Club Cricket SA name their best XI of the season, after the completion of the 2018-19 Western Province Cricket first division A.
- The hypothetical team obviously required a captain and wicketkeeper – and two or more players of colour, including a black African. Former and debutant first-class cricketers – and university players – were also considered.
- Avendale Cricket Club’s Chester Alexander, the University of Cape Town Cricket Club’s Luke Stevens, Strandfontein Cricket Club’s Shaun Jacobs, Gugulethu Cricket Club’s Mncedisi Tyhilo and several others were in contention for this XI, but ultimately weren’t selected.
1. Ian Cockbain (Northerns Goodwood Cricket Club)
- The Gloucestershire recruit exemplified what is required of an overseas batsman in Western Cape club cricket – and dwarfed plenty of homegrown talent. See Cockbain’s stats.
2. Zac Elkin (Green Point Cricket Club)
- One of five survivors from the 2017-18 WPCA Team of the Season, Elkin was the second-highest run-scorer this time. He scored 27 less than Cockbain, who played two matches more. See Elkin’s stats.
3. Taariq Chiecktey (University of Cape Town Cricket Club, wicketkeeper)
- The talented wicketkeeper-batsman proved entirely key to UCT Cricket Club’s long-awaited promotion to the 2019-20 WPCA premier league. See Chiecktey’s stats.
4. Mbuyiselo Xakana (Avendale Cricket Club)
- Xakana joined Avendale Cricket Club from Gugulethu Cricket Club before the start of the season. His old club will stay in the first division A, while his new team have been relegated. See Xakana’s stats.
5. Sulaiman Jaffar (Strandfontein Cricket Club)
- Jaffar almost beat team-mate Jacobs to this berth, but ultimately secured selection with an average of almost 60. See Jaffar’s stats.
Also read – Club Cricket SA’s Team Of The Season: 2018-19 WPCA premier league
6. Craig Ephraim (Kraaifontein Cricket Club)
- As one of the 2018-19 WPCA first division A’s leading all-rounders, Ephraim finished among the top 10 run-scorers and 20 highest wicket-takers. See Ephraim’s stats.
7. Shaheen Khan (United Cricket Club, captain)
- Khan captained United Cricket Club to a respectable fifth-place finish in the 12-team standings, took 17 wickets – and struck the highest score of the campaign.
8. Simon Blake (Edgemead Cricket Club)
- The veteran seamer boasted the best average among the 2018-19 WPCA’s top 20 wicket-takers, which included a rare hat-trick against Northerns Goodwood Cricket Club. See Blake’s stats.
9. Rostill Wessels (Strandfontein Cricket Club)
- Strandfontein Cricket Club’s bowling attack required a spearhead amid an eventually successful bid for premier league promotion – and Wessels dutifully obliged.
- See Wessels’ stats.
10. Franco Kasner (Tygerberg Cricket Club)
- Second only to fellow spinner Schierhout among the competition’s leading wicket-takers, Kasner was instrumental in Tygerberg Cricket Club’s ability to finish in the top half of the log. See Kasner’s stats.
11. David Schierhout (Primrose Cricket Club)
- A genuinely prolific season for the left-arm spinner was rewarded with selection for the Dromedaris Dragons in the inaugural Cape Premier League. See Schierhout’s stats.