For the love of cricket, Sunfoil renews for Proteas
THE Willowton Group, which has sponsored the Proteas’ home test series for four years, has again pledged support for them and domestic cricket.
The family business announced last week it had extended its partnership with Cricket South Africa (CSA) for two more seasons.
The partnership began in 2011 and while they’ve realised millions of rands in advertising value, the Moosa family says love for the sport underpins their involvement.
They have also renewed The Sunfoil Education Trust, which funds their development cricket programmes.
Willowton Group chief executive Zubeir Moosa said: “This exciting journey has helped propel Sunfoil into the hearts and minds of the South African public. With the Proteas, we are now really cooking.”
Just a year after they signed their first deal with CSA, the Proteas rose to number one in the ICC Test rankings – a publicity boost for the Sunfoil brand, so much so that the company won a gold prize at the 2013 awards of the Public Relations Institute of SA.
The retirement of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher has seen the team rebuilding and slip down the standings.
Moosa said that despite the Proteas’ recent dip in form, he believed the team would turn around.
“Initially we got extra mileage and coverage with the team number one in test cricket. We also had the number one bowler, batsman and all-rounder (Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis repectively).
“We are happy to be part of the rebuilding process. Obviously a team which loses players like Kallis, Smith and Boucher will struggle.”
The business has also put up R2 million for the winners of the domestic four-day competition, the Sunfoil Series.
Their education trust, meanwhile, is to continue after raising more than R3.5 million since inception.
The money is raised through the Proteas contributing R1 000 for every four-run boundary, R2 000 for every six-run boundary and R2 500 for every wicket during all home Test matches.
“The real achievement will be if these players graduate and become Proteas one day,” said Moosa. “We also want them to become university graduates and build careers.”