Marx de Villiers is representing CUT in Varsity Cricket for his second year in a row, and brings a heap of experience into the side.
CUT all-rounder Marx de Villiers is one of the most experienced players in this year’s Varsity Cricket tournament, having played Cubs Week and Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week, as well as being part of the SA Invitational tour to India and most recently playing in Australia for six months.
De Villiers’ cricket progression started at Free State Under-15 level, continuing until Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week (Under-19), and later Cubs Week. While in Grade 11 at St Andrews in Bloemfontein, he was selected as part of the SA Invitational side to tour India, where he went on to play five matches over a three week period.
De Villiers tells varsitysportssa.com: “It was a huge learning curve as the conditions are very different there, there is a lot more spin there but I think it helped me as it taught me to bowl spin better.”
Last year was De Villiers’ debut season for CUT, after being approached to play for them, where he was also fortunate enough to have spent six months playing in Australia.
“I really enjoyed my cricket over there and learned a lot about the sport. Playing over there really helped me a lot with my game when I came back home”, the 20-year-old says.
De Villiers is determined to grab his Varsity Cricket opportunity with both hands.
“Playing Varsity Cricket is a very big stage and I see it as a platform where you can get a lot of opportunities if you perform well. There are a lot of selectors around and doing well in this competition can definitely do a lot for your career,” he says.
With regards to his future plans, De Villiers feels that it is very important to obtain a degree, as he is currently an Agriculture Management student. He believes that it is important to have a ‘Plan B’ and have a way to support himself after cricket. Although he is willing to explore all options regarding a career in cricket, he sees himself staying in South Africa for the near future.
Varsity Cricket 2019 is taking place in Potchefstroom from 2-7 September. For all the fixtures, match updates and results, follow @VarsitySportsSA on social media.
By Bronwen Bain
