Author: mhlophe

Teenager Luke Baartman announced his arrival on the big stage on Wednesday night when he became the second youngest goal-scorer in the DStv Premiership with a 90th minute goal against Kaizer Chiefs.

Chiefs won the game 3-2, but that didn’t take the shine out of the young man’s night.

The 17-year-old striker, who has less than a handful of senior appearances to his name, is one of the most talked about young players in the country.

His arrival on the big stage is a boost for South African football, which is seeing a number of talented teenagers being given opportunities in the top-flight.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ Siyabonga Mabena, just 16, became the youngest goal-scorer in the league earlier this season.

Cape Town Spurs’ Technical Director Sean Connor lauded Luke Baartman for his brief appearance in the team’s 2-1 win over Orlando Pirates on 2 November.

Baartman, who has been the subject of significant discussion in recent weeks, ever since being brought in to train with the Spurs first team, has grabbed his chances with both hands.

Prior to his promotion, Baartman had enjoyed a stellar start to the DStv Diski Challenge season, finding the back of the net six times in just five matches.

Recently, the striker played a crucial role for the Spurs’ u18 team, scoring the deciding goal in his side’s 2-1 victory over Matroosfontein FC in the Coke Cup.

Cricket South Africa hosted its inaugural Betway SA20 u19 Women’s Camp at the Cricket South Africa Centre of Excellence in Tshwane from 3-6 November, with the camp designed to be a mentoring project to upskill and support emerging women’s cricket talent in South Africa.

Twenty-six young players were hand-picked to receive professional and mental conditioning coaching from some of the country’s top coaches, including Women’s National Academy head coach Dinesha Devnarain and Australian legend and double ICC Women’s World Cup winner, Julia Price.

Following a successful camp, a second intake has been scheduled for March 2024.

Betway SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith, said the camps are a significant strategic attempt to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket in South Africa.

“Off the back of the success of the first season of Betway SA20, the long-term vision is to launch a fully-fledged women’s event in the future,” Smith explained.

“It was an exceptional year for women’s cricket, with the first-ever Women’s U19 World Cup here in South Africa, the Proteas Women reaching the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and the start of the CSA Professional Domestic Women’s League.

“We felt we wanted to target this under-19 group to upskill them so that when we launch a Women’s League in a few years we have top class local talent to supplement the international players. We received great feedback from the players and coaches alike, and we can’t wait for the next camp, planned for next year.”

Price, who is no stranger to South Africa, shared Smith’s enthusiasm and was equally excited about the talent on display over the four days.

“It’s really exciting to see what’s coming up in the future of South African women’s cricket. I was lucky enough to be at the first-ever Women’s Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, so I got a little bit of an insight into what’s happening here in South Africa,” Price said.

“The fact that they’ve got this talent camp happening is allowing the girls to really show their skill sets. To have a group of past players, male and female, coaching them and being able to be seen in this pathway allows them to aspire to be whatever they want to be in the future.”

South Africa U19 wicketkeeper-batter, Karabo Meso, was one the stars of the ICC U19 World Cup, and now, having benefitted from being exposed to high-quality coaching at the camp, the 16-year-old is thrilled about all the potential opportunities in the future.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn from some of the best local and international coaches,” Meso said.

“Learning from South Africans and Australians is a good combination. You are able to get the best of both worlds.

“If we were to have a Women’s T20 League it would help to promote women’s cricket and it would be a great opportunity for us youngsters coming up and something exciting to work towards.”

Amanzimtoti’s Seshnie Naidu has been making waves in the cricket world, receiving calls-ups to the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, the SA under-19 Women, and SA Emerging teams, all before the age of 18.

This past weekend, Naidu attended the inaugural SA20 under-19 women’s camp at the CSA Centre of Excellence in Tshwane.

Her love for the game was born on the fields of Athlone Park Primary School through the KFC Mini-Cricket programme. It quickly became apparent, however, that her skill transcended gender norms, which resulted in her joining the school’s boys’ team.

“Growing up in Amanzimtoti and attending Athlone Park Primary, this is where my passion for cricket started. I started playing with the boys’ team and eventually was the first girl to captain the school’s first team,” she revealed.

Every step of the way along her cricket journey, she has enjoyed the unwavering backing of her family.

“I am the youngest of three siblings and I live with my parents. My parents have always been to every training session since primary school and continue to do so,” Naidu said, highlighting the remarkable support she enjoys.

Defining moment

A defining moment in her development came at the age of nine when, under the guidance of SA u19 and Women’s National Academy Head Coach Dinesha Devnarain, the prodigy’s bowling style was transformed.

