Professional cricketers up and down the country are preparing for a long summer of action, with a growing list of Varsity Cricket alumni among them.
The most significant new ‘pro’ is Neil Brand, the 2018 Varsity Cricket Player of the Tournament.
Brand was born in Johannesburg, but went to high school in England and hoped to qualify for British citizenship before visa problems scuppered those ambitions. Undeterred, he returned home in time to become the leading run-scorer, man of the match in the final and player of the tournament, on top of lead Tuks to their third Varsity Cricket title.
The 23-year-old left-hander, who registered for a diploma in entrepeneurship, has played one first-class game for the Titans already but will look to kick on in the coming season – when he will join Heinrich Klaasen, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi as Tuks and Varsity Cricket alumni in the Titans squad.
At the same time two more Tuks players, Ruan de Swardt (who played in last year’s tournament) and Kabelo Sekhukhune have taken up ‘rookie’ contracts at the Centurion-based franchise and will be hoping to make their breakthrough too like Bosch has since being on a similar contract last season.
Similarly, Delano Potgieter will join a long list of contracted former Varsity Cricket players down the M1 at the Highveld Lions. The list includes Bjorn Fortuin, Yaseen Valli, Wihan Lubbe, Migael Pretorius, Kagiso Rapulana and Ryan Rickelton. As a four-year veteran (2015-18) of the tournament in UJ colours, Potgieter will either have played alongside or against his now full-time colleagues.
The Knights in Bloemfontein have also contracted erstwhile Tuks student Wandile Makwetu, but the wicketkeeper-batsman was with the junior Proteas at the Under-19 World Cup when the previous Varsity Cricket tournament was held in January 2018. If he wants to know what could have been, he can ask Corné Dry (UFS 2015), Andries Gous (UFS 2015-16) or still-eligible Tshepo Ntuli (CUT 2018) about the tournament in Potchefstroom.
The Cape Cobras arguably best boast how far Varsity Cricket can progress as Zubayr Hamza (UWC 2016-17) and Janneman Malan (NWU 2015-18) both turned out for the Proteas in the 2018-19 season. David Bedingham (Maties 2015-16 and 2018) also had a breakthrough season in white ball cricket.
Then there’s all-rounder Jason Smith (UWC 2015-16), who has played South Africa A and SA Emerging XI earlier this year, as well as pace bowler Lizaad Williams (UWC 2015 and 2017-18) that won the T20 Challenge while on loan at the Highveld Lions. Meanwhile, rookie contractee Kyle Simmonds (Maties 2016-18), also played for the SA Emerging XI this past winter and is hoping to break into the Cape Cobras XI on a regular basis this coming season.
Up the coast, the Warriors boast Lesiba Ngoepe (UWC 2015), Edward Moore (Madibaz 2015-16), Thomas Kaber (Tuks 2016-17) and Onke Nyaku (Madibaz 2015-17) but the Dolphins have shown big trust in Varsity Cricket alumni ahead of the new campaign.
New signings in Durban include batsman Marques Ackerman (NWU 2015-17), wicket-keeper Grant Roelofsen (UJ 2015-17), and bowler Keith Dudgeon (UJ 2015-16).
“We are hugely excited about the young players that have moved into the slots that have been left open,” KZN Cricket CEO Heinrich Strydom said in a Dolphins press release confirming the trio’s promotion.
“Marques proved that he is ready for franchise cricket; Grant is an exciting wicket-keeper/batsman who has scored plenty of runs for [KwaZulu-Natal] Inland and Keith has been the most consistent bowler for the Coastal side,” Strydom went on to add.
All told, it’s clear to see that life after Varsity Cricket continues to be fruitful for those who play in the tournament.
The 2019 edition once again takes place in Potchefstroom from 2-7 September and tickets to all the matches are available now – click here: https://varsitysportsa.plankton.mobi/
by Carlo Jonkerman
