*** Official *** South African Domestic Season 2019/20

[Woodster]

I'm not sure Paterson would leave professional cricket for club cricket. So he must have something lined up with a county.

No I’d be very surprised if he came to solely play club cricket despite the amount that some clubs pay out over here. Must be a county side or two sniffing round him.

 

[StephenZA]

I'm mixed about this re: Prince. I would rather keep him but he does need to drop his stubbornness at times. I think he coaches in the only manner he knows and basically mirroring his playing career. Hard work and fighting for everything. Some players might not take to this way of coaching. I'm all for it but professional sportsmen these days can be too soft.

I had to laugh at this.... all I could picture was grandpa Simpson talking about "In his day...."

I wonder if Prince as U19 coach may work better as a role? That is really where you need to instil that work ethic and fight. Obviously still need to be in conjunction with technical coaching. U19 is probably where I`m most concerned at the moment and it desperately needs to be changed.

 

[StephenZA]

Like Ray Jennings 're Prince ? Think its good but need balance like rassie has . White is also like Prince and Ray I think I'm bringing rugby into this...I'm not sure I rate boucher as a coach what kinda coach is he? I mean titans had nuggets when he coached them like two teams, Prince did rebuild us before call ups..

I was also uncertain of Bouchers coaching, particularly with the feel of the old guard around the coaching setup, and the initial selection process seemed to compound that issues... but the way Boucher has spoken you can see he has developed into a more adaptable coach than he was a player. From the outside I like the partnership that seems to have developed with Nkwe as assistant coach, he looks like an excellent man manager. The single best decision (whoever it was) that I have seen made was making QDK captain... I think that it was a bold move that has energised the team.

 

[Dendarii]

I was also uncertain of Bouchers coaching, particularly with the feel of the old guard around the coaching setup, and the initial selection process seemed to compound that issues... but the way Boucher has spoken you can see he has developed into a more adaptable coach than he was a player. From the outside I like the partnership that seems to have developed with Nkwe as assistant coach, he looks like an excellent man manager. The single best decision (whoever it was) that I have seen made was making QDK captain... I think that it was a bold move that has energised the team.

I agree with you on all that. I think there were some missteps in selection initially as they seemed to be placing too much emphasis on first-class experience rather than potential for the future, and they still haven't moved completely away from that, but the selections of the likes of Janneman Malan, Verreynne, and Dupavillon showed that they were starting to put a bit more thought into it.

 

[WpGuy]

Umm yeah we got any young bowlers? . Bosch .savage hopefully come good. Warriors look as bad bowling wise who looks good dolphins lions bowling !? The depth though once they go to sa is not there .

 

[Tom Flint]

A club side is paying £53,000 to a player this season. Although that is now likely to be off for now

 

[SeamUp]

Umm yeah we got any young bowlers? . Bosch .savage hopefully come good. Warriors look as bad bowling wise who looks good dolphins lions bowling !? The depth though once they go to sa is not there .

Yeah. Cobras looking something like Nandre Burger, Akhona Mnyaka, Corbin Bosch, Calvin Savage, Tshepo Moreki & Ziyaad Abrahams in the seamer department.

Linde and Imraan Manack in the spin department. Manack looks more limited overs and I think he may be called for throwing some time in the future.

Been thinking about who SA can work with.

CSA contracted : Rabada, Ngidi, Nortje, B.Hendricks

Dupavillon (Dolphins) - strike bowler. Decent speeds. Can be erratic. Bowled a lot in KZN on tired Asian like pitches. So has learnt to be adaptable.
Sipamla (Lions) - stock bowler. Lovely action & can hit back of a length. Good physique. Not the tallest so you got to think he will need to add speed to his discipline ?
Magala (Lions) - Limited overs. Erratic. Whip action. Short/Full. Decent speeds. Shocks batsmen with heavy ball.
Burger (Cobras) - Left-arm and can swing it (High 130s). Pity about the back end of the season hardly playing at Cobras.
Stuurman (Warriors) - Stock bowler. Good height. Maybe not as consistent as Sipamla but maybe does more with the ball.
M.Jansen (Warriors) - Left-arm. Tall. Will need to add speed and consistency. But he looks a handful with that bounce going across a RHB. Injured most of season
Coetzee (Knights) - He looks a jewel. Speed and wicket-taking is natural. Injured most of season.
Ntini (Titans) - Looks a stock bowler but he seems to have bounce and the ability to rush batsmen when he gets it right without being overly quick.
Galiem (Titans) ; Not overly quick but very skilful. Got wickets in both 4-day and 1-day but for now I reckon with his batting and bowling combined he could be an asset more in limited overs cricket.

