Proteas in excellent momentum
JOBURG – Will the Proteas be seen wearing pink at the Cricket World Cup?
A suggestion has been made that the South African cricket team, the Proteas should wear pink when they play in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
This follows the success of the team in one-day internationals (ODIs) over the past four years when they have donned the pink outfits in place of the green and gold national colours.
The suggestion came from Kass Naidoo, South Africa’s first female cricket commentator, who was speaking at the launch of the South Africa vs Sri Lanka Momentum ODI taking place on 4 February at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. The match is in support of PinkDrive, the country’s premier breast cancer awareness event and fundraiser.
“The Proteas have never lost a match in this jersey for the past four years,” said Naidoo. “Hence, I feel maybe they should consider using it in the World Cup and we can see what happens there.”
ODI captain AB de Villiers said he was quite happy with the current form of the team in the Test series against Sri Lanka and hoped they could keep up the momentum in the one-dayers.
Cricket South Africa CEO Haroon Lorgat said cricket was in exciting hands both on and off the field of play as both players and administrators were now singing from the same hymn sheet, and the results were beginning to show that.
“As Cricket South Africa, we have invested more than R100-million in cricket development in the country and part of that investment will ensure we produce the Hashim Amla’s and AB de Villiers’ of the future. I am quite pleased to be leading Cricket South Africa in such good times,” Lorgat said.
Also speaking at the launch was the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi who appealed to South Africans to appreciate government efforts when strict measures were imposed on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks.
“When we take strict measures against these ‘sin’ items, people tend to think we’re mad and have no consideration whatsoever for job losses that may occur, but the truth of the matter is that breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and lung cancer are exploding right in front of our eyes,” he said.
The minister reminded the audience of a statement issued by the United Nations that no minister of health would be able to present a credible health budget in the next couple of years, considering the ever increasing detrimental effects of the various cancers, diabetes and high blood pressure on the world’s citizens.
“We need to fight this war to win it, if not reduce the adverse effects of these diseases on our developmental programmes, economy and health budgets,” Motsoaledi added.
Read: Pink Proteas to fight breast cancer
