The North West Cricket Union once again hosted a successful Cricket South Africa (CSA) Franchise Colt Week when the event came to a wrap on Sunday in Potchefstroom. This Week is seeing results of the hard work of everyone involved as more youngsters are being fed into the domestic semi-professional scene.

Administrators, umpires, players and spectators were treated to a week-long cricket festival where young talent, as a result of the patience, perseverance and persistence, were able to show off the skills that they had learned over the past year since the inaugural Week which took place at the same venue last year.

CSA Senior Cricket Manager, Max Jordaan said: “This Week was put in place to remedy the skills gap that developed in the execution in the Three-Day competition. The Week presented scenarios where players could apply themselves and go on to score double hundreds, put in hard work to take five wickets in multiple spells as well as where captains could make innovative declarations.”

The Franchise Colts Week consisted of each team playing two three-day matches in an effort for players to measure themselves up against their peers and to show off what they are capable of as well as to gun for a place in the much sought after CSA Colts Performance Squad, which is a feeder to the High Performance Programme.

“A squad of 20 players was identified for further development that would be facilitated by the scouts and their local coaches. These scouts comprise of former international and first class players that include Paul Adams, Victor Mpitsang and Wendell Bossenger. This multi-pronged engagement of player, scout and coach would be characterised through discussion, dialogue and reflective engagement by all parties concerned,” Jordaan commented.

Players went above and beyond the call of duty this year with more centuries scored and five wicket hauls taken than in the Week’s inaugural year in 2011. A record 11 centuries were scored, with André Malan finishing the Week as the top scorer with 410 runs that include knocks of 214 and 175 for the Nashua Titans. Six bowlers claimed a five wicket haul during the week; a bowler from each team took a fifer with the exception of the Chevrolet Warriors.

Jordaan, who was present at the Week and was there to witness all the milestones reached by players is very happy with the manner in which the Week has been taken onboard by players, coaches and adminishtrators and is especially happy with the direction that a tournament like this will take the development of players who come after the under-19 stage in their career.

“The abundance of talent on display at this Week makes this project an important link within the cricket development continuum,” he concluded.

CSA Colts Performance Squad

Ferisco Adams (Cobras), Roger Arendse (Titans), Givon Christian (Cobras), JP de Villiers (Titans), Andries Gouws (Knights), Nic Hendrie (Dolphins), Gionne Koppman, Wesley Landsdale (Lions), G.F Linde (Cobras), Andre Malan (Titans), Ayavuya Myoli (Warriors), Malcolm Nofal (Lions), Dhuval Patel (Lions), Keagan Peterse (Cobras), Mishkal Ramsaroop (Dolphins), Kagiso Rapulana (Lions), Josh Richards (Titans), Calvin Savage (Dolphins), Kaber Thomas (Titans), Cebo Tsiki (Warriors).

Most 100s and five wicket hauls