Bay cricket awards to honour top talent
Jendamark United Cricket Club is gearing up to host its annual Jendamark United Awards, honouring top individual and club achievements for the 2022/2023 season.
Singer Loyiso Bala, who is also the Umhlobo Wenene and TruFM business manager, will be the MC at the awards ceremony at the Boardwalk Hotel, Casino and Convention Centre, which is set to be a magical affair graced by Proteas Women’s cricketer Sinalo Jafta, as a guest speaker, on Sunday.
“Our club celebrates being known as a world-class community-based sports organisation — providing a window of equal opportunity for all races, religions and genders to excel at all levels of cricket,” Jendamark United Cricket Club president Gerald Majola said.
Majola, the former chief executive of Cricket SA, said this was possible through good governance, holistic coaching and a focus on the rehabilitation of players.
The club will cap a host of players who were part of the Eastern Cape Regional Senior Ladies T20 League and EP Senior Ladies T20 League winning sides.
Jendamark United men’s teams, competing in the premier league, also raked in impressive silverware during the past several seasons.
“This positions [the men’s sides] in the top six T20 clubs in the country, an exceptional achievement for any club from the township,” Majola said.
“The club further celebrates maintaining our Blue Flag Status awarded in 2019.”
Cricket SA awards clubs “Blue Flag Status for Clubs” to recognise an effective cricket pipeline structure.
The criteria includes administration capabilities, adequate facilities, a minimum number of teams and suitably qualified coaches.
Affiliate registered clubs complete the club quality index (CQI) administrative selfevaluation instrument to achieve the status.
To date, only 34 clubs in the country have been awarded the status.
“Our club was the first in the Eastern Cape to receive the honour, and we pride ourselves on maintaining this standard.
“We continue to [breed] cricketing stars representing the club at provincial and national levels.”
As part of its Jendamark New Brighton Cricket Hub development programme, launched in 2017 as a Cricket SA initiative — and one of only four in the metro — Jendamark United has ensured it is a premium ground for scouting talent.
During the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup, the hub hosted six England players for a coaching clinic for 50 youngsters.