final of the One-Day Cup competition.

In the 4-Day Series, the experienced spinner was a dominant influence, claiming an impressive 44 wickets in just seven matches. His standout performance against Western Province saw him achieve the best bowling figures in a match for the Division 1 series, taking 10 wickets for 110 runs at an exceptional economy rate of 1.97.

Subrayen also made significant contributions in the One-Day Cup, picking up 15 crucial wickets. His impactful performances throughout the season cemented his place at the top of the rankings, ahead of Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds (375,214 MVP points) and 2022/23 SACA MVP, Beyers Swanepoel (353,715 MVP points).

Division 2 MVP: Jade de Klerk (Eastern Cape Iinyathi)

Jade de Klerk emerged as the Division 2 SACA MVP overall winner after a dominant season for the Eastern Cape Iinyathi. The 26-year-old all-rounder’s exceptional bowling performances in the 4-Day Domestic Series were the cornerstone of his success.

De Klerk was a formidable force with the ball in the longer format, claiming an impressive 44 wickets, including two outstanding ten-wicket hauls in a single innings. His consistent wicket-taking ability saw him maintain a strong position in the overall rankings, ultimately clinching the top spot in the final round. The final overall Division 2 SACA MVP standings saw de Klerk finish ahead of Ernest Kemm (368.413 MVP points) in second position and Sean Whitehead (318.347 MVP points) in third. His dominance extended to the 4-Day rankings, where he also finished as the leading MVP, followed by Ernest Kemm (265.645 MVP points) and Tshepo Ntuli (190.307 MVP points).

The SACA MVP uses an internationally recognised rankings system to objectively measure player contributions across all of CSA’s domestic competitions. The algorithm, developed by SACA and administered by cricket statistician Andrew Samson, awards points based on player performance in various match situations, providing a comprehensive and data-driven assessment of their value.

“Prenelan and Jade’s performances this season highlight the talent and competitive spirit within South African domestic cricket. Their consistent excellence throughout the season has been duly recognised with these SACA MVP awards,” commented Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO.

Overall SACA MVP Rankings – Division 1
4-Day Series SACA MVP Ranhttps://saca.org.za/player/?c=204kings – Division 1
Overall SACA MVP Rankings – Division 2
4-Day Series SACA MVP Rankings – Division 2
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SACA RESPONDS TO BARRING OF MEMBERS OF THE CRICKET MEDIA

The South African Cricketers’ Association (“SACA”) today called on the Board of Directors of Cricket South Africa (“CSA”) to act decisively in order to deal with the ongoing damage being caused to the game in South Africa.  This follows the latest controversy caused by attempts by CSA to silence members of the cricket media by withdrawing their media accreditation to matches.

“It’s a sorry state of affairs when attempts are made to silence respected journalists for writing about the ongoing problems in the game,” said SACA chief executive, Tony Irish.  “This is not however dissimilar to what SACA has had to endure over the last nine months, during which we have been barred from CSA sub-committees, denied access to critical information necessary for us to represent the players and had our agreements breached with impunity.”

At SACA’s annual general meeting of players in November it was specifically mandated by the players to re-affirm its concerns relating to the financial position, the domestic restructure, the CSA/SACA relationship, the Proteas (men) team structures, the financial aspects of the MSL and CSA’s refusal to engage SACA to resolve these issues.  In response to SACA letters taking these up, CSA has however persisted in its refusal to address any of the concerns and instead has stated that they are ‘sub-judice’ under the current High Court application.

“Many of the concerns we have are not even related to the High Court application yet CSA continues to refuse to address them” said Irish.  “Now in the last week there are added concerns relating to ‘unknown selectors’ selecting the Proteas team and the barring of cricket journalists from matches.  It is clear to us that things are getting worse, not better.”

