Cricket Eastern Cape (Pty) Ltd today announced the 2015-2016 squad who under the captaincy of Colin Ingram will represent the Eastern Cape Franchise in the forthcoming season.
The squad will play their first Momentum One Day Cup match on Friday against the Titans in Pretoria and the team are raring to go. The off season saw some players undergoing medical interventions with Aya Gqamane and Christiaan Jonker both having had shoulder surgery at the end of last season. Under the supervision of the medical team both have made great strides in their rehabilitation and have been included in the team to play on Friday. Basheer Walters who had some minor injury concerns after a long season last year is now up to full strength.
Captain Colin Ingram had a great season with county Glamorgan and racked up the runs. With his 96 off 62 balls in a T20 match against Somerset Colin topped the runs list for Glamorgan. “I had a really good season there. I am however now looking forward to getting the domestic season going. With Malibongwe Maketa having taken over as Head Coach in December and the team playing some really good cricket at the end of last season I am very excited to take that momentum into the new season. As a team we have a lot to play for this year and under the leadership of Malibongwe who has such good values and energy I am confident we will have a good season” said Ingram
Five new signings – Mohammed (Yaseen) Vallie, Gihahn Cloete, Clyde Fortuin, David White and Somila Seyibokwe will bring to the squad a fresh approach and a new energy. Yaseen played for the Warriors last season when he was on loan from the Cobras for the T20 campaign. The 25 year old right hand batsman will strengthen the top order batting line up. As an effective off-spinner he took 2/5 when playing for the Warriors against the Titans in a T20 match last season.
Gihahn Cloete who played his first match for Griqualand West in 2009 is a left hand batsman who also keeps wicket. He went on to represent SA A and the Knights. An exciting prospect for the future, Gihahn toured with the SA A team to India earlier this year.
Cape Town born Clyde Fortuin joins the Warriors squad as a right hand batsman who can also keep wicket. The 20 year old made his Western Province debut in 2013 and will bolster the Warriors line up.
Somila Seyibokwe who was previously on a semi professional contract to Border Cricket has also been given a Warriors contract. Twenty seven year old Seyibokwe made his first class debut for Border in 2008.
David White (24) rejoins the Warriors squad as a contracted player after loosing his contract last season. David was at the National Academy this winter and toured Australia with the SA A team.
Rusty Theron has informed CEC that he will be retiring from cricket with immediate effect. Rusty is currently overseas and we are awaiting a statement from him but would like to (in his absence) thank him for the years he took to the field as a valued member of the Warriors team. His energy and precision death bowling made him one of the best in his field.
Coach Malibongwe Maketa said “We are excitied to have quality youngsters joining the squad. I am looking forward to the season and as this will be my first full season as head coach and I am eager to see what each of these players can bring to the team.”
The full 2015-2016 squad is as follows: Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Gighan Cloete, Clyde Fortuin, Ayabulelo Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Sisanda Magala, Lundi Mbane, Thandolwethu Mnyaka, Michael Price, Somila Seyibokwe, Jon-Jon Smuts, Yaseen Vallie, Basheer Walters, David White.
The team to travel to Pretoria for the Momentum match against the Titans is as follows: Colin Ingram (Captain), Christiaan Jonker, Simon Harmer, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Sisanda Magala, Lundi Mbane, Basheer Walters, Yaseen Vallie, Clyde Fortuin, Somila Seyibokwe, Jerry Nqolo, Aya Gqamane.
Kit sponsors Fain have provided the team with a new look design element incorporating a “Battle Concept” which fits in with the team going out to battle each time they don their playing shirts. This concept also fits in with the region’s Frontier history.
The Warriors will again play in pink shirts for the month of October in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and their fundraising efforts for Reach for Recovery.
Cricket Eastern Cape continues its search for a naming rights sponsor for the team after long time sponsor Chevrolet ended their association with the team last season. “We have met with some potential sponsors but as yet no-one has signed on the dotted line. We are hoping that there might be a local sponsor out there who is willing to back our team. As the only franchise in this region the team deserve to have local business come out and support them in their efforts. We are calling on business to help us make sure we are among the top teams in the country and we can only do this with support and some financial backing” said CEO Jesse Chellan.
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Alan Straton
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