Kingsway cricketer gets selected for women’s Proteas squad
At the KZN Cricket awards last year, she was named as player of season.
Future Kingsway High School cricket sensation, Seshnie Naidu has been selected for a South African selection side.
This effectively means that her developing talent on the cricket field is on par with the high standard required to make the Proteas women’s squad, but at 14-years-old she is too young to travel. The minimum age to travel with the Protea squad is 19.
She is a member of the women’s side that won the Castle T20 Challenge at Kingsmead Stadium this year and she is currently training with the KZN woman’s team.
Although disappointed to miss out on playing for the national team, the Grade 8 learner is still over the moon that her talent is being recognised. “I was so excited to receive the news. Dinesha Devnarain, an ex-Protea women’s player, is our coach and my club teammate.”
Although she lives in Toti, Seshnie plays her club cricket for the mighty Chatsworth Sporting and the women’s open side is riding a wave of success, so far undefeated this season. She joined the club two years ago, before she had even hit her teen years, a testament to this young woman’s talent.
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Playing in the premier women’s league, she scored 62 runs not out against DUT, 79 against Kwa Santi and 53 against Chats Hub Boys.
She also plays for her school’s U14 and U15 boys’ and first teams. The junior teams won all of their games, except for one against Kloof. The highlight for Seshnie was a win against Amanzimtoti High, where she took two wickets in an over two weeks ago, and scored 13 runs.
Seshnie also rated the U14 boys’ games against Curro Mount Richmore and Northwood C as some of her best, where she scored 58 and took two wickets against Curro, and scored 36 runs and took four wickets against Northwood C, including a hat-trick.
Last year she played in the Glenwood Festival for an invitational boys team, where she scored 128 runs against Port Shepstone and 62 not out and DUT Boys at same festival – 62 not out.
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In the Premier League, she retired on 122 against Umlazi, scored 100 not out and 66 not out against DUT.
When an Indian touring side from the MS Dhoni Academy played against Kingsway’s first team last month, their coach allowed Seshnie to pad up and face their magnificent quick bowlers and outstanding spinners. She held her own and didn’t shy away from taking on the older and more experienced tourists’ bowling attack and when she walked off the field, had gained their grudging respect.
At the KZN Cricket awards last year, she was named as player of season. She was the first girl to be selected for the Durban South boys cricket team for U13 and captained the KZN girls U13 cricket team.
Besides opening for her school team and batting at number four for her club, the shy young girl is what she terms “a natural spinner”. “I prefer batting to bowling. There is no better feeling than hitting a six over the rope. I started playing cricket in Grade 1 at Athlone Park Primary School. The coach started mini cricket and I decided to give it a go.”
She started playing for the school’s boys’ team since her Grade 3 year until she finished primary school.
Seshnie also enjoys hockey and swimming and is keen to give basketball a try this year at school. She rates David Miller as her favourite professional to watch and enjoys fishing with her dad on the weekends when she isn’t on the cricket field. “Cricket is something I enjoy and my goal is to make the Protea squad one day and play for my country.”
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