Vital two weeks await Hudson Park’s Reed
Border Schools and Hudson Park High School cricket star Lilitha Reed will have to be at the top of his game over the next two weeks if he is to make it into the 15-man SA U19 cricket squad to battle it out at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup being hosted in SA in January and February 2020.
Reed made it into the final 20man training squad at the Powerade Centre of Excellence in Pretoria. Players are taking part in the last U19 Talent Acceleration Programme (TAP) camp before the final group of 15 is announced.
“I am very excited to be in this group — from the previous squad of 28 a lot of people got cut, so I was really happy to make it to the final TAP camp,” Reed said.
“It is going to be very tough to make it into the final 15-man group that will play at the World Cup.
“We have 20 guys here who deserve to make it but unfortunately five have to be left out, so I am just going to stick to my processes, take it day by day and just try to do my best and give my all out there on the field so when I head back home, no matter what happens, I have no regrets.”
The TAP camp will see the group of 20 put through some intensive training, while also playing four 50-over matches two against the SA Emerging team and two against the USSA (University Sports) Invitational XI, with the camp ending on December 10.
For 17-year-old Reed, who is still in grade 11, he has a good chance of making the final group of 15 as he has enjoyed a top year of cricket that has seen him break into the SA U19 setup, while also making his senior provincial debut for the Border team in the Provincial T20 Cup competition.
“It has been one of my best years in cricket. Things have just worked out for me this year and I am extremely grateful.
“I think everyone here has a good chance of making it into the final 15, so you just have to work hard, put your hand up and try to get the numbers, whether it is runs with the bat or wickets with the ball, and the rest will look after itself.
“I am expecting some hard cricket and a lot of learning and we must just go out there, enjoy ourselves and express ourselves.
“There is going to be a lot of competition, a lot of emotions running high and I think it is going to come down to who can handle their emotions and do the processes best that will make the final 15,” he said.
After the camp Reed will head back home and join up with the Border U19 side for their final few training sessions before they head off to take part in the 2019 Khaya Majola Week in Pietermaritzburg from December 16 to 20. “I am very excited and looking forward to the Khaya Majola Week,” he said.
“This will be my second year at it so I know what to expect and I just want to got out there and enjoy and express myself and do what I do best to help my teammates.
“Our training has gone well so far, the guys are pulling together nicely and we are working hard as a team, so I am really excited to see how we do at the Week.”