With this invitation, Mossel Bay's Executive Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, welcomed Australia's Essendom Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club, who visited Mossel Bay on Tuesday, 16 April. They took on the SWD Women's Cricket Team at the Van Riebeeck Stadium in a friendly match.
In total, 35 Australian women cricketers tour South Africa in a visit that includes matches against Western Province, Boland, Eastern Cape, Northerns and Gauteng, apart from the SWD match. The club, founded in 1905, is the oldest ladies cricket club in Australia and has over the years provided numerous players for their national and other representative teams.
Speaking at a dinner after the friendly match, Alderlady Ferreira referred to the keen contest between South African sporting teams and that of Australia: "Your visit and match played here today against the SWD Ladies Cricket team is in line with the rivalry on the sports field between our two countries over many years.
Cricket and rugby test series between Australia and South Africa have drawn some of the biggest crowds in South Africa, not to mention television audiences.
"We have set ourselves the goal of becoming the sports capital of the Western Cape. In this regard, we arranged the inaugural Mossel Bay Sports Festival in September 2012, in which 27 different sports events took place. The second Mossel Sports Festival is planned for 20 to 24 September this year.
"South Africa's biggest cricket week for schools, organised by Point High School for the past 15 years, formed part of the inaugural Sports Festival and drew 26 teams from all over South Africa.
I know that they have ambitions of making this an international event, and I am sure that they would like to see a few Australian schools joining their cricket week in future. This could be beneficial for the sport in both our countries.
"The invitation is, however, not only restricted to cricket.
"I am not sure that ladies' cricket is always receiving the recognition and support that it deserves. In my opinion, there is no reason why it should stand back in any way for men's cricket. It is, after all, a game of much skill and not just physical strength.
"I therefore appeal to the Mossel Bay Cricket Club to do whatever you can to develop and grow the sport in our town," she concluded.
Also known as the Bombers from the state of Victoria, Australia's Essedon Ma-ribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club visited Mossel Bay on Tuesday for a friendly match against the SWD Women's Team. The Bombers all received a commemorative blue cap. Photo: Dave van der Merwe