The rest to watch

Corbin Bosch - nah
Stefan Tait - Maybe. One of the leading wicket-takers in MODC and left-arm. Looks a bull and aggressive.
Migael Pretorius - Looks a stock bowler. Good bounce. His partnership with Coetzee could be interesting.
Okuhle Cele - Short and skiddy. Not entirely sure he can push forward more though.
Eldred Hawken - He is sharp when he wants to be and can swing it. Very erratic. Not sure it comes easy to him.
Eathan Bosch - stock bounce bowler. Injured all season.

Ntanzi , Cloete and Brett from recent SA U19. Ntanzi depbuted for the Dolphins and Cloete (left Boland/Cobras - typical lol and joined Tuks) with Brett now under Northerns.

 

[SeamUp]

I had to laugh at this.... all I could picture was grandpa Simpson talking about "In his day...."

I wonder if Prince as U19 coach may work better as a role? That is really where you need to instil that work ethic and fight. Obviously still need to be in conjunction with technical coaching. U19 is probably where I`m most concerned at the moment and it desperately needs to be changed.

Sorry to say it. I'm only early to mid 30s but I think sport in the 60s, 70s, 80s and even into the 90s had great stories to tell. A lot of it is to do with your grounding. Facing hardships etc and when you get critiqued - take it on board and use it to become better and not let your ego come out on top.

I see it in football now. Full power is basically with the player. Some people will say it is only right. I just liked things more when individuals thought about the team before themselves.

 

[Woodster]

Who’s that speculated to be, club and player?

 

[Tom Flint]

It's a English player who hasn't even played county level and is moving from a minor county club to the Surrey league. Astonishing the money in local club cricket if you have wealthy people living in your village lol

 

[SeamUp]

I'm amazed how many agencies are out there arranging these deals for foreign players to play club cricket in England. Even some players that aren't in our provincial teams are getting deals to play club cricket in England.

 

[Woodster]

I'm amazed how many agencies are out there arranging these deals for foreign players to play club cricket in England. Even some players that aren't in our provincial teams are getting deals to play club cricket in England.

Having started one of those agencies, I’m aware there’s plenty of other agencies out there, but of course I offer a more bespoke and intimate service!

I do tend to focus on the Provincial players and they really do vary in packages. There are some excellent players in Provincial cricket as I’m sure you’re aware.

 

[Woodster]

It's a English player who hasn't even played county level and is moving from a minor county club to the Surrey league. Astonishing the money in local club cricket if you have wealthy people living in your village lol

I mean that level of money does surprise but I’m not generally surprised by the amount of cash certain clubs throw around for bang average club players!

 

[vcs]

Having started one of those agencies, I’m aware there’s plenty of other agencies out there, but of course I offer a more bespoke and intimate service!

I do tend to focus on the Provincial players and they really do vary in packages. There are some excellent players in Provincial cricket as I’m sure you’re aware.

ITSTL

 

[Woodster]

ITSTL

 

[SeamUp]

Having started one of those agencies, I’m aware there’s plenty of other agencies out there, but of course I offer a more bespoke and intimate service!

I do tend to focus on the Provincial players and they really do vary in packages. There are some excellent players in Provincial cricket as I’m sure you’re aware.

Agree. Especially those that feel they have put in the hard yards and others are chosen. You can exploit that.

Just other players I remember from youth cricket or even guys who failed at provinical level are going to England. Which surprised me.

 

[SeamUp]

COBRAS AWARDS

George Linde
Player of the Year
Players Player of the Year
4-Day Franchise Series Player of the Year
* He also won the SACA MVP of the year. Think Subrayen and Roelofsen were 2nd and 3rd.

Zubayr Hamza
Momentum One-Day Cup Player of the Year

Thando Ntini
Young Players of the Year

 

[Woodster]

Agree. Especially those that feel they have put in the hard yards and others are chosen. You can exploit that.

Just other players I remember from youth cricket or even guys who failed at provinical level are going to England. Which surprised me.

Yes, clubs will still take on overseas amateur players, if they haven’t played provincial cricket, say if they’ve play Premier League cricket over there, but that all depends on what knowledge they have of the player or how good their contact or person recommending them is. Personally it’d be difficult for me to look to place a player with little knowledge of. At least with the provincial players that get signed as ‘pro’s’ over here I will have watched them play myself, albeit via a stream, and I also work closely with an agent over there.

