Schools fired up for T20 dogfight with stars in spotlight
THE Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge, South Africa’s premier schools cricket tournament, is currently in full flow.
Selborne College have already emerged as Border champs and now have to face the Kei finalists and should they win there, the Eastern Province finalists if they are to represent the Warriors at the national finals in Pretoria next month.
The tournament is once again casting a spotlight on the best up-andcoming, young cricket talent in South Africa.
This year, Coca-Cola South Africa, in partnership with Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Proteas batsman, Temba Bavuma, will be on the lookout for outstanding young players to be part of the Coca-Cola T20 All-Star Team.
The new addition to the tournament is aimed at spreading the talent search net wider and will see tournament ambassador, Temba Bavuma, and a team of cricket experts, attend all six of the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge franchise finals in search of outstanding players in the teams that do not qualify for the national finals.
This team will comprise 12 players, two from each franchise final and will play in a curtain-raiser match against a CSA Development Hub team during the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge National Finals.
“I’m very excited to join Coca-Cola on this journey of searching for some of South Africa’s excelling youth cricketers,” said Bavuma.
“I’m incredibly proud to be associated with the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge and as a player, I believe that this is a great platform for young cricketers to showcase their skills and gain valuable experience. I look forward to seeing all the talent that will be unearthed this year,” added the Standard Bank Proteas batsman.
Since its inception, the tournament has seen Proteas superstars, Quinton de Kock, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi, as well as recently appointed Proteas ODI captain Aiden Markram take part in it.
Michelle Cloete, marketing manager, Coca-Cola South Africa said, “Coca-Cola has been a proud sponsor of the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge for the past five years. The tournament is where heroes are made, and this year we look forward to taking it to the next level by unearthing the future cricket heroes through our All-Star team search that will be led by Proteas superstar Temba Bavuma. Good luck to all the players taking part in this year’s tournament, may it be the start of a long, fruitful career in cricket.”
CSA acting chief executive Thabang Moroe is also excited for this year’s event, exclaiming that, “Coca-Cola are one of our longest-serving sponsors and we treasure the partnership we have had with them for a very long period of time.”
“The Coca-Cola T20 Schools Tournament can be regarded as our version of the FA Cup as it potentially gives every school the chance to compete first for provincial, then franchise and finally national honours.
“I am very excited about the All-Star initiative and the fact that some of our Hubs players will get the chance to play on a major stage,” concluded Moroe.
The three-day national finals will take place at the University of Pretoria Cricket Oval from March 16-18, and will see the six franchise winners, as well as two of the best schools out of CSA’s Focus Schools programme, battle it out to be named the 2018 Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge champions.