The cricket academy at the University of Fort Hare will seek to become South Africa’s T20 club champions for the first time after dominating the Eastern Cape qualifiers this month.
The UFH-CSA Academy side romped to victory against PE Cricket Club in the final of the provincial competition on Sunday to book their place at the national champs in Johannesburg next month.
The Alice-based side came up against the Gqeberha outfit by virtue of the teams respectively winning the Border and Eastern Province regional titles.
The Academy put on a near-perfect display in the final at Buffalo Park in East London.
After posting a competitive 137 for 6 in their allotted overs, during which Olwakhe Goqoza flayed the ball to all corners for an unbeaten 53 off 34 balls, the Academy’s seamers and spinners came to the fore to skittle PECC for 89.
Akhona Ratyana bagged 3 for 16 to end up the pick of the bowlers.
The victory that secured their place in the City of Gold from December 13 to 15 marked their eighth in-a-row this season.
They also easily accounted for EL’s Old Selbornians and United Cricket Club along the way.
UFH-CSA Academy strokemaker Olwakhe Goqoza’s half-century was pivotal in setting up the total that proved too much for PECC in the provincial T20 club championship final. The team will now compete at the national club champs in Johannesburg. Photo: Full Stop Communications
Delighted coach Burton de Wett said both batsmen and bowlers had come on in leaps and bounds in the past few months.
The batting averages are far higher than they were six months ago and there is not one top-order player striking at under 130.
“Our bowling has also been really, really good,” De Wett said. “Our seamers have been excellent in terms of their lines and lengths and we are bowling far fewer wides and no-balls.
“We have implemented our plans to bowl a lot of slower-ball bouncers in the middle overs and are more focused on our field placings,” he continued his assessment of his charges.
“For example, if an opponent’s technique tells us he is good on the offside, we’ll have a sweeper and deep-point in place.”
He praised Academy skipper Lihle Sizani for the way in which he had marshalled his troops this season.
Bar the final against PECC, he had been excellent with the bat, the coach said. He had also chipped in with valuable wickets during the qualifiers.
This has been the Academy’s best start to a season during De Wett’s tenure, save for his first year in charge when they won the 2018/19 Border league.
However, they were unable to qualify for the national club champs on that occasion.
“I think it [nationals] will be a great tournament for us,” he said.
“This will be a huge opportunity for the players who didn’t represent their schools or provinces at the various cricket weeks. I also think our batters will be better suited to the Highveld wickets.”
Taking on the best club teams in the country will not be easy, but De Wett is drumming the message into his players that it takes some doing to win eight matches on the bounce and that kind of form gives them every chance of being competitive in Joburg.
They will, however, have to manage their bodies and energy levels as the schedule is demanding.
Each team will play two matches per day and with only 13 players allowed in each squad, resting players won’t be much of an option.