Western Province women’s team and South African women’s emerging squad coach Cobus Roodt has passed away.
Roodt suffered a heart attack en route to the South African Emerging squad camp in Pretoria on Monday – a day after Western Province beat Gauteng in the final of the 2018 Cricket South Africa National Women’s Week in Bloemfontein.
“For us, his passing is an enormous loss and as a family at Western Province, our prayers and thoughts are with the Roodt family and friends as well as the players who so passionately performed with him at the helm,” said chief executive officer WPCA Nabeal Dien.
“Right now, we as Western Province Association are reeling from the shock, as he was a colleague and friend to many of us – and we wish to share our deepest condolences with the family at home and his many friends on the cricket field.”
WPCA president Beresford Williams added: “Known as a passionate, energetic and inspirational coach, Cobus was a fantastic and God-fearing human being who gave so much to not only Western Province Cricket, but South African cricket as well. His loss will leave a huge hole in our cricket, but his legacy will live on forever.”
Tuesday’s clash between the South African womens emerging squad and England women’s academy has since been cancelled.
“It has been a very sad day for South African cricket. Cobus had deservedly established the reputation for being one of our outstanding coaches and his untimely passing comes as a huge blow to all,” concluded CSA General manager: Cricket, Corrie van Zyl.
“He will be missed particularly by all the players and coaches with whom he interacted and, on behalf of the CSA family, I extend our deepest sympathy to his family, his friends and his cricketing colleagues.”