Naidu explained: “When I was nine years’ old, Coach Dinesha changed my bowling action from pace to leg-spin. She informed me that I finished my action off as a leg-spinner. We had a discussion about this, and she started working with me.

“I was inspired by Dinesha’s coaching methods and the way she played,” Naidu said about the former Proteas’ all-rounder, whom she named as her cricketing inspiration.

After making her mark with KZN’s junior teams, in the KZN senior women’s team, and while playing club cricket for Chatsworth Sporting Club, Naidu was introduced into the CSA youth development pipeline before earning a call-up to the SA Emerging and SA u19 teams in 2022.

U19 Women’s T20 World Cup

The current J.R. Education Centre matriculant was subsequently named in South Africa’s squad for the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which was hosted by South Africa in January 2023. In her second World Cup match, Naidu claimed the best figures of two for 11 as the junior Proteas beat Scotland at Willowmoore Park.

Reflecting on the event, Naidu said: “I enjoyed the experience of playing against ladies from different countries and making new friends. I was kind of nervous at first after seeing the media presence and being on the international stage.

“Being part of the SA uU19s and SA Emerging has helped me grow as a cricketer, on and off the field. It has also made me mentally stronger when facing difficult situations. The coaches and the ladies have been supportive towards me throughout this journey.”

Representing the SA Emerging team in a 50-over game against New Zealand on their recent tour of South Africa was a further boost to her aspirations, Naidu said: “Playing against New Zealand inspired me to up my game, and I know I am ready for international cricket. Bowling 10 overs and having an economy of five, has inspired me even further.”

Future goals

Since achieving her goal of wearing the Dolphins’ jersey at the age of 13, an honour she cherishes until today, Naidu has set her sights on becoming one of the world’s best players as she eyes a Proteas’ women’s shirt in the future. An invitation to recent senior camps with coach Hilton Moreeng‘s charges has been a source of inspiration.

“Being part of the Proteas’ training camp has been such an honour for me,” she said. “Meeting my hero Laura Wolvaardt was an incredible experience. I had so much to tell her, but I was lost for words when I saw her.

“All the ladies were incredible and very welcoming to the camp.

“My goal for the Dolphins and the Proteas is to be one of the best leg-spinners in the world. My batting is also good, and I just need to work a lot harder on going up the order.

“I’ve got my Dolphins’ shirt, and I can’t wait to don my Proteas’ shirt.”

Coach Devnarain said she remembers when she first set eyes on Naidu: “I was working for KZN Cricket at the time, as a Hub coach, and her dad brought her in for a session. She was actually a pace bowler and, after just having a couple of sessions with her, I made the suggestion that she should be a leg-spinner. That’s how we first started, and that was in 2015.

“The way she goes about her game and being a leg-spinner is very exciting. What she possesses that can help her play for the Proteas would be her natural ability to control her leg-spin at a young age. She definitely offers something with the bat, and she is quite agile in the field.

“She’s got a great character and a good head on her shoulders to make a go of it all the way, but based on her skill and what she offers, she is a fantastic prospect for the future.”

In late September, Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane launched the Khanya Lesedi Sports School of Specialisation. While the educational institution, located in Ratanda, Heidelberg, has been in existence since 1989, the occasion marked its official designation as a school of sport, based on its rich history of excellence.

Since its establishment, Khanya Lesedi has produced outstanding results in academics, sports, artistic endeavours and social development.

On the sporting front, it has primarily excelled in soccer, netball, and athletics.

Addressing the crowd at the official launch, Chiloane said: “This specialised curriculum extends beyond physical activities, incorporating scientific innovation in physical health.

“Subjects like sports science and exercise, geography, physical science, and life science play vital roles in shaping various aspects of sports training, from pitch conditions to dietary requirements tailored to different sporting codes.

“ICT, coding and robotics are taught at the school through our multi-certification skills programme.”

Thabiso Mokoena, who has been on the books of the Supersport United Academy, Limpopo side Black Leopards, and now Tuks in the Motsepe Foundation League, attended Khanya Lesedi.

Sabelo Nkomo also attended the school. He is currently on the books of the newly promoted and current log leaders Orbit College in the Motsepe Foundation League, having previously represented the now defunct Free State Stars and Royal Eagles.

Bentle Lekone and Thabang Dube, who are current learners at Khanya Lesedi, represented South Africa at the 7^th Tricolour Games in Reggio, Italy, in July. The event was established in 1997 to celebrate the bicentenary of Italy’s national flag. This year, competition took place in 37 different sports.

Khanya Lesedi, which is home to about 1 000 learners, has one soccer field, an athletic track and three multisport courts, on which tennis, netball, basketball and volleyball are played.