“On behalf of the 310 professional cricketers which we represent we are now left to publically implore the Directors of CSA to exercise their fiduciary duties by acting to deal with these issues and to protect the game from further damage.  The players not only care deeply about the game but also understand that their careers depend on its health and sustainability. From a players’ point of view we therefore want to see solutions to the current problems, and for the game to be returned to a healthy position as a matter of priority,” concluded Irish.

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Cricket South Africa name Women’s World T20 squad

Cricket South Africa today has named the squad of 15 that will represent South Africa in the first ever stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 taking place in the West Indies from 09-24 November 2018. The sixth edition of the ten-team tournament will take place across three venues – Antigua, Saint Lucia and Guyana.

The selectors have kept the bulk of the squad that recently completed a tour of the Windies with the return of stalwarts Shabnim Ismail and Trisha Chetty to finish off the dangerous-looking squad. Fast bowler Ayabonga Khaka has not sufficiently recovered from her shoulder surgery and was not considered for selection.

Three of the four newest members of the team that toured the West Indies have also received the nod. Tumi Sekhukhune, Robyn Searle and Saarah Smith will make their World Cup debuts. It will be a doubly exciting tournament with the Decision Review System (DRS) being used in an ICC World T20 for the very first time.

South Africa will play in Group A in St Lucia against defending champions West Indies, England, Sri Lanka and World Cup Qualifier winners Bangladesh. Group B comprises Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland.

“Good luck to our Proteas Ladies as they head for the West Indies with high expectations for the ICC Women’s World T20,” commented CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe. “They reached the semi-final of this tournament in Bangladesh in 2014 and came agonisingly close to a first appearance in a Final in last year’s ICC Women’s World Cup in England.

“The time has now arrived for them to take that next step forward and get into the championship match.

“They can take a lot of justifiable confidence out of their recently completed tour of the West Indies where they drew both the ODI and T20 Series against their hosts who are the defending champions for the ICC World T20.

“They also had to make do without a number of key players.

“From CSA’s perspective we have left no stone unturned in our support for Dane and her team to put them on the same level of preparation as our Proteas’ men’s team,” concluded Mr. Moroe.
Proteas ICC Women’s World Cup Squad:

Dané van Niekerk (captain, Eastern Province), Chloe Tryon (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal) Lizelle Lee (North West), Suné Luus (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Masabata Klaas (North West), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province), Raisibe Ntozakhe (Gauteng), Zintle Mali (Border), Robyn Searle (Gauteng), Tumi Sekhukhune (Easterns) Saarah Smith (Western Province), Trisha Chetty (Gauteng).

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS GO UP IN T20 SERIES

The Momentum Proteas continued their winning ways when they beat Bangladesh by 17 runs in the first Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20I in Kimberley. They go one-nil up in the three-match series.

Shabnim Ismail was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/19 in her four-over spell, including a maiden to help restrict the visitors to 110/5 chasing a 128-run target. Raisibe Ntozakhe (1/10) and Masabata Klaas (1/21) chipped in with a wicket each along the way.

Bangladesh’s Rumana Ahmed (36 off 41 balls) and Fargana Hoque (35 off 37) batted their side out of early trouble after losing the opening pair of Shamima Sultana (5) and Sanjida Islam (8) cheaply inside the first five overs. Ahmed and Hoque then went about reconstructing the innings, sharing a 72-run, fourth-wicket partnership before the former was toppled by Ismail. The bowlers squeezed away the overs, ensuring the tourists did not get over the line in the end.

Earlier in the day, the home side got off to a flying start with the bat thanks to a 77-run opening stand between Lizelle Lee (46 off 38 balls) and Laura Wolvaardt (30 off 22) after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Trouble came after the loss of Wolvaardt at the hands of Ahmed (2/19) in the 10th over. She and Khadija Tul Kubra (3/23) ripped through the South African top order, taking five wickets between them as the hosts slipped from 77/1 to 86/5 after 13 overs. They lost the openers, stand in captain Chloe Tryon (6), Mignon du Preez (1) and debutant Stacey Lackay (1) in rapid succession.

