Wits University Cricket Club joins the LPL
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The next version of the LPL Cricket tournament in Johannesburg will include The Wits Kudus, the new LPL Cricket Franchise owned by the Wits Cricket Club
Head of Cricket, Sharmin Naidoo, jumped at the opportunity to join this exciting event that has been a permanent feature of the Johannesburg cricket calendar for the past eleven years.
“We have been afforded a great opportunity to partner with the LPL and give our players a new platform to show off their skills and play against and with some of the best players in the greater Gauteng region. The LPL provides the perfect preseason shortened format tournament and the white ball and coloured clothing just makes it that much more inviting. Many of our students have already been playing for other franchises over the years but this gives us a gap to include more players and have them play for us,” said Sharmin Naidoo.
The 2020 auction function was held at Nonnas restaurant in Rosebank where the team owners, sponsors and officials enjoyed a great evening of bartering for players. The final Wits Kudus senior squad includes Liam Peters, Juan Landsberg, Khwezi Gumede, Siyanda Ngxangane, Farhaan Sayanvala, Tumi Koto, Zwelo Ntshimbini, Lutho Sipamla, Glen Adams, Cole Abrahams, Matthew Lovatt, Thando Ntini, Mo Ahmed, Jet Mawudzi, Keven Renecke, Nicholas Smit, Yaseen Valli, Willie Wannenburg, Keegan Williams, Brandon McCabe, Haydan Bowman, Bandile Ngcobo, Josh Streak, Tumelo Yeki and Zakhele Sibande. Wits Kudus Senior Staff will include Bongani Ntini (Head Coach), Vincent Jordaan (Asst Coach), Dean Laing (Bowling Consultant), Suhail Patel (S&C Coach), Kevin Bennet (Team Manager).
The LPL is a part of the National Premier League which includes the DPL in KZN and the CPL in Cape Town. Wits is the first university in the country to take the step towards this franchise cricket event. The tournament also includes under 9 to under 19 age groups which will create a pipeline for Wits Cricket.
“Wits, being one of the top academic universities in the world, are looking to become one the greatest sporting universities. What better way to achieve this, than by partnering with the LPL and creating a clear and distinct pathway for their aspiring cricketers. Through the LPL, the Wits Kudus, will boast a structure that will encompass cricketers from the age of eight until the professional level player. They will harness and nurture young talented cricketers while providing them with an opportunity to enhance their education at a world-renowned university,” said LPL CEO, Ziyaad Desai.
网易体育 has pulled the handbrake on this year’s LPL Tournament but all the teams are ready to hit the ground running as soon as Cricket South Africa gives the LPL the green light. The next event promises to be the best one yet.