Once more into breach for Bohs
Border champions head for Pretoria carrying high hopes
BOHEMIANS Cricket Club are in intense action today as they head into battle in the inaugural Multiply T20 Community Cup competition in Pretoria.
The six franchise representative club teams will be going all out for glory in the three-day tournament that will see five games played, with the team ending top of the table after Sunday morning’s final match crowned tournament champs.
Bohs received a walkover into the competition after their Eastern Cape qualifier which was to be played in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, was cancelled after Eastern Province could not provide a winner to their club league due to an outstanding appeal.
Cricket South Africa thus confirmed earlier this week that Bohs would contest the Community Cup as Warriors reps, while the University of Fort Hare will play in the Momentum National Club Championships as Warriors representatives.
“We are happy with the ruling from Cricket SA and we feel that in the interest of cricket, it was the right decision,” said Border Cricket chief executive Thando Booi. “Bohemians have a strong team, we are confident they will do well and we wish them all the best in the Community Cup.”
For Bohs this is the first time they have qualified for a national club competition such as this and they will be eager to impress over the three days.
“It is very exciting times for the club, it is a new experience for us and we are looking forward to the action,” said Bohs player/coach Camagu Mbangi.
“We are very well prepared, although we have one or two players missing due to family commitments, but this is a very strong team going up.”
The team will head into the tournament on a high after triumphing in the Border club T20 competition last Friday night, where they beat Old Selbornians in an entertaining match.
Having finished second on the overall club standings in the season, just two points behind Fort Hare, it shows that Bohs have enjoyed a really good season and they will be looking to end it on a very high note.
“We are very confident and are up for the challenge, it is a massive competition and these are the best club teams in the country taking part,” admitted Mbangi.
“The competition will be very tough and we will need to be on top of our game over the weekend.
“Whatever competition we enter we are not there to fill up the numbers and we are in it to win, and this weekend will be no different.”
First up for Bohs will be Lions reps Jeppe Cricket Club at 9am this morning, before they take on Cobras representatives Brackenfell Cricket Club at 2pm today.
Tomorrow's two games then see them up against Knights representatives Burma Lads Cricket Club in the morning and then Titans reps Kempton Park Cricket Club in the afternoon, before ending the competition against Dolphins reps Crusaders Cricket Club on Sunday morning.
“We have a few players who know some of the players and clubs taking part, so we are not going in blind and we do have plans for certain teams,” claimed Mbangi.
Bohemians squad is: Shaun de Kock (capt), Camagu Mbangi (player/coach), Jason Kumm, Marco Marais, Keegan Allen, Jonty Crainey, Travis Hawkes, Akhona Mnyaka, Jason Niemand, Josh de Kock, JP Heyns, Cameron Frazer, Pierre Botha and David Goss (manager).