The SWD provincial team will kick-off their campaign for the 2018/19 season this weekend when they will take on Boland at Eurlox Park in Paarl in a Three Day match as from Thursday. The limited over match will take place on Sunday.
Coach, Baakier Abrahams, will be in his second season with the Oudtshoorn based team and he will have aspirations to a much improved season – especially in the three-day format. SWD had a successful campaign in the limited over format last season but they struggled to record an outright victory in the three-day competition.
Top runs scorer, Obus Pienaar will again be the glue in the batting line-up, whilst Marcello Piedt will lead the bowling attack. Niel Hornbuckle, Letlotle Sesele and Brendon Louw will add a lot of experience in the batting department. Spin bowler, Tsepo Ndwandwa, will add key support to the seam bowlers.
New signings, Kirwin Christoffels and Stefan Tait – both from Eastern Province and Yamkela Oliphant from Border – will make their SWD debuts this weekend as well as Marco de Kock – who emerged via the SWD Academy system. Jean du Plessis is unavailable for this weekend due to exam commitments.
Letlotle Sesele will captain the team for the three day competition and Obus Pienaar, as was the case last season, will lead the limited over team.
The teams are:
SWD (from): Letlotle Sesele (captain) Kirwin Christoffels, Todd Walker, Obus Pienaar, Brendon Louw, Yamkela Oliphant, Marco de Kock, Marcello Piedt, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Bradley de Villiers and Mthobeli Bangindawo.
Stefan Tait, Hershell Amerika, and Neil Horbuckle will be added for the limited overs squad.
Obus Pienaar will captain the one-day team.
SWD’s fixtures for the season are:
- 25-28 October 2018 vs Boland 3 day and 1day (Eurolux Boland Park)
- 1-4 November 2018 vs Kwa Zulu Natal Inland 3day and 1day (Pietermaritzburg Oval)
- 8-11 November 2018 vs Western Province 3day and 1day (Oudtshoorn)
- 22-25 November 2018 vs Northerns 3day and 1day (Oudtshoorn)
- 29 Nov – 2 Dec 2018 vs Northern Cape 3day and 1day (Oudtshoorn)
- 6-9 December 2018 vs Border 3day and 1day (Buffalo Park in East London)
- 10-13 January 2019 vs North West 3day and 1day (Senwes Park in Potchefstroom)
- 7-10 February 2019 vs KwaZulu Natal 3day and 1day (Oudtshoorn)
- 14-17 February 2019 vs Easterns 3day and 1day (Willowmoore Park in Benoni)
- 28 February – 3 March 2019 – vs Eastern Province 3 day and 1 day (Oudtshoorn)
The SWD squad for this weekend’s matches against Boland in Paarl are:
Back Row: Neil Hornbuckle, Daniel Seha (Fitness and Conditioning Coach), Obus Pienaar, Stafan Tait, Bradley de Villliers, Mthobeli Bangindawo, Todd Walker, Hershell America and Baakier Abrahams (coach).
Front Row: Letlotle Sesele, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Marco de Kock, Yamkela Oliphant, Brendon Louw, Marcello Piedt and Kirwin Christoffels.
