UFH to step up a gear to stand tall at the Champs
THE University of Fort Hare cricket team will be aiming to play to the conditions when they get their Momentum National Club Championship campaign under way in Pretoria on Sunday.
This is the second year in a row that Fort Hare are playing at the club championships as Warriors representatives and after struggling last year and not winning any games, they will look to use that experience to make sure of a much improved effort this time around.
“Looking back at last year I took a very young and inexperienced team to the club champs and the guys didn’t do badly even when they lost all their games,” claimed Fort Hare coach Mfuneko Ngam.
“The conditions were extremely tough and we were not prepared for them and that is one of the reasons we fared badly. Last year we were blind so going back there the guys will be much more aware of the conditions and will plan accordingly.
“When to bat first and when to bowl first are quite important decisions in cricket when you win the toss and that put us on the backfoot last year, so this time we will be prepared.”
Fort Hare will be captained by their exciting young up-and-coming batting talent Kabelo Sekhukhune, who was a Border regular over the past season along with other senior players like Sithembile Langa, who was named bowler of the season at the Border awards earlier this month, Jerry Nqolo and Mkhululi Calana.
Other players to have featured for Border in the line up this past season include Bongolwethu Makeleni, Bamanye Xenxe, Mncedisi Malika and Yambkela Oliphant.
These players will need to bring all of that experience, while also making sure they are at the top of their game if they are to make a challenge for the club champs title.
“I am taking largely the same team that competed last year to this year’s club champs, so the guys have had a year to mature, they have worked really hard to get where they are and I am proud of this team,” said Ngam.
“They are much more experienced, a number of these players broke into the Border set-up and became regulars over the past season, which has exposed them to a higher level of play which is exciting.
“Everything is going to be tough at the champs, but we will take it one game at a time and just work towards our goals.”
With the team set to play five games over five consecutive days, their fitness will also be of vital importance and they will need to be as sharp as ever on each day.
“We have always prided ourselves on our conditioning and we have had one of the best in Nandile Tyali in charge on that side, so we are really confident that we will be able to handle the stress of playing on consecutive days,” admitted Ngam.
The club champs gets under way on Sunday and will conclude next week Thursday.
Fort Hare squad: Mkhululi Calana, Yamkela Oliphant, Mncedisi Malika, Sithembile Langa, Ntabozuko Nqam, Jongile Kilani, Jerry Nqolo, Sihle Magongoma, Kabelo Sekhukhune (capt), Lizo Makosi, Sekela Ngadlela, Bamanye Xenxe, Bhongolwethu Makeleni.. Coach: Mfuneko Ngam
Manager: Nandile Tyali.