Gugulethu Cricket Club have welcomed a significant promotion to the Western Province Cricket Association first division A, ahead of a challenging 2017-18 season.
Formerly part of the first division D, Gugulethu Cricket Club have effectively skipped the first division C and B to join fellow newcomers Kraaifontein Cricket Club – and the 10 others – in the first division A.
Earlier this year, the WPCA local leagues committee’s recommendations – largely governed by Cricket South Africa’s transformation objectives – urged that a so-called ‘black African’ club be added to the first division A.
Kraaifontein Cricket Club had left the Boland Cricket Board for the Western Province Cricket Association in order to comply with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s geo-political boundaries.
“The whole club is excited – and we are looking forward to the challenge of playing in the first division A. This will grant our youngsters, who have potential, the chance to be identified and perhaps represent our province – and possibly earn semi-professional contracts in the near future,” Gugulethu Cricket Club match secretary Anathi Ponco told Club Cricket SA.
“Recently, we have produced the likes of Carlos Koyana and Reuben Fortune, who are idols and role models in Gugulethu. We are looking forward to having a good first season in the first division A – and we are still recruiting players from around the province to help us succeed.”
According to the first draft of fixtures for the 2017-18 WPCA season, Gugulethu Cricket Club will open their first division A campaign against Kraaifontein Cricket Club, followed by tough matches against Tygerberg Cricket Club and Strandfontein Cricket Club.