World Series beckons for Ashley
The SA capped player could do with some sponsorship to make the trip possible.
In some ways, indoor cricketer Ashley Lombard (36) has walked a lonely road in getting to where he has in the sport.
Not that he minds as he loves the sport, the adrenalin rush of competing, and the all-round camaraderie.
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The sport has never been huge on the coast and he has had to find the motivation – and will to drive long distances – to compete against the best and improve his game.
It has been rewarded and he will be playing for South Africa at the Indoor Cricket Masters World Series (over 35s) in Cape Town in October.
He’s looking forward to playing for his country and flying the South Coast flag and could do with some sponsorship to make the trip more manageable.
Good news is that, with the recent exciting opening of the South Coast Sports Arena, indoor cricket looks set to make something of comeback.
There’s already a buzz at the arena, which is based at Izotsha Creek, with matches played every week night.
It was the brainchild of Theo Nicholls, Jacques Cilliers and Andrew Curlewis, and they hope to attract national and even international tournaments to the arena in the future.
Ashley has been instrumental in pulling players out of retirement, and introducing new ones to the game.
Recently, one of his teammates Marc Torlage, dragged along Wade Young (multiple winner of the Roof of Africa) for his first game.
No doubt Wade’s more comfortable on a motorbike, but he can play a bit, and is able to swing it somewhat more than the batsmen anticipated.
In indoor cricket all three disciplines matter and Ashley is pretty good at them all, although batting is probably his strength nowadays.
In his younger days, he was rapid with the ball, but injuries and age have seen him retread this skill as a spinner with the game’s fastest arm-ball.
He admits that the competitive fire can burn a little hot at times, but it’s probably because he loves the game so much.
And he’ll be focusing this drive towards winning the tournament for SA come October.
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