All round cricket success for Brinley
The keen cricketer hasn't let a few injury setbacks impede his progress.
Brinley de Bruin is one of the South Coast’s more promising cricketers coming through the ranks.
Unfortunately, though, his talents may be picked up by a Port Elizabeth club, as he is off to study sports management at Nelson Mandela University this year.
ALSO READ : PICS: Junior KFC Mini Cricket with the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at Port Shepstone CC
In 2018 he captained Port Shepstone High’s first eleven, where he excelled with both bat and ball. He won the school’s best cricketer award two years in succession.
Brinley also had a few games with the Southern KwaZulu-Natal men’s team, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ashley Lombard, Raja Kazi, Matt Redinger and Morné Bishop, among others.
The teen was also part of the set-up when local cricketers played in an exhibition game against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at the country club, so he got to see some of the province’s big names in the flesh, including Keshav Maharaj and Khaya Zondo.
Like many others, Brinley benefited from the KFC Mini Cricket programme as a young boy.
He attended Port Shepstone Junior Primary and then Port Shepstone Senior Primary.
Grade 8 was spent at Glenwood High in Durban but during his year there he broke his collar bone and fractured his wrist, so he didn’t get to play much sport.
Brinley returned to the coast and attended Port Shepstone High, where he immediately made an impact, scoring a century in his first game.
In his Grade 10 year he was given the opportunity to be part of the Cricket South Africa hub in Chatsworth. This involved a weekly commute to Durban for training and games.
He represented the hub’s team at the CSA Sunfoil Cricket Games at Hilton College in 2016.
In his Grade 11 year he made the KwaZulu-Natal U17 Rural cricket team.
One of his scariest injuries came during the Michaelmas Week played at Michaelhouse in the Midlands, where, in his first game of the tournament, he was struck on the right cheek when the ball went through the visor of the helmet. Unfortunately he could not continue playing.
This year he was chosen to captain the KZN U17 Rural team to play in Kimberley.
“Conditions were very hot and dry. It took some time for us to adjust but we managed quite well, winning on the first two days,” he said.
A particular highlight was beating Gauteng, a team KZN Rural hasn’t beaten for six years.
As the tournament went on, energy levels dropped a bit due to the heat and the team ended up winning three out of six games.
“Captaining the side was a great experience and a wonderful opportunity, I learnt a lot, even during the tough times.”
Despite all his ups and downs, he is determined to keep on playing.
If he can go on to further cricketing honours, he would be thrilled. If not, it is highly likely he will play some role in cricket in this country.
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