Tomorrow’s cricket stars begin their journey

THERE will be few schoolboys who can claim they have bamboozled the great Kevin Pietersen with a well-flighted, leftarm orthodox ball, despite his supposed weakness to said bowlers, but Kearsney matriculant Matthew Lees will, no doubt, sit down with a quiet beverage at Matric Rage and relive the netwicket a few times over.

However, those celebrations will have to wait as there is the minor matter of the Khaya Majola Under-19 Cricket Week to deal with first.

Lees, no stranger to representing his province, having done so since his under-11 days, forms part of a KwaZulu-Natal team that is very familiar, settled, and determined to impress as they head to Bloemfontein between the 15th and 21st of December to perform for their province.

There is also the carrot of a potential place in the SA Under-19 side at the end of it all.

The left-arm slow bowler, who holds the bat in the other hand, can’t remember a time before there was a cricket ball in his hands.

He credits his sister, Candice, who played for the KZN schools side, with dragging him to the park to play the game, but only truly started recognising his talents when he attended DPHS and captained the Under-9s, and played in the first team for two years.

The Kearsney boy also held sway in the upper teams of his high school, playing in the first team while still under-16.

Now, with all this experience behind him, he is hoping to be a part of a KZN team that can “change the status quo” of these representative weeks, where sides from Gauteng usually dominate.

“It is going to be a tough week,” Lees said at the KZN capping ceremony held on Thursday at Kingsmead. “We first play Gauteng, and then have to face Northerns.

Dynamic

“We have a good team dynamic, though. A lot of us have come through the ranks together and there is a good environment.

“We are a settled team and are more than just a group hauled together, we are good friends.”

When it comes to any representative week, especially where there is national selection on the line, young players have to walk a line between a strong team effort and an egotistical parade to impress.

However, Lees has an incredibly mature outlook on this, in what could be a career-defining few games.

“For me it is about putting the team first,” he said earnestly.

“The majority of those selected for the SA Under19s always come from the team that does the best in the week, and if I do well within my team, which in turn helps my team do well, then I am giving myself the best chance of being noticed.”

Lees knows this could be a make-or-break week for him, and it means equal amounts of excitement and pressure for the youngster.

But he is adamant in making a name for himself in South Africa, where he believes the domestic system has more than enough opportunity for up-and-coming players.

He may miss out on bowling out a few more seasoned international pros like Pietersen if he chooses to stay in South Africa, but he does humbly admit that the English star did send him travelling for a few balls too, so maybe it’s for the best! v Gauteng v Northerns v North West – T20 game V Boland – T20 game v TBC – 50 overs game v TBC – 50 overs game GETTING SOME TIPS: Matthew Lees got the chance to bowl at Kevin Pietersen in the Kingsmead nets this week.

Join the Palmiet Nature Reserve trail, led by birding expert Mike Roseblade. Meet at 7am, at the entrance to the reserve in Old New Germany Road, Westville. There is no charge, but donations for the Reserve upkeep are appreciated. Call Warren on 031 2622935.

Amblers Hiking Club. At 2pm, hike to Mpiti Falls, Kloof picnic site, Krantzview Nature Reserve, Kloof Falls Road, Kloof. Reserve entrance fee: R30.00. Call Lawson on 031 459 0576.

Durban Ramblers Club. Hike Rocky Bay (Park Rynie). This is a new hike, recently cancelled due to bad weather. Terrain is easy and mainly through sugar cane, and hence fairly exposed. Hat and water essential, and binos in case you are lucky enough to spot a whale. Weather permitting, bring cozzies to swim after the hike, or have drinks in the pub. Meet at 7.30am in road at Glenwood Village, 397 Che Guevara (Moore) Road, or Rocky Bay Resort in time to start hiking at 8.30am. Petrol sharing R45. Entrance fee: R20.Grade 2/ ±19km. Call Hike leader Anne Wilson on 084 780 0818 or go online to www.durbanramblers. co.za / Facebook: Durban Ramblers Hiking Club. Durban Ramblers Club. Hike eNanda Adventures (Inanda Dam). Meet at 1pm at Mozambik restaurant in Inanda Road or at 1.45pm at the entrance to the eNanda Adventures Centre of the Durban Green Corridor.

Take Inanda Rd towards Waterfall. Turn left at the traffic lights into Ngwele Road/ M259. Drop all the way down into the valley until you reach a four-way tar crossing and turn right into Wushwini Road, towards the dam wall. Proceed over the bridge below the dam wall, onto the dirt road and on to the centre, 4 kilometres along the dirt road on the left. This hike follows a route around the edge of the RIVERSIDE Masters Summer League (Penultimate – 9th Round) After the final game on Tuesday, the top team trophy will be awarded to the team that is voted by the players as “epitomising the spirit of Masters hockey”, both on and off the field. Colts 7 Crusaders 2, Crackers 4 Chops 3, Grasshoppers 2 Gryphons 1, Barbarians 3 Amakhozi 4 , Kearsney 5 Choppers 0, Snappers 4 KZN Grams 0.

Crackers v Choppers (5.45pm); Kearsney v Amakhozi (6.15pm); KZN Grams v Barbarians (6.55pm); Crusaders v Gryphons (7.30pm); Chops v Grasshoppers (8.05pm).

Illovo Sugar 15km Christmas Challenge, Westville Athletic Club, 123 Maryvale Road, Westville. Type: 15km run/walk. Westville AC. Call Sharon Schubach on 082 414 1783, 031 765 3254, fax 086 508 9697 or e-mail westvilleathleticclub@gmail.com

Mandela Challenge 10/5km. Green Hub, Blue Lagoon, Durban. Type: 10km run/walk, Run for Fun AC. Call G Govender on 083 775 3785, 083 783 6363, 032 533 4090 or e-mail govindasamy.govender@kznhealth.gov. za, anaicker@yahoo.com

The Big Hill Run. Sugar Rush Trails, Ballito. Type: 21km run/walk, 10 km run/ walk. Dolphin Coast Striders AC. Call Barry Holland on 083 252 069, 032 586 3822 or hprint@mweb.co.za

Kearsney Striders Half Marathon 10km run/walk, Kearsney College, Botha’s Hill, Kearsney Striders. Call Jennifer Rigby on 083 531 9417 or Claudia Stencel 083 415 2520.

Bush Whacker Trail at Mtunzini. Day 1: 27km; Day 2: 20km. Mtunzini AC. For more info, go online to eventtiming.co.za