Marizanne Kapp added 11 runs to the scoreboard before she fell victim to Salma Khatun (1/12) off the first ball of the 19th over. Suné Luus took the innings in her own hands, blasting 28 runs from 23 deliveries including two fours and six, moving South Africa from 113/6 to a healthier 127 in the end.

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CSA AND SACA CONCLUDE INTERIM AGREEMENT

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced today that an Interim Agreement has been reached and will apply until MOU18 Agreement has been officially finalised.
The short-term arrangement will allow the player contracting process to go ahead for the coming contract year and ensure that players will not be out of contract after 30th April 2018.

CSA and SACA have also committed to negotiating a recognition agreement to regulate the ongoing relationship between them. The two bodies have agreed on the date of 30th June 2018 as the bull’s eye deadline by which MOU18 should be finalised with set dates in May and June for negotiations meetings.

Summary of the key aspects of the Interim Agreement:

1. Player Contracts
An interim increase of 6% will be applied to fund the remuneration of both national and franchise players and this will apply to their standard contract benefits with effect from 1st May 2018. This will not preclude any additional increases, which may apply retrospectively to 1st May 2018, when the MOU18 is finalised.

2. Revenue Share Model
CSA has committed to maintaining a revenue share model with the players, details of which will be finalised as part of the MOU18.

3. Commercial Rights
The collective licensing of player commercial rights to CSA, for use by it and its commercial partners, will be extended by SACA for an interim two-month period until 30th June 2018. CSA and SACA have committed to negotiating a new long term commercial rights agreement to apply from 1st July 2018, the terms of which will be no less favourable to players than those existing in the current commercial agreement under the MOU14.

4. MOU18
It is intended that the MOU18 will establish the longer term financial arrangements necessary to underpin the national and franchise player contracts on a sustainable basis for the next four to five years. It will also deal with a wide range of player matters, relating to their employment and their careers as professional cricketers. Many of these will be similar to the arrangements under the MOU14.

CSA and SACA have set 30th June 2018 as the target deadline by which time the MOU18 should be finalised. In addition, they have agreed to specific dates during May and June for negotiation meetings.

“We are satisfied that this Interim Agreement addresses the uncertainty that has existed amongst players regarding the MOU and their contracts and it ensures that no national or franchise player in the system going forward is left without a contract come 1st May 2018,” said Tony Irish, SACA’s chief executive.

“The Interim Agreement also contains commitments to key issues outside the player contracts and commits the parties to further structured negotiation over a two-month period which aims to finalise the full ambit of player benefits, and other player relevant matters, to apply over the longer, four to five-year term of the MOU18.”

“There is still a long way to go in these negotiations but CSA and SACA have both acted in the best interests of the game by setting a clear platform needed to jointly and constructively get this done within a two-month period,” concluded Thabang Moroe, CSA Acting Chief Executive.

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SACA AND CSA REACH AMICABLE AGREEMENT ON PLAYER T20GL COMPENSATION

Cricket South Africa and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) are pleased to announce that amicable agreement has been reached in terms of compensation to be paid to the players who were to play for various franchises in the inaugural 2017 edition of the T20 Global League.

The League was postponed to 2018 in terms of a decision taken by the Board of Directors of CSA at its meeting on 10 October 2017.

Payment will be made in three equal instalments between December 2017 and April 2018.

“I would like to thank SACA for the amicable manner in which this issue was settled in the best interests of South African cricket and the sustainability of its development and international cricket programmes,” commented CSA Acting Chief Executive Thabang Moroe. “The settlement will help bridge the gap between player expectation and the disappointment of having to postpone the league.

“Our players are key stake holders in the game and are also CSA’s most valuable assets which is why we invest heavily in our development programmes to produce our best possible national side.

“We look forward to continuing this positive relationship with our players and their representatives,” concluded Mr. Moroe.

