‘Good Guys’ crusade to another cricket title

IN many ways the Hollywood Bets Crusaders cricket team resembles the qualities of the Protea national team. They have the experience, resilience and leadership of captain Rob Clift, much like Graeme Smith. They have a well established top order with Riaan Minnie and Jared Van Heerden leading the way, like Amla and De Villiers. They also have a great bowling attack and the right mix of youth and experience.

The club, known in cricketing circles as ‘The Good Guys’ recently retained its fifth consecutive premier league title, their seventh in the last nine years. It all came down to the final round of matches with Crusaders beating Chatsworth Sporting, a team who had in the first round comprehensively beaten the Durban North club.

Crusaders cricket club member of 25 years, Andrew Bennison, plays a multi-functionary role within the club, as coach, selector and chairman. He hailed this season as one of the club’s best.

“To win five successive titles is amazing and is especially significant this year as it’s the club’s 50th anniversary. It was a great effort from a really ‘good bunch of guys’. Every player knew their roles and stuck to it. There were unsung hero’s like Jason Biddulph, who never missed a game and East “Ting Tong” Springer who split the webbing in his hand three times during the course of the season but continued to play,” he said.

Led by former Northwood School pupil and first-time captain, Rob Clift, the Durban North club lost just three matches in yet another sterling season.

Opening batsman, Jared van Heerden, finished the season as the leading run scorer for the team said the mixture of youth and experience helped him through the season. “Ending the season as leading run scorer isn’t important to me. I’d rather contribute to getting the team over the line, whatever the circumstances,” Van Heerden said.

‘Big Norm’ Sean Dixon who won his eigth league from only 10 seasons said the highlight of the season was the final game against Chatsworth Sporting.

“We had lost to them in the opening rounds and if there was an example of fighting spirit, you wouldn’t have to look further than that game. We needed to win with a bonus point and we did that. Over the 10 seasons I’ve played, this is right up there with the best,” he said.

The club now head off to the National Club Championships in Pretoria to represent KZN in April.