ANDILE Mokgakane made history this week by becoming the first protégé of the KZNCU, DSR and Sunfoil Township and Rural Development Programme to be included in a South Africa under-19 cricket World Cup squad.
Mokgakane (17), who hails from Lindelani, says that he is “very happy and excited” to be included in the squad of 15 which will contend in the 12th edition of the ICC under-19 World Cup in New Zealand early next year.
It has not been an easy journey for the grade 11 Northwood School learner. Mokgakane grew up in a lower income, single parent household in Lindelani, with his two brothers and sister. He was introduced to cricket by the KZNCU, DSR and Sunfoil Township and Rural Development Programme at nine, as a grade four learner at Mandlakazulu Primary School.
Two years later he became part of the elite component of the programme which gives township cricketers an opportunity to compete against traditional cricketing schools.
Mokgakane’s talent attracted the interest of Northwood School which offered him a high school scholarship, subsidised by the Sunfoil Bursary Fund. He represented the school’s first team as a bowler when he was in grade nine; switching his focus to batting in grade 10.
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Mokgakane was part of the Under 19 squad which played against the West Indies in Durban in July; and was also recently selected to play against England and Namibia.
The cherry on the top was the World Cup call up which will see Mokgakane embarking on his first international flight in January, first to Dubai for a warm up game, then to New Zealand for the tournament itself.
An elated Mokgakane – who bats at number three for the South Africa under-19 side – paid tribute to the KZNCU, DSR and Sunfoil Township and Rural Development Programme.
“I want to say thank you to the programme – thanks to its work I had access to free food, free kits and a free education which we couldn’t afford.”
His goal is to help his team get to the finals of the World Cup, and on a personal level, to be the highest run scorer of the tournament.
Read also: Northwood learner chosen for U19 SA squad
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