JOHANNESBURG – Six months ago 11 000 cricketers from 650 schools started on their journey to represent their respective franchises in the national finals of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.
The gruelling qualifiers are now over and Grey College (Knights), St Stithians College (Lions), Waterkloof Hoërskool (Titans), Kingwood College (Warriors), Wynberg Boys’ High (Cobras) and Westville High School (Dolphins) will lock horns at the Tuks High Performance Centre in Pretoria from March 14 and 16.
The tournament is fairly new, but it is already playing its part in Cricket South Africa’s talent identification pipeline.
Quinton de Kock is the first Protea player to have played in the national finals – for King Edward II School and the Lions in 2010 and 2011 – and a number of players have gone on from here to play for the South African Schools and Coca-Cola® under-19 teams.
They include the star of the 2014 ICC under-19 World Cup, Kagiso Rabada, who represented St Stithians College and the Lions in 2013.
“The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes,” said Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola® South Africa Marketing Assets Manager.
“This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years.
“It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”
