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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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‘EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON’

When Travis Muller’s season ended after one match, he didn’t immediately realise the benefits that could arise from enforced time off…

Western Province and Cape Cobras pace bowler Travis Muller was looking forward to a breakthrough season, his second as a contracted player. Now the 23-year-old is spending it doing rehab for a stress fracture in his lower back.
Muller’s injury has brought a halt to his steady rise (and packed schedule) since he captained Wynberg Boys’ High School during his Matric year in 2011. In January 2012 he played Cubs Week and was selected for South Africa U19 in series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan before being drafted straight into the Western Province team for the remainder of the season. As it happened, that 2012 winter proved to be his last proper off-season.
Muller was a regular for the provincial amateur side in 2012/13 before going into a stint at Tavistock CC in England. He then had his most prolific season in 2013/14, cracking the Cape Cobras squad in the midst of playing 16 First Class matches. He then headed overseas again, this time to Horsham CC. Last season was almost as busy, spending time in both the provincial and franchise teams before earning selection to the National Academy for 2015 – which culminated in an Emerging Players tour of Sri Lanka last August.
“It was there that I first felt my back, though it’s probably been building for a while. When we returned I played a match in the Africa T20 Cup and haven’t played since… it hasn’t been fun. At the start we weren’t sure what the problem was – some doctors were saying one thing and others were saying another. Finally, in October, we got clarity from a surgeon and thankfully I didn’t need an operation.”
While Muller recognises that he was required to squeeze a lot of cricket into the past four years, he feels his enthusiasm didn’t help either.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been a victim of my success; there are a number of things that could have played a part besides over-bowling. Apart from games and training I’ve always done lots of outside training too, so I haven’t always given myself enough time to rest.”
As he really loves being involved in the action, Muller initially found it ‘mentally and physically tough’ to be standing around at the nets with his to-do list reduced to rest and rehab. While he could take charge of the physical side of his rehab – which included swimming, cycling and light core work – the mental side needed external help.
“Brad Player [SACA Player Development Manager based in the Western Cape] has been great. He had a similar injury during his playing days so it’s been good to get his insight. He also sent me to Clinton Gahwiler, a psychologist at the Sports Science Institute, for further support. Brad told me to use this time for myself by concentrating on my future and my health, and then cricket will come after. He also suggested that I consider studying while I’m injured. We did aptitude tests which showed I’m strongly interested in a career in sport, so initially we considered Sports Management.”
As it turned out, they settled on another option that suits Muller even better… in surroundings he’s familiar with.
“I’ve always been interested in studying. I wanted to straight after school, but then I broke into SA U19s and it’s just been cricket since. My other passion is fitness, and we found a two-year diploma in sports conditioning at the Exercise Teachers Academy (ETA) College that will also help me manage my workload when I get back on the field.”
Conveniently, ETA College Cape Town is based at the Western Province Cricket Club – where you will find Muller’s name on the Honours board – and they’ve been flexible about fitting his rehab into his daily schedule there.
“ETA is a nice place to study. The hours aren’t long and it’s been easy to relate to the content. There’s usually an hour when the other members of the class perform physical tasks that I’m not allowed to do yet and that’s when I do my rehab. It’s very convenient.”
Another positive to Muller’s current situation is the quality time he’s been able to spend with his friends and parents.
“It’s actually been good to have weekends and be able to go out and see my friends. A couple of my mates are studying, so it’s been nice to chat to them about what their experiences are like. That said, I’ve been missing cricket and would rather be in bed early on a weekend night looking forward to a match the next day.”
At the time of writing Muller was awaiting the programme for his next phase of rehab, but with the cricket season ending shortly he realises his next match will only come next season.
“I was speaking to [Western Province] coach Faiek Davids recently and he was saying that when pre-season starts I must come in and do my rehab there, with my teammates. He told me not to rush back. It’s great that they’re being so understanding and accommodating.”
While Muller has chalked this season down to one where ‘everything happens for a reason’, with breakthroughs coming in other facets of his life, his on-field goals remain undiminished.
“My long-term goals are to have the longest cricket career I can possibly have, so for now I’ll focus on getting fit and healed. Then I want to get back in the Western Province amateur team, then the Cobras, and finally, if I can, the Proteas.”

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TRADING PLACES

At 33, Warriors bowler Lundi Mbane has worked long and hard at his trade, but has also been preparing for his next one…

Even before Lundi Mbane began his professional cricket career with Border in 2004, he had an introduction to what his long-term career might entail – thanks to his father…

“At an early age my father taught me how to weld, that’s when I started becoming interested in plumbing,” the Mdantsane-born medium-pacer recalls.

However, circumstances meant that Mbane had to wait until 2013 – his 30th year – to get any formal training in that trade.

