It’s been 20 months since the previous Varsity Cricket tournament, so you’d be excused for having a foggy memory, so we’d thought we’d help you out…
Considering they’ve reached all four finals to date, winning three, Tuks are the undisputed kings of Varsity Cricket and will rightfully start this year’s tournament as favourites to defend their title – led by Neil Brand, Player of the Tournament last time out.
Hosts, NWU, denied the men from Pretoria two years ago with an inspired bowling performance in the final paving the way for their win … even if it proved nervy for the likes of recent Protea Janneman Malan and co.
The Cape teams, Maties (2015) and UWC (2016), are the only others to have reached the grand final at Senwes Park. They, though, fell short to Tuks teams which boasted future Proteas stars Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi in their ranks.
It’s difficult to judge how this year’s tournament will pan out considering its move from the middle of a season to the start but, as the previous finals suggest, when crunch-time arrives it should be a closely-fought affair.
Here’s a look at how the four previous finals unfolded and which players made the difference:
2018 FINAL (Saturday, 3 February 2018)
NWU 154/4 (J Malan 53, R Haasbroek 48; N Brand 2/21)
Tuks 157/5 (N Brand 59, C Bosch 41)
Tuks won by 5 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
2018 winners: Katleho Bala, Corbin Bosch, Neil Brand (vice-captain), Tony de Zorzi (captain), Ruan de Swardt, Donovan Ferreira, Rubin Hermann, Ivan Kriek, Dalen Mmako, Nkosinathi Msiza, Gideon Peters, Nishan Pillay, Ruben Trumpelmann, Mitchell van Buuren, Nico van Zyl, Aron Visser – Kruger van Wyk (coach)
2017 FINAL (Saturday, 4 February 2017)
Tuks 116/8 (J Pillay 24 CM Kirsten 23 not out; WJ Lubbe 3/16)
NWU 117/6 (M Ackerman 29 FJ Lubbe 20 not out; B Schraader 2/14)
NWU won by 4 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)
2017 winners: Marques Ackerman, Shane Dadswell, Bantu Dandala, Niel Durow, Ruan Haasbroek, Jean-Pierre Le Roux, Edrich Lubbe, Wihan Lubbe (captain), Janneman Malan, Dyllan Matthews, Hanco Olivier, Lesego Senokwane, Julian Soutter, Jovuan van Wyngaardt – Conrad de Swardt (coach)
2016 FINAL (Saturday, 30 January 2016)
Tuks 174/5 (E Jones 56, G Pike 45, B Schraader 40; Z Webster 2/17)
UWC 153/6 (D Mazhawidza 54 not out, T Walburgh 31; R Arendse 2/19, T Kaber 2/25)
Tuks won by 21 runs
2016 winners: Roger Arendse, Ruben Claassen, Landre Coetsee, Murray Coetzee (captain), Evan Jones, Thomas Kaber, Matome Modiba, David Mogotlane, Vincent Moore, Lungi Ngidi, Sean Phillips, Gerald Pike, Blake Schraader, Reder van Rooyen – Chris van Noordwyk (coach)
2015 FINAL (Sunday, 8 February 2015)
Maties 125/7 (JL Marais 33, CL le Roux 32; VP Moore 2/18, C Bosch 2/23)
Tuks 129/5 (G Pike 50, H Klaasen 37 not out; N Botha 2/18)
Tuks won by 5 wickets (with 29 balls remaining)
2015 winners: Corbin Bosch, Ruben Claassen, Murray Coetzee, Bantu Dandala, Evan Jones, Heinrich Klaasen (captain), Aiden Markram, David Mogotlane, Vincent Moore, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Pike, Jacques Snyman, Dylan Watt, Johan Wessels – Chris van Noordwyk (coach)
The 2019 tournament takes place from 2-7 September in Potchefstroom. Tickets are available NOW on the Varsity Sports App (iOS and Android) or click here. For match updates and TV schedule follow @varsitysportsSA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. #GooiSomeGees
by Carlo Jonkerman
