Montrose Cricket Club have appointed the talented Niaz Ahmed head coach, for the 2018-19 Western Province Cricket Association season.
Ahmed has succeeded former head coach Dieter Swanepoel. The veteran Faiz Kippie, meanwhile, has replaced the outgoing Imraan Hendricks as captain.
Montrose Cricket Club participate in the first division B – and were jostling for promotion to the first division A prior to the 2017-18’s campaign’s early end due to water shortages in Cape Town and surrounds.
“All the best to our new coach for the 2018-2019 season. After growing up at the club in our junior ranks, many years ago, he has returned home,” read a statement from Montrose Cricket Club.
File image: Niaz Ahmed.
Flanked by first-placed Rylands Cricket Club, second-placed Somerset West Cricket Club, fourth-placed Pinelands Cricket Club and fifth-placed Kuils River Cricket Club, Montrose Cricket Club occupied third position before late January’s closure.
They lost batsman Matthew Kleinveldt to Milnerton Cricket Club last year – and seamer Luke Petersen to the same club this year.
Proteas seamer Wayne Parnell is famously associated with Montrose Cricket Club – and played for the Malta Park, Observatory-based club as recently as April last year.
Meanwhile, Durbanville Cricket Club have welcomed the return of seamer Nathan Swartz.
Swartz missed the 2017-18 premier league due to a burgeoning rugby refereeing career.
“I am quite excited to return to cricket for various reasons, but mostly the team environment and being part of a changeroom with cricketing family around you,” Swartz told Club Cricket SA.
“Sport has always been my first love. Leaving cricket threw me out of equilibrium as a person. Mzala is returning to Babylon.”