Last year’s losing finalists, TIB Crusaders Cricket Club, will be looking to go the distance at the 2011 National Club Championships starting in Pretoria on Monday. Twelve teams will be in the running for the 24th annual trophy, as one of the most traditional cricket weeks kick-starts a bumper cricket season.
Crusaders Captain, Duncan Muller said: “I’m really excited for this season’s Club Champs, we have a couple of new players that are looking to make their mark. We were bitterly disappointed when we lost the final last year and we are going to work extremely hard to be the first Natal team to win this tournament.”
Crusaders boast a strong squad including national player David Miller, as well as the Sunfoil Dolphins duo of Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Kyle Abbott.
“This will be a good pre- domestic season work out for our guys and their experience is going to go a long way in helping get that elusive trophy,” Muller added.
CSA Senior Cricket Manager, Max Jordaan, reaffirmed the importance of club cricket; “Club cricket is the bedrock of all cricket. Clubs have its origins within communities and it is therefore the barometer of the overall community wellness,” he said.
“One finds that the national team for many years on a consistent basis found its player resources from the club structures. It is therefore imperative that every player prepare well and realise his true potential by practicing the values espoused above. Self actualization has its seeds in self development, sweat capital and preparing more than your opponent,” Jordaan added.
There have been many players who have used this week to make a mark, including Stephen Cook, Colin Ingram, Blake Snijman and Maurice Aronstam to name a few.
Defending Champions, University of Free State did not qualify for the Championships and their absence will leave an open playing field. Crusaders will not have it easy, as they find themselves in the “group of death”, which includes Assupol Tuks (Northerns), Western Province, ABSA Central University of Technology (Free State), SDL Brackenfell (Boland) and Mecer NMMU (Eastern Province).
Former Gauteng coach, and incumbent “Madibaz” coach, Grant Morgan, is confident his young squad can rise to the challenge.
Morgan said: “I’m very excited to be coaching the side that I used to play for. I’m looking forward to this coming week and playing good, competitive cricket. Club Champs is extremely important as this is a good platform for players to make their mark in cricket.”
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