North West Cricket and Senwes have  reached a 12-year sponsorship  milestone through the Senwes Spinners Farm School Cricket Development Programme (SSFSCDP).

This programme started in 2006 and has grown from strength to strength. It has become the gem of rural cricket development in the North West Province and the country.

The SSFSCDP has touched over      1 378 players, 52 coaches and produced five provincial age group players namely; Neo Lichaba, Kgosi Senne, Faan Nel, Dean De Bruin and Modise Matlhaku. With the former representing NW’s u.19 provincial age group team at the CSA Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week. Senwes has contributed much in the past 12 years. It has built a cricket pitch at Schoonspruit’s farm school and has  donated a bowling machine to Humansvlakte Laerskool and a flexi-mat to Rabana Primary School. It has also provided academic bursaries to five learners.

The SSFS T20 tournament was held in Potchefstroom from 3 to 6 April and a total of eight schools participated, namely; Rabana Primary School, Nampo Agricultural Combined School, Mponeng Primary School, Tlhabologo Primary School, Pelonomi Primary School, Phakela Combined School, Manana Primary School and Dr Sello Primary School.

According to the group chief executive of Senwes, Mr Francois Strydom, ‘sustainability is one of the key factors in corporate social responsibility and, to Senwes, a critical criterion when considering participating in a project. When the SSFSCDP started, there were concerns about whether it would be sustainable, given the vast geographical area it covers. As it celebrates its 12th anniversary, Strydom thanked the coaches, teachers, principals, parents, NWC staff and the learners for their contribution in making it a success’.

Being his first ever Senwes Spinners Farm School Cricket Development programme, the CEO of NWC, Mr Vincent Prior had the following to say: ‘North West Cricket is very grateful to have a partner like Senwes, which has shown dedication and passion towards sustainable community development in the rural areas. This is particularly true in the lives of the children and teachers from the farming community of South Africa, through the Senwes Spinners Farm Schools Cricket Development programme.

Thirty matches were scheduled and only 20 were played. Rain washed out 10 of the matches on Thursday, 5 April 2018, but it didn’t dampen the spirit of the players, the school coaches or the NWC coaching framework coaches. Instead, they conducted a coaching clinic in the indoor nets and covered academy nets at Senwes Park with the players and their coaches.

‘North West Cricket also took the eight team captains out for a captain’s dinner at Beef Boys so they could interact with the NW Dragons’ captain, Kagiso ‘Jonty’ Rapulana, the vice-captain, Brady Barends and the fast bowler, Julian Soutter.

‘North West Cricket is very grateful to Beef Boys for sponsoring the meals for the evening.

During the dinner, Rapulana, Barends and Soutter shared their stories of how they fell in love with the game of cricket from their first hardball cricket match in the fun days of KFC Mini Cricket.

They also played at CSA  national provincial age group weeks and made it to semi-pro and professional cricket. Most of all they, advised the captains to put education first as a tool to improve and change their background.

Later, the teams and management enjoyed the movie, ‘Black Panther’ at MooiRivier Sterkinekor as part of the night out’s activities and everyone had a great time. NWC and Senwes thanked Sterkinekor for their role in making the evening a success.

Top batsman at Senwes Spinners Farm School tournament 2018:

Joseph Thamaga (Phakela Combined School) 109 runs, (HS 55* runs not out).

Top bowler at the Senwes Spinners Farm School tournament 2018:

Joseph Sebolai (Phakela Combined School) 14 wickets, (B/B 5/7).

The top two schools on the log standings, Phakela Combined School and Dr Sello Primary School will compete in the Senwes Spinners Farm School final, scheduled for 12 May 2018 at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom. The winner of the final will receive prize money of    R 5 000 and the runner-up will receive R 2 500.

A Senwes Spinners high-performance team will be  announced on the day and the team will then play matches against NWC Hubs in Potchefstroom from 18 to 20 May 2018.