New season, new energy for Mpumalanga’s Hillaria Spiders
The team management expressed their happiness that things seems to be unfolding nicely.
There is an air of optimism in the Hillaria Spiders Cricket Club (HSCC) camp ahead of the start of the league on Saturday.
For the first time since the club’s formation, the management feels like things are falling into place and the players can now focus on scoring runs, taking wickets and catches, and not worrying about off-the-field issues.
“Towards the end of last season, we started putting up good performances and had the belief that we belong in the Ehlanzeni Premier League, and that we could compete with the other sides. In the off-season, we made progress in turning the club into a well-oiled machine. We aren’t a finished article, we are far from for it,” said the HSCC’s Vusi Matsebula.
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The HSCC, based in Hillaria in Pienaar, received a shot in the arm when Masibekele Financial Services sponsored the first team with a playing kit.
“We’re grateful for the donation by Masibekele Financial Services, which makes us look like a professional team, and we will start the T20 campaign with a spring in our step,” said Matsebula.
On the field, things are looking up for the club. The women’s team are defending champions and the juniors are making their presence felt in age group cricket.
“We’ve laid a foundation to make HSCC a citadel of cricket in South Africa. With a shoestring budget and no facilities, we’ve achieved success. Imagine what we could do with the proper support from authorities,” said the wicketkeeper-batter, Matsebula.
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HSCC has reinforced the side with new players and promoted a couple of youngsters to the first team, including Thoba Sibanyoni and Mihlaliyethu Fata. According to Matsebula, the new additions to the playing squad will bring new energy to take the club to the next level.
The success of HSCC has been accredited to community members coming together to give the youngsters a sporting chance. One such community member is Timothy Mthethwa, who has been a key component in the development structures of the club.
Mthethwa and his teammates will now focus on the T20 campaign, which starts this Saturday at the Valencia Oval against Valencia at 09:00.
The complete fixtures are as follows:
• October 8 against Nelspruit at Bergvlam,
• October 15 against Malekutu at Valencia,
• October 22 against LVCC at Penryn and
• October 29 against White River at White River Country Club at 14:00.
All matches start at 09:00, unless stated otherwise.
