MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Sussex Cricket Club will carry the hopes of Mossel Bay when their A team takes the to field in the SWD Premier League final later this month.
The match, set to be played at the Recreation Grounds in Oudtshoorn on 28 March, marks another milestone for this D’Almeida-based club, which has steadily grown into one of the Southern Cape’s most competitive community cricket teams.
Sussex will also be determined to improve on last year’s final, when they unfortunately ended on the wrong side of the scoreboard. That experience, however, has helped shape a determined side that has been one of the most consistent teams in the league thus far.
Sussex A has lost only one match this season, a narrow defeat against the Harlequins Forces from Oudtshoorn.
Their strength lies in their balance and a number of players capable of contributing with both bat and ball.
The Sussex A team.
Vice captain Franco Geldenhuys remains one of the team’s most dependable all-rounders. Former Boland and Vredenburg-Saldanha wicketkeeper Nathan Engelbrecht, who now plays for SWD, has also delivered important performances with the bat.
The explosive SWD cricketer, Heath Richards, who has been associated with the MI New York franchise, adds further firepower to the batting line-up and is capable of launching deliveries out of the park when quick runs are required.
Captain Lindl Trim has led from the front with aggressive batting displays, while Geon Burns has been in excellent form at the top of the order.
Raven-Lee Kemmies has also made an important impact with attacking off-spin bowling.
Another player who could play a decisive role in the final is the SWD Rural left-arm medium-fast bowler Geronovan Erasmus, who has the potential to deliver game-changing spells. He will be eager to prove his doubters wrong after putting in the hard yards behind the scenes with the coaching team.
Coaches Duncan Stoffels and Godwin Plaatjies believe the team has learnt valuable lessons from last season’s final, and remain confident that Sussex will stick to its brand of cricket. “The focus is on doing the small things right,” they said.
“If the basics are executed well, the bigger moments will take care of themselves.”
The club has also overall shown strong depth this season. Sussex C reached the Reserve League 2 final, while the B team progressed to the semi-finals and the Ladies team narrowly missed out on a place in their final.
For a club rooted in D’Almeida’s Ext 8, these achievements carry special meaning.
“Many of the players come from challenging circumstances, yet remain committed to representing their community with pride,” said club treasurer Rustin Constance.
“As Sussex prepares for the Premier League final, the team hopes to once again demonstrate the unity and determination that have defined their season - and in doing so, make Mossel Bay proud.”
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