Wellington Cricket Club batsman cherishes National Club Championship return

Wellington Cricket ClubFile image: Wellington Cricket Club.

Batsman Warren Groeneveld is determined to see Wellington Cricket Club perform well during a long-awaited return to the National Club Championship.

Wellington Cricket Club beat Union Stars Cricket Club in the regional play-off to reach the tournament proper – and will face taxing fixtures against, among others, Crusaders Cricket Club from KwaZulu-Natal and Yorkshire Cricket Club from the Northern Cape in Pretoria later this month.

“We were last at the Club Championship in 2006. Cedric Williams and I are the only guys left from that squad. To go to the tournament again 12 years later, after going through a tougher qualifying round, it is very prestigious. For a community club like us, it’s great,” Groeneveld was quoted as saying by fiekie7.co.za.

Captained by Tiaan Cloete and coached by Craig Abrahams, Wellington Cricket Club will also rely on the experience of Williams and fine form of batsman Junaid Cassiem.

“Tiaan is a great captain and Craig is a great coach. Everyone put in solid contributions during the season, but Tiaan’s seven for 16 against Young Peoples Cricket Club and Junaid Cassiem’s century against Maties deserve special mention,” added Groeneveld.

Wellington Cricket Club’s campaign will get underway on 22 April, when they meet the University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks), who are coached by former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Kruger van Wyk.