Border girls up for pitch battle

The Border U19 girls and U13 boys teams are in full action at their respective national cricket weeks over the coming days.

The U19 girls team will be battling it out in the CSA U19 girls’ week in Pietermaritzburg, while the U13 boys will be competing in the Momentum U13 boys’ week in Benoni.

The Border girls will target a good showing, with a good mixture of experience and young players in their squad, which should lead to a very good side in the future.

“We are well prepared for the week. A few of our players are part of the senior Border women's set-up as well, so that is a boost to the team,” said Border U19 coach Angelique Taai.

“But they are quite a young team. We have a number of 13, 14 and 15-year-olds, so it is also a team that is constantly learning.”

Six of the girls competed in last year’s national week, so will bring that experience into this year’s competition, while the team’s captain, Khayakazi Mathe, from Imingcangathelo High School, will be featuring in her fourth national week.

“Having those returning players is important. They have been to the nationals before, so know what to expect, and they will pass on their experience to the others who will be playing in their first,” said Taai.

“She ( Mathe) is going to play a big role in how the team does. She has learnt a lot from our senior captain, Shafeeqa Pillay, who I brought in to exchange ideas and help make sure she was ready to lead over the week.”

The team will be playing 50over matches against Boland and Northern Cape in their first two games, followed by T20s on day three, taking on North West and Free State.

The final two 50-over games of the week will be decided on the team’s results over the first four games.

“I think with the experience that they have they can do very well at the week,” said Taai.

“I am expecting North West to be our toughest match of the first four, but all the teams at the week are good.”

For the Border U13 boys’ team it is set to be an interesting tournament.

It is often difficult for their players to represent the team more than once, and so it proved again with only two players having played in last year’s week.

A few of our players are part of the senior Border women's set-up as well