“This was an issue affecting 138 South African and foreign players and we’re very happy that we’ve been able to resolve it for all of them,” said Tony Irish, chief executive of SACA. “The settlement is both fair and responsible and has been well received by the players. I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for its role in ensuring this outcome.”

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CSA AND BCCI ANNOUNCE INDIA TOUR ITINERARY

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the itinerary for India’s tour of South Africa. It will consist of three Sunfoil Test matches, six Momentum One-Day Internationals and three KFC T20 International matches.

India arrives in South Africa on 28 December and their tour will start with a two-day practice match at Boland Park on December 30 and 31. The first Test match is at PPC Newlands starting on January 5.

The specific dates and venues for all the remaining fixtures will be confirmed shortly.

CSA also announced plans to host the first ever 4-day Day/Night Test match to be played at St. George’s Park against Zimbabwe starting on Boxing Day.

“We have now finalised the fixtures for a very busy home summer of international cricket,” commented CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat. “The Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Test series starts at Newlands on Friday, January 5 and will be a series to be watched as the number 1 and 2 best ranked teams in the world challenge for the Freedom Trophy.

“The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three while increasing white ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches.

“To ensure we do not disappoint our loyal fans over the traditional Boxing Day period and to take advantage of our brand-new lights at St George’s Park, we will host Zimbabwe in the first ever 4-day D/N Test match to be played. The Test status of the match is subject to ICC approval.
“This will give us a total of 10 home Test matches this summer against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, India and Australia, making this our busiest home Test season ever.
“The extensive revamping of our international grounds are on schedule and the D/N Test match promises to be a world-class experience for the players and fans.

“The Proteas are currently ranked No. 1 and India No. 3 in ODI cricket, so fans will have the chance to see great cricket in the limited overs format too,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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PROTEAS ICC WORLD T20 SQUAD ANNOUNCED

 

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) National Selection Panel on Wednesday named the 15-man Oxigen Proteas squad to compete at the ICC World Twenty20 to be played in India next month.

Rilee Rossouw and David Wiese, who missed the India series through injury, return to the squad, as does Aaron Phangiso who has been preferred to Eddie Leie as the second specialist spin bowling option.

Dale Steyn also makes a return to the squad, although his inclusion is subject to his being passed fit. Steyn was rested for the Proteas’ previous T20 assignment away to India and injury has prevented him from playing much international cricket since then.

 

The 15-man squad will also do duty in the upcoming KFC T20 International Series to be played against England and Australia during the course of the next four weeks.

 

“We have a lot of experience in this group with 10 of the players having played in the last World Twenty20 in 2014, also on the sub-continent,” commented Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener, Linda Zondi.

 

“The inclusion of Aaron means that we have all our spin bowling options covered with he, Imran Tahir and JP Duminy offering the different varieties. Left-arm spin bowlers tend to play big roles under Indian conditions.

 

“Dale’s return is very good news,” he added.  “He brings tremendous experience and leadership to the team, not to mention his skills as the outstanding fast bowler of his generation.”

 

Proteas coach, Russell Domingo, says the upcoming series against England and Australia will be a good opportunity for the squad to fine-tune their preparation ahead of the tournament.

 

“We take some confidence from our T20 series wins against Bangladesh and India and kept relatively the same players who have had success on the sub-continent,” Domingo said. “We have been playing good T20 cricket of late and this is our opportunity to showcase our skills at a World event. The upcoming T20 series’ against England and Australia will be the ideal platform for us to fine-tune some combinations and to hopefully gain some winning confidence ahead of the tournament next month.

 

“We are in a tough group in the tournament with England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and a qualifier. All of the top six teams on the world rankings have the skill and ability to lift the trophy so it’s a completely open competition with high stakes.” Oxigen Proteas T20 captain, Faf du Plessis, says the squad is motivated and hungry to do well in the competition.

