The Warriors Cubs week team will be targeting a massive performance at the 2019 Cricket South Africa Cubs week, which kicks off in Stellenbosch from January 3-7.
The annual Cubs week sees the best players from the various provincial teams that took part in the 2018 Coca-Cola Khaya Majola week and some from the Momentum U17 week, selected into the franchise sides to battle it out to see who has the most promising emerging talent.
At the start of this year a strong Warriors Cubs team picked from the largely successful Border and EP U19 sides that performed well at the 2017 Coke week underwhelmed at the Cubs week, although a few key SA U19 players were missing from the side.
This year’s select team however should have a lot less pressure on them, with a number of youngsters picked in the team with an eye on the 2020 U19 world cup which will be held in South Africa.
The Cubs side will be coached and managed by Border and EP coaches André de Beer and André du Plessis along with head of the Fort Hare cricket academy Burton de Wett.
“I am happy with the team, especially if you look at the middle order we are extremely strong with Matt Dewar, Luke Beaufort and Tristan Stubbs, who all scored hundreds at the Coke week, so if any team is hoping to remove those guys they will have to be at the top of their game,” said de Beer.
“I am happy to see Matthew Fourie in the side as well. He is a young talented fast bowler coming through and a couple of other youngsters will also be keen to put their hands up.
“At franchise level we have to go for the win, the team is young, but talented, and we have to believe we can win the Cubs week.
“Myself, André du Plessis and Burton de Wett work really well together and we have planned for a team with a good balance and we just have to instil confidence in the team.”
EP’s Stubbs and Border’s Nonelela Yikha were selected for the SA Schools team at the end of the Coke week, so a lot will be expected of them at the Cubs week.
From EP’s side Beaufort and Nicholas Fowler will also want to carry their good Coke week form into the Cubs week along with Border’s Dewar and Emihle Mqogi.
Three players from the U17 week, Nicholas Keevy and Eli Thorne from EP and Matthew Fourie from Border will also be aiming to justify their selection, while another youngster in Border’s Lilitha Reed will hope to perform well at the Cubs week.
“It is quite a young side with the thinking of the U19 World Cup in 2020, so it is quite balanced, a bit inexperienced but generally I am quite happy with the team,” admitted Du Plessis.
“I think the key will be to start well, you have a youngster like Keevy coming from the U17 week and he will have to set it up at the top of the order for the middle order of Beaufort, Stubbs and Dewar.”
Border Cubs Week Squad: Nicholas Keevy, Akhanya Rebe, Matt Dewar, Luke Beaufort, Emihle Mqogi, Tristan Stubbs, Nicholas Fowler, Nonelela Yikha, Matt Fourie, Lilitha Reed, Siya Mdlankomo, Eli Thorne, Siphesihle Madlongolwana, Ethan Frosler...