Cricket passion keeps Ernest running

However, he is so passionate about the sport, Ernest, as he is known in Toti circles, has accepted the chairmanship of premier league Durban side African Warriors. “I want to mentor and groom some of the players and form a support structure around the team,” he said. “Now that I have stepped down from KZN Cricket, I have the time to devote to the team.”

From a corporate background, he was voted onto the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board in 2007 as director, the first African to be so, and voted onto the sub-committee of transformation in 2010. In 2007 KZNCU recognised his ability and voted him in as its vice-chairman, the first African to hold that position, for the first of the two terms he would serve. “Ernest is still not recognised as a cricket leader in Toti,” said ACC School of Cricket Excellence director and recently elected treasurer of KZN Cricket Union (KZNCU), Steve Belluigi. “We don’t seem to realise what we have here in Toti, in this hard-working and passionate man. He was instrumental in keeping Amanzimtoti Cricket Club running after the amalgamation with Amanzimtoti Country Club.”

Ernest is passionate about transformation in cricket, so much so that KZN is recognised as the top province in terms of CSA’s africanisation of cricket project. “The link between schools and clubs is vital to get young players immersed in the cricket culture and to receive proper coaching,” he said. “Teachers need to be a part of the club management as they know the children better than anyone. Teachers are critical if this is to succeed.”

In 2011, he became a member of the Amanzimtoti Sports Centre, which governs all sporting codes at Hutchison Park. In July he was voted in as the deputy chairman of the Sipho Mkhize zonal sports council. He is also a founding committee member of Toti Conservancy and thanks to his love for jazz, helped form the SA Jazz Appreciators Association, which launched in August, of which he is also national deputy chairman.

“Our desire is to uplift Toti so residents don’t have to migrate to Durban to play their school and club cricket,” said Steve. “This isolation of Toti and the ‘big fish in a small pond’ mentality must come to an end, since we have the capability and talent here in Toti. Obviously our influence in KZNCU will help, but it cannot be guaranteed unless the schools, clubs and parents are prepared to rise to the level of similar institutions in Durban and other areas.

These local bodies now have access to the highest level of administration within cricket in this province and they must grab this opportunity with both hands, for the benefit of our young cricketers. It is sad to see the effort and co-operation between KZNCU and other areas in our jurisdiction, compared with the level of co-operation between Toti and KZNCU. I see it every day and, as a resident of Toti, it frustrates me immensely.

The union is more than willing to embrace Toti and surrounds, but they require that Toti ‘gets its act together’ by adhering to KZNCU guidelines and principles, and for schools, club and parents to form a combined force to supply our children with the best cricket opportunities available.

Ernest and I are both Toti residents and sit at KZNCU. We, thus, see both sides of the fence. Notwithstanding all our efforts to convince Toti schools, clubs and parents to ‘come to the party’, we are left red-faced when discussions about Toti take place at the union, because of the lack of cooperation from within the Toti area.” – earlb@dbn.caxton.co.za