Players support youngster on her way to Australia
The 15-year-old will be representing South Africa at the Indoor Cricket Junior World Series later this month.
Jamie de Vos is only 15 years old, but will soon participate in her first world cup.
She was recently selected to the South African u/18 Indoor Cricket girls team which will represent the country at the World Indoor Cricket Federation’s (WICF) Indoor Cricket Junior World Series in Brisbane, Australia from September 25.
The other Lowveld girls selected to represent the country are Annerike Jacobs and Katie Prior.
They will compete against teams from Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, Sri Lanka and India.
But players have to pay their own way. To this end, Jamie’s parents, Pieter and Sonia organised the final fund-raising for her trip at Stoep on Saturday.
The restaurant agreed to let them use the venue, and the bands, The Acoustics and Halfmas Middernag Blues Band played for free.
The proceeds will go towards her travel fund, explains Pieter.
“Every bit helps,” he says, towards raising the R39 000 needed.
Jamie has also been selected as the team’s vice-captain.
“It is exciting, But I am nervous.”
The trip will be her first time travelling across an ocean. She started playing around five years ago, when she used to join her brother Jarrod at the action arena.
She enjoyed it, and it turned out she was pretty good.
In her speech, “Midget” said her inclusion in the team was the realisation of her biggest dream yet.
“All your help made it possible.”
Aside from her family, a special thank you went to the Green Mambas Team, who “accepted me and developed me into the cricket player I am today”.
Despite boasting natural talent, she learnt from the best too: Eric Grimaldi, the national junior coach in charge of the juniors action cricket in Mbombela. Pieter recommends cricket to every and any parent.
“It is a brilliant sport,” he says. “And the coaches will teach you right,” Jamie adds.
Enquiries: Eric Grimaldi on 082-457-1921.
