West Rand Last Man Stands begins path to international glory

Club cricket is the lifeblood of the game in any country, but within them exist friendly interclub rivalries. These factions donned their own colours as they started their journey to international acclaim.

Under strict health protocols, the opening weekend of the West Rand Last Man Stands (LMS) league cut the proverbial red ribbon on their new home, 17 January. Roodepoort Cricket Club will be the new hub of West Rand LMS after Stella Goosen secured the exclusive franchise rights. Six teams are currently registered for the LMS league which will run until the first week in May.

LMS is an eight-man T20 version of the game that forces the bowling side to take all eight wickets, giving the final batsman the opportunity to occupy the crease alone for a heroic run chase or hit the lights out trying to set a mammoth total. LMS is played in 11 countries, including Sweden and the United States, with 13 sides from South Africa currently in the global top 100.

The two teams that took to the field first on Sunday, A & G Dikdorings and West Rand Wicket Warriors, are ranked among the top 50 in South Africa. Warriors posted a respectable 165 that Dikdorings felt comfortable in chasing. After a strong start, Dikdorings looked as if they would reach the target with overs to spare, but a strong bowling comeback from Warriors caused Dikdorings to collapse to just 125.

Each LMS regional franchise sends their league winners to provincial and national championships with the end goal being the World Championships held every three years. Stats are compiled for every game with rankings tracked globally, creating an international cricket community where eight friends can progress from the backyard to the world stage.

Stella’s heart lies in youth development and having successfully established the junior teams at Roodepoort, she will now look to expand the game’s reach by launching LMS for juniors