 

“The ICC World T20 is the competition that we have been working towards over the last 18 months,” he said. “We have had disappointments in the past and this year is another great opportunity for us to lift that elusive ICC trophy. We have been playing together as a squad for some time now and are really hungry and motivated to put in the performances to bring us success. I’m really excited about the group of players who will be representing the country and hope we can make everyone proud.”

 

 

Oxigen Proteas T20 squad: Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (The Unlimited Titans), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Aaron Phangiso (bizhub Highveld Lions), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), David Wiese (The Unlimited Titans)

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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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PROTEAS TESTS AND ODI SQUADS NAMED

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today named an unchanged Castle Lager Proteas squad for the remaining two Sunfoil Series Test matches against England as well as a 14-man squad for the five-match Momentum ODI Series.

“We were highly encouraged by the performance put up by the Proteas at PPC Newlands,” commented CSA selection convener, Linda Zondi. “The very fact that they were nearly able to force a win after conceding 600 runs on the first innings speaks volumes for the character of this group of players.

“We feel we have all our bases covered and also the options that will enable the team to exploit whatever conditions they encounter at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium and at SuperSport Park.”

With the ODI squad reduced from 15 to 14 Aaron Phangiso drops out from the squad that won their most recent series in India.

Rilee Rossouw, an original selection against India but forced to withdraw through injury, is fit to take his place again.

 

Castle Lager Proteas Test squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (the Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (bizhub Highveldl Lions).

 

Castle Lager Proteas ODI squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), 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), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Nashua Cape Cobras).

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AMLA STEPS DOWN

Castle Lager Proteas Test Captain, Hashim Amla, today announced that he will be stepping down from leading the Proteas with immediate effect.

Since his appointment as successor to Graeme Smith in June 2014, Amla captained the Proteas in 14 tests winning 4, drawing 6 and losing 4.

Amla, who had decided to step down before the drawn second Sunfoil Test against England at PPC Newlands, in his true style informed his team mates immediately after the match ended.

“Naturally this decision is not an easy one but the more I think about it the more I believe I can be of greater value to the Proteas as a fully focused batsman and senior player at this time of rebuilding our team” said Amla.

“I am deeply grateful and privileged to have been the Test captain and I wish to thank CSA for the honour of captaining my country. It was enjoyable and indeed a great learning experience.”

Vice-Captain, AB de Villiers has agreed to take over the captaincy for the remainder of the series.

“We respect Hashim’s decision and the manner in which he thought about it and then communicated with me. It was consistent with his well respected personality,” said Cricket SA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

“He still has a huge role to play in shaping the success of our team without the need for a leadership title. He is just that type of a person and we are very fortunate to have him in our stable.

“I want to thank AB for readily accepting the challenge of rebuilding our Test team as we seek to remain the best team in the world,” added Lorgat.

De Villiers is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve said this before that it is an incredible honour to captain South Africa in any format. The captaincy has obviously come at short notice and is the realisation of a lifelong dream,” said De Villiers.

“At the moment my priority and focus is placed on leading this team to what can be a memorable series win against England. This Test squad is motivated and determined to turn our performances around and I’m looking forward to taking up that challenge as captain. Hashim is a good friend and close colleague and I am grateful for his support.”

Amla also paid tribute to his fellow players and management team.

“Throughout my time as captain, whether in good times or tough times, I’ve always had the full support of my team mates, coaching staff and management. I want to acknowledge this superb group of people for always being there and for supporting me wholeheartedly,” Amla concluded.

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CSA announce Momentum Proteas Women’s World T20 Squad

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Monday, announced the 14-strong Momentum Proteas women’s squad that will compete in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Bangladesh from 23 March to 2 April 2014.

There are no surprises in the final squad, which suggests that coach, Hilton Moreeng has been working on getting the right combinations during the team’s last few international series.

“We’ve been working on a formula with the team selected and it has reaped good results for us in the past,” Moreeng said. “The selected players have more than what it takes to win a World Cup. The standard of play they have shown in the recent past proves that, and the determination they have to achieve that goal is second to none. Gone are the days when South Africa was grouped along with the bottom tear countries in women’s cricket.”

