The Sinoville Cricket Club and the entire club cricket community of Pretoria were recently plunged into profound grief with the passing of one of the true characters and legends of the game at this level.

Butch Faber, commonly known as “Oom Butch” made his mark as a player and administrator who enjoyed recognition all over South Africa.

Faber joined Sinoville Cricket Club in the 1980’s after moving to Pretoria from Bloemfontein when he was transferred by the Department of Post and Telecommunications (now Telkom). In his younger days he played provincial cricket for the Free State.

He then started playing for the young Sinoville Cricket Club, which was established shortly before his arrival with only one team entered in the Fourth League of Northerns Cricket.

Faber’s stature grew rapidly. His knowledge of the game and especially that of pitch and field preparation was second to none. It was largely due to his influence that Sinoville’s pitch and facilities became so popular that several international matches were played there in the last two decades.

He was soon elected chairman and served Sinoville Cricket Club in this Capacity from 1992 until 2011.

His wife, Tannie Elize Faber, actively supported him during this time and also played a leading role in the ladies committee.

During the twenty years that Faber was chairman of the club, he could watch the first team progress through the leagues systematically from the Fourth League until they won Premier League status.

By 2011 Sinoville Cricket Club had six men’s teams, two ladies’ teams and eight junior teams. During this time, a clubhouse was built under his leadership, which was then later doubled in size during the 2000’s.

This added much value to the club as the first ‘clubhouse’ was actually a tree named “Betsie”. This tree still stands near the tennis courts next to the Sinoville cricket grounds.

Faber later led the drive to name the Sinoville cricket grounds to Sinovich Park after Vincent Sinovich, another cricket legend from the area who always supported him during his efforts.

After Faber’s retirement as chairman, the clubhouse was named after him. He was also Honorary President of the club since then.

Ladies Cricket had a special place in Faber’s heart, while having a special eye for talent among all players. He often identified very young players with potential and got them included into the Sinoville premier team. These decisions always proved to be correct. One of those players played for the Protea’s during an international T20 series last year.

Faber was influential in developing Black cricket clubs in Pretoria. He supported Northerns’ development programme by including players from Atteridgeville, Soshanguve and Mamelodi into Sinoville teams for two seasons to allow them to develop sufficiently.

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