Sussex are Promotion League champions now
The Sussex Cricket Club men emulated the club's ladies' team's winning form and were crowned the Six Gun Grill SWD Promotion League champions for 2023/24.
Sussex won the match against Heidelberg United, which was labelled the battle of the underdogs, by 85 runs, on Saturday, 24 February, at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn.
The Promotion League champions, the Sussex men will play in the Premier League in the 2024/25 season.
Sussex took the most difficult route to the final, which was a test of the team and coach Godwin Plaatjies’ character.
Strong start
After a strong start to the season, they were the favourites to top group B, but proved to be their own worst enemy by letting games slip against less fancied teams, which could have been seen as easy matches.
These losses were the wake-up call the team needed, as it was the catalyst to show their worth and they defeated the firm favourites in the semi-final, Ramblers Cricket Club of George.
In the final, Sussex Captain Rowan Groenewald again won a crucial toss and opted to bat first. The openers, Dristan Arends and Geon Burns, put Sussex in a commanding position with a stand of 116 runs in 19.2 overs.
Platform
This laid the platform for the middle order batters to use as a launching pad towards a defendable total.
But the age-old cricketing adage of adding a few wickets to the score can change the complexion completely.
After the strong start, Sussex lost three wickets in three overs and with the score on 130-3, things could have gone south quickly.
Lindl Trim took the attack to the Heibi bowlers, playing a T20-like innings, blasting 94 runs off 55 balls, with 10 fours and six sixes.
A whirlwind partnership between Lindl and Rowan of 138 runs in 15 overs swung the battle in favour of Sussex.
Lambasted the bowlers
Rowan had the best seat in the house as Lindl lambasted the Heibi bowlers to almost every corner of the Rec (Recreation Ground). Sussex ended on 303 runs all-out. Heibi had to bat at six runs per over to achieve the target of 304.
The Heibi batters were under pressure from the start and the regular loss of wickets did not help their cause.
The pressure from the bowlers as well as keen fielding had Heibi five wickets down, with the score on 98 in the 28th over.
The SWD rural team representative, Ravin-Lee Kemmies, bowling at first change, bowled a small spell of 10 overs for 25 runs and took one wicket.
Most of the bowlers chipped in with wickets. Wicket keeper Geon Burns was tidy behind the stumps and took two good stumpings of the medium pace bowling of Wayne de Jager.
Alcano Vollenhoven (68) ended up as the top scorer for Heibi, as his team were bowled out for 218 runs.
Upliftment
Sussex Club chairman, Earle Peterson, had the following to say after the clubs’ successful season: “Our greatest achievement as a cricket club is certainly not measured by winning trophies, but most importantly the upliftment of our society and community.
"Our club has produced many provincial players. These opportunities led to many doors being opened for our youth.”
The community club has a rich history and will be celebrating its 50th birthday in the 2026/2027 season. The club lost one of its stalwarts earlier this season, the honorary life president, Sidney “Ou Boetie” Fillies. He surely would have been immensely proud of the clubs’ achievements this season.
Trying circumstances
Sussex CC is based at the D’Almeida cricket club, most of the players come from underprivileged backgrounds and are unemployed youths. The community club struggles week by week to ensure that transport is secured for away games and meals/drinks can be provided for players in the very hot conditions over summer. The quality of the facilities (cricket nets) and available equipment, like a pitch cover and scoreboard, remain a challenge.
No team can achieve success without the support of sponsors and Sussex CC thanks all the sponsors who supported it.
Sussex Cricket Club appeals to potential sponsors to assist the club to grow the game and develop its cricketers.
Contact the club chairman (sussexcricketclubmosselbay@gmail. com or 071 517 8361) if you can assist in any way.
The summarised score card is:
Sussex vs Heidelberg United SUSSEX 303 all out (Dristan Arends 66, Geon Burns 47, Rowan Groenewald 46, Lindl Trim 94, Jacques Thyse 2/39, Nathaniel Lodewyk 3/38, Garth Pieterse 3/36) HEIDELBERG UNITED 218 all out (Berthal September 36, Corbin Swartbooi 21, Alcano Vollenhoven 68, Wayne Gelant 3/40, Wayne de Jager 2/47)
Sussex won by 85 runs.