The number of countries participating in the competition has increased from eight to 10. South Africa, who will be lead by Mignon du Preez will face Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland in Group A. While Group B, comprises England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and, for the first time ever, hosts Bangladesh.

South Africa, who recently finished a triangular series in Qatar against Pakistan and Ireland will be happy to have played at least two of the teams in their group.

“It’s definitely going to be a tough competition for us and we won’t be taking anything and any team for granted,” Du Preez said. “Having played and lost to Pakistan in the final of the T20 series in Qatar, we know how dangerous they can be. Australia and New Zealand are in the top four countries in the world, we will always adopt the wary approach when playing them. They are not unknown to us however, we have played both sides before and there is definitely no intimidation factor. Ireland have the ability to surprise any team that will take them lightly, so we will definitely give 110% every time we play, no matter who the opposition is.”

“Playing in any World Cup is a huge honour for any player and we can’t wait to get our campaign off to a good start. We have the team that can take us far in the competition and we will look to take it a game at a time when we arrive in Bangladesh,” she concluded.

South Africa have two players in the top 20 of the Reliance ICC Women’s Player Rankings for T20 Batsmen; Du Preez at 12 and Trisha Chetty at number 20. CSA Women’s Cricketer of 2013, Marizanne Kapp is number four in the Reliance ICC Women’s Player Rankings for T20 Bowlers, with Shabnim Ismail at number 18.

CSA Chief Exec, Mr Haroon Lorgat believes the team have done what is needed to reach the top and extended his well wishes to the side.

“The ICC World T20 event is the only global cricket event that brings together the world’s best men and women cricketers in a joint event and as such it is the most important event in which our national women’s team takes part,” he said.

 

“This tournament notwithstanding, we have focused on the development of women’s cricket in South Africa. Our team has had a busy season playing and winning home series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and then competed in an away tournament in Doha where they achieved highly credible results. We cannot predict how they will perform at the World T20 event, but I can confidently say that the team has had excellent preparation and they have made big strides in appreciating the standard of competition needed at international level. We want them to become a competitive force in world cricket,” he continued.

 

“The development of women’s cricket has not been limited to events on the playing field either. Extending one of our major commercial partners, Momentum, as the dedicated sponsor for Women’s cricket has been fantastic. This sponsorship symbolises an important advancement for women’s sport in our country as it has allowed us to centrally contract our coach and national women’s players.

 

“We wish Coach Hilton Moreeng, captain Mignon du Preez and all the players and support staff everything of the best as they strive to succeed while enjoying this major ICC tournament,” Mr Lorgat concluded.

 

Charlene Lackay, Head of External Communications at Momentum said: “We are very proud of the Momentum Proteas and hope the nation gets behind them as we have, and especially for this World Cup.  We have seen fantastic effort from the players and their continued commitment is showing results, with successive wins.  Momentum is pleased that we were able to contribute to the appointment of full-time national coach Hilton Moreeng, who is helping produce these results.  We wish Mignon and the ladies all the best and we’ll be cheering for them.”

 

Momentum Proteas ICC Women’s World Twenty20 team:

Trisha Chetty (KZN coastal)

Moseline Daniels (WP)

Mignon du Preez (Northerns)

Shandré Fritz (WP)

Shabnim Ismail (WP)

Marizanne Kapp (EP)

Lizelle Lee (NW)

Marcia Matshipi (Northerns)

Sunette Loubser (Boland)

Suné Luus (Northerns)

Nadine Moodley (KZN Coastal

Chloe Tryon (KZN coastal)

Yolandi van der Westhuizen (Boland)

Dané van Niekerk (EP)

Non traveling reserves

Yolandi Fourie (WP)

Ayabonga Khaka (Border)

Yonadi Potgieter (Boland)

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