Crawford coach joins Gauteng team
LONEHILL – Influenced by all-rounders Jacques Kallis and Ellyse Perry, Central Gauteng Lions all-rounder Traci Brest hopes to play for the South-African squad.
A Crawford International Lonehill Preparatory sports coordinator hopes to make her mark in the women’s cricketing world after being selected to represent the province.
The shortened season took place from 16 March, with the Central Gauteng Lions (CGL) only playing four matches due to Covid-19. The team secured two wins and two losses to finish top six and stay in the premier division.
With the Central Gauteng Lions women’s squad announced on 5 March, all-rounder Traci Brest said she felt it was the proudest moment in her life when the squad went to Cape Town.
She had previously represented Gauteng at an U16 level during a tournament which took place at Wits University. In 2019, she was selected to take part in the women’s senior provincial trials. She said, “I had worked so hard through my first couple of seasons at club level that I felt I deserved the call up. Although that was only the start of the hours of practice and commitment that I needed to have to make the starting 11 for CGL Women’s senior provincial matches.”
She said she has been a sports fan from a young age. Four years ago, her father saw an advert for trials at the Wanderers Club for the inaugural women’s team.
With sports matches and tournaments during lockdown in South Africa unable to take place, Brest said keeping fit and active was not too difficult thanks to the team’s strength and condition coach.
Brest, who has been at Crawford since October last year, said her goal is to compete at the highest level and represent the country.
“I have been lucky enough to play against and play with some of the emerging SA women’s squad players at provincial level such as Andrie Steyn, Robyn Searle, and Sinalo Jafta.”
Brest concluded, “It would be an honour and blessed moment if I were to wear the green and gold.”
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