Of course packages for all these players will vary a great deal, but pro’s can generally do well with the salary they earn and any coaching money earned on top of that.

 

[SeamUp]

Yes, clubs will still take on overseas amateur players, if they haven’t played provincial cricket, say if they’ve play Premier League cricket over there, but that all depends on what knowledge they have of the player or how good their contact or person recommending them is. Personally it’d be difficult for me to look to place a player with little knowledge of. At least with the provincial players that get signed as ‘pro’s’ over here I will have watched them play myself, albeit via a stream, and I also work closely with an agent over there.

Of course packages for all these players will vary a great deal, but pro’s can generally do well with the salary they earn and any coaching money earned on top of that.

Have you come across Lehan Botha ? Very good young batsman. Think he may get a Western Province contract. He was player of the recently concluded Francise Academy Week. Should have been in the SA u19 squad I feel.

 

[SeamUp]

Official Cobras 2020/21 squad confirmation

World Sports Betting Cape Cobras coach Ashwell Prince has announced his squad for the 2020/2021 season.

Boland duo, batsman Isma-eel Gafieldien and fast bowler Ziyaad Abrahams, have been rewarded with franchise contracts after impressive seasons for Boland in both the CSA 3 Day Provincial and 1 Day Competitions. Gafieldien finished the tournament with 712 runs, at an average of 54.76, including 3 centuries and 2 half centuries, whilst Abrahams took 17 wickets at an average of 24.17 in 6 three day matches and 10 wickets at an average of 13.70 in four 1 Day matches.

There is also a first professional contract for SA U19 batsman Jonathan Bird who impressed during last season’s Momentum One Day Cup after being called-up to the side when Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne were away on Proteas duty, scoring 167 runs in 5 matches, including his maiden half century for the franchise.

There is a return to the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras for fast bowler Tshepo Moreki who impressed for the Momentum Multiply Titans last season, whilst there will be a huge Cape Town welcome for all-rounders Corbin Bosch (from Titans), Onke Nyaku (from Warriors) and Calvin Savage (from Dolphins). All three players will offer Prince enormous amount in all facets of the game.

Spinner Imraan Manack joins the franchise after having enjoyed a fruitful Momentum One Day Cup for the Titans last season, ending the tournament as their top wicket-taker with 13 wickets and he will be out to plug the gap left by Dane Piedt who will be furthering his cricket career in the USA.

Former Titans batsman left-hand batsman Tony de Zorzi, joins the squad looking to take the next step in his career and the 22-year-old is looking forward to being mentored by Prince: “I really wanted to work with Ashwell,” said De Zorzi in a recent interview with Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

“He’s played at the highest level and he knows what it takes to be successful at that level, especially as a batsman. He’s straightforward, and I like that. I’ve seen a lot of youngsters like Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne, Zubayr Hamza and Jason Smith excel under his coaching. The Cobras squad is a young one with a lot of exciting talent and I’d like to be part of that team culture,” he added.

In announcing his squad for next season, Prince expressed his confidence that the players he has recruited will fit right into his squad and deliver top performances as the franchise seeks to get back to winning ways after a disappointing 2019/2020 season.

“We’re absolutely delighted with our work during what is now becoming more and more like a football transfer window. We have been a very competitive squad in 4 day cricket over the last 3 years but no so much in white-ball cricket. I believe all the new signings will bolster our squad, especially in the shorter formats and give us a more competitive squad for all the formats.”

Prince also paid tribute a number of stalwarts who have left the franchise from a playing point of view.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to Western Province and Cape Cobras stalwarts Vernon Philander, Rory Kleinveldt, Dane Piedt and Dane Paterson for their commitment and outstanding performances for the region over the years.

“I also want to wish the following players, Lizaad Williams, Matthew Kleinveldt, Ferisco Adams, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Tladi Bokako, Simon Khomari and Thando Ntini all the best with their journeys that they have chosen.

World Sports Betting Cape Cobras CEO Nabeal Dien congratulated the new members of the squad: “We are very happy with the business we have done in this period, we have brought in players who we know have the capabilities, combined with the expertise of Ashwell and his entire management team, to take the next step up in their respective careers and represent the Proteas like a number of our players have done over the past few seasons.”

Western Cape Cricket Chairman Nic Kock wished the squad well for what is going to be a tough season ahead: “The Covid-19 experience has put life for many South Africans into perspective and we continue to encourage Cobras fans to stay at home and adhere to all the lockdown conditions laid out by our Government. We have made some exciting new signings that should add consistency to our positive brand of cricket in our drive to secure silverware.”