KZN cricket says goodbye to Bhai Seedat

PROMINENT former cricketer MC Seedat, popularly known as Bhai Seedat, passed away last Friday at the age of 84.

During the days of racially segregated cricket, Seedat first played for the Natal Indians in the 1954/55 Christopher Trophy – the eighth and second-last edition of the bi-annual competition in Johannesburg – before scoring a hundred in the 1956/57 and final edition in Port Elizabeth.

In 1961, when cricket was played along centralised provincial lines for the Dadabhai trophy, Seedat represented KZN at the first of those tournaments in Johannesburg as vice-captain before captaining the side in 1963/64.

“We are saddened by the news of Bhai’s passing and send our sincere condolences to his family and friends,” says KZNCU president Fa-eez Jaffar.

“During his playing day, Bhai was a very good all-rounder, batting in the middle order and opening the bowling.

“Travelling around a lot due to his work as a rep, Bhai was outstanding in league cricket, initially on the South Coast, then in central Durban and also in northern Natal.”

Once he hung up his boots, Seedat went on to manage then- Natal teams in the 1970s.

Jaffar added that Seedat’s role as manager went beyond the call of duty: “In the 70s and 80s, when the Natal Cricket Board was without sponsors and really struggling, Bhai would do anything to help.

“He was one of those stalwarts who put anything ahead of himself for the benefit of the game and to make others around him comfortable.

“Bhai lived and breathed Natal cricket as a player, a manager and a selector right up until unity, and then as a patron of KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union post-unity.”