South Western Districts, who narrowly missed out on their first major trophy the past cricket season, announced their contracted squad for the 2012/13 season at a press conference in Oudtshoorn on Monday. The main core of players that were part of the successes the past summer are all part of the group but the Southern Cape team will have four formidable newcomers that will certainly add significant value to the team.
Adrian McLaren, who made his first class debut back in 2000 for Griquas and continued to play franchise cricket for the Chevrolet Knights and Impi’s (in last year’s MiWay T20 competition) will strengthen the SWD middle order with a wealth of experience. He played 87 first class matches and scored 19 hundreds.
27 Year-old, Glen Addicot, a top-order batsman who represented the Dolphins and KwaZulu Natal Inland will also be instrumental in the batting line-up. He averages 39.93 in first class cricket and is also a destructive batsman in the shorter format.
Luthando Mnyanda, from Border, is an extremely promising opening batsman with a highest first class score of 145 who was part of theFortHareCricketAcademyinAliceand will be keen to cement himself a Warriors contract whilst playing for the SWD.
With the SWD’s main strike bowler, Gurshwin Rabie, who is likely to spend most of the season playing for theEastern Capefranchise, SWD obtained the services of the former SA U/19 and Warriors fast bowler, Reece Williams. He is a respected fast bowler with a best bowling analysis of 7/60.
Contracted players in the group that were part of the SWD structure are Phabhama Fojela, Waldo Lategan, Brendon Louw, Ross McMillan and Pieter Stuurman whilst local playersChristovan Schalkwyk and Douglas Baartman are on special contracts. Players outside the contracted group who are part of the training squad include Justin Jordaan, Kobus Scholtz, Lyndon Volkwyn, Marcello Piedt, Rian Botha, Wessel Hartslief, Glenton Stuurman, Bronwill Goeda and Rhupino Plaatjies. With the exception of Piedt (who represented the SA Schools team last year) – all the players have provincial first class experience.
Coach, Garry Hampson, who is extremely confident that this group of players has got the ability to be very successful, will also have the services of Gurshwin Rabie and Christiaan Jonker when they not selected for the Warriors.
SWD CEO, Albertus Kennedy, said that the squad was compiled with the principle to take SWD cricket into the future and has the ability to win trophies. “The consideration of local talent, multi-skilled players and a succession plan were also important focus elements when we put the squad together”.
In his address the SWD Cricket Board President, Rudi Claassen, expressed his excitement with the SWD flag ship team and eluded on the importance to create an environment that will produce a Winning Team.
