CRICKETERS SHINE AT AFRICAN GAMES

BY JOSHUA HENDRICKS

IN AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT for cricket fans at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), its players have once again been recognised on the national stage.

WHEN CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA (CSA) and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee announced the 15-player men’s and women’s squads to compete in the Twenty20 tournament at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, in March, they included four cricketers from UWC. Bowlers Caitlin Wyngaard and Leah Jones were selected for the women’s team and all-rounders Jesse Prodehl and Lwando Tywaku joined the men’s team.

CSA’S HEAD OF HIGH PERFORMANCE, Grant van Velden, said having T20 cricket in the Africa Games for the first time showed how cricket is growing in the region. The men’s team had university players and the women’s team had South Africa emerging players.

WITH 106 MEDALS – 32 GOLD, 32 SILVER AND 42 BRONZE – South Africa finished third on the medals table behind Egypt (191) and Nigeria (121). Head coach Dinesha Devnarain’s women’s squad won the silver medal in a thrilling final against Zimbabwe. The match went into a super over to determine the winner.

SEAM BOWLER WYNGAARD, a first-year student completing her higher certificate in economic development, says it was a privilege to represent the country. “I started my career as a cricketer at the age of seven,” she says. “It was an uphill battle, even though I knew at a young age what was expected of me to be a success, which is hard work, dedication and determination. Those are the things that brought me achievements to be thankful for. For others who are looking up to me, stay humble at all times and remember, ‘hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard’.”

TYWAKU SAID even though the men’s team won only one of its three groupstage games, representing the nation displayed the limitless possibilities for promising athletes from all walks of life. “It’s a special honour. It is my first time representing the country. When representing your community, the province and the varsity, everyone looks forward to seeing you play,” he says.

“FOR ME TO COME FROM NYANGA and to be able to play for the country is up there. Being from the township, we are faced with different problems, so this journey motivates us to say nothing is impossible. When the time is right your dream will come true, you just have to keep on working towards it and when it comes, grab it with both hands. This would not be possible without my team at UWC. It was really an honour to go out there and represent the university, my community, the province and the country.”