University of Cape Town Cricket Club opening batsman Jack Newby welcomed a first-class debut on Thursday.
Newby was named in Western Province’s XI for a key Sunfoil 3-Day Cup fixture against Gauteng at the Western Province Cricket Club.
He batted at number three in the order, joining Milnerton Cricket Club’s Matthew Kleinveldt at the crease after the relatively early departure of Cape Town Cricket Club’s Mathew Goles.
Newby struck a promising 21, but was ultimately caught by wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton off the bowling of seamer Matt McGillivray.
The talented left-handed enjoyed a solid stretch of form in the 2017-18 Western Province Cricket Association first division A, prior to its cancellation due to the ongoing drought in Cape Town and surrounds.
A superb 104 and complementary 80 against Primrose Cricket Club in late January epitomised his talent – and was followed by a solid set of scores in the University of Cape Town Cricket Club’s otherwise poor Varsity Cricket Tournament in early February.
Newby represented Western Province in 2015’s Africa T20 Cup and CSA Provincial T20 Challenge, but managed a mere 19 runs in three innings.