“I was never good at school and I didn’t have money to go and study straight after it, so it was only in 2013 when I applied for a bursary through the SACA Player Plus programme that I could study plumbing. I did a 45-day course in Mdantsane [through Buffalo City Public FET College at John Knox Bokwe Campus] during the off-season.”

Despite his stated lack of prowess at school and absence of tertiary education, Mbane surprised himself by how well he coped with the course.

“It was quite easy, I think it was because it was something I was used to doing, but I also learnt a lot. It was very helpful because there was some other things about plumbing that I didn’t know from watching my father.”

Enriched by the experience, Mbane enrolled for another course during the 2014 off-season. This time in carpentry.

“My interest in carpentry is from a friend of mine in England [who he met while playing for Shaw CC during the 2012 off-season]. He was doing it and I found it very interesting so I thought when I have time I will try it. The course I did in 2014 was also meant to be 45 days but I finished it in 30 days, I finished my modules quickly.”

It all means that as the 33-year-old approaches the end of his professional playing career, he is in a favourable position to transition into his working life after cricket and be able to look after his fiance and their two children – a nine-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.

In that regard, Mbane encourages all players to use the benefits of the SACA Player Plus programme for life beyond the boundary.

“I would like to see even more players at the Warriors studying, and I’ve been asking them what they are going to do after cricket. I’m trying to set an example.”

Mbane credits Melonie Gobel, SACA’s Eastern Cape-based Personal Development Manager, with helping him on the path to setting an example.

“Over the years I’ve spoken to her a lot and she has really helped me prepare for life after cricket is finished,” he says.

For her part, Gobel can’t speak highly enough of Mbane.

“Lundi comes from very humble beginnings, but he has literally run with the training courses he has done. He has also become involved in coaching in his community and is an incredible role model to the children in Mdantsane.”

On a more practical level, Gobel talks about the support she has provided him with.

“With Lundi specifically we had to look at his financial health, looking at drawing up a will because he has a family and helping him with the practicalities of buying a house – which he has done. Then the trade programme and skills training has set him up incredibly well.”

In turn, Mbane is determined to continue engaging with Gobel around his next career.

“I’ve told her that I want to get some work experience, even if I don’t get paid initially. She has promised that when I’m done with my career she will speak to companies.”

Ultimately Mbane wants to open up his own plumbing business, so with that in mind intends to round off his learning.

“I intend to continue studying because I want to get to a diploma, and then look at starting up my own plumbing company.”

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“WORK EXPERIENCE IS KEY” – SHEZI

While a desire to return to the national fold is fuelling his sporting objectives, Cape Cobras bowler Mthokozisi Shezi is mindful of chasing personal development goals too

A cricketer’s off-season is usually spent resting their weary body, catching up with friends and family and setting goals for the season to come. That, or packing in experience by playing club or county cricket in the UK.

However, earlier this year, Cape Cobras left-arm seamer Mthokozisi Shezi gained experience of a different kind during a work placement at Momentum – sponsors of the domestic one-day cup.

“SACA approached me about it which I was very happy about and I was glad to accept. I wanted to learn how the corporate world works and see if I’m interested in that side of things,” Shezi says.

SACA Player Plus put Shezi in contact with Rory Gruss, an accredited financial advisor with programme partners Momentum, who put him at ease about what to expect.

“I’d been speaking to Rory so knew I was going to do three days [conveniently at the Momentum offices right next door to PPC Newlands] but I was still very nervous. My girlfriend dressed me up, as she said I needed to look formal.”

Initially, looking the part was all he had going for him.

“I remember on the Monday, the guys I spent time with had two cases to solve and watching three people sit together trying to do so was impressive but I must admit for the first 30 minutes I didn’t know what was going on because they were speaking in ‘work code’. That’s also when I realised how important it is to have real work experience and not just a diploma or a degree.”

As it is, the Pietermaritzburg-born 28-year-old already has the former and is currently working towards the latter.

“When I was still playing for the Dolphins, I completed a three-year diploma in sports management at Varsity College in Durban [after applying for and receiving a SACA Player Plus bursary]. When I finished that I said to myself let me do something corporate. After realising how much I like people and them being taken care of, my research led me to human resources – I’m studying that through Mancosa.”

Back to the work experience, what had Shezi learnt by the end of his three days?

“I was there to absorb… mostly by learning through listening but I also asked basic questions related to savings and shares for example. However, I’m really happy to know my finances are safe, because I’ve seen first hand how much they care. As a result, I’ve upped my investment because I now know where, how and when is being used.”

Buoyed by this year’s work experience, Shezi is already looking for an opportunity to do the same at the end of this season.

“I’m in the second year of my three-year HR degree. I’ll try for honours too, but I will be consulting Brad Player, my SACA Personal Development Manager, because next pre-season I want to do work experience in the HR field too. Instead of going to England I want to invest in doing work experience – I want to learn as much as possible and know that I can confidently walk into a job one day.”

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