The last time Potch hosted the tournament was in 1999. In that year, nine players who took part in the Week went on to represent South Africa. Graeme Smith, Ryan McLaren, Hashim Amla, Jacques Rudolph, Tsami Tsolekile and Faf Du Plessis have just completed the SA Tour of Australia.
The other three Proteas from that year were Mondi Zondeke, Johan Botha and Imraan Kahn. Two players from the 1999 Week also went on to represent other countries: Jonathan Trott (England) and Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe).
This year will mark Coca-Cola South Africa’s 34th year of involvement in the Week.
“Coca-Cola has provided the platform for over 200 youngsters to show their class who have later gone on to become Proteas,” said Craig van Niekerk, Coca-Cola SA Marketing Assets Manager.
“Recently we incorporated the Coca-Cola T20 Schools tournament into our portfolio, which acts as a feeder to the youth development week. Through the Coca-Cola T20 Schools tournament and the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week we are giving many South African youths the platform to be physically active and showcase their talent, to be recognised and to share their achievements, a sentiment expressed by our campaign ‘Show Your Class’.”
A player who ‘showed his class’ in a Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket week was Wayne Parnell. He competed in the 2007 week and went on to captained the SA U19 team in the 2008 ICC U19 World Cup and received his Proteas call-up just a year later. Parnell is now the official Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week ambassador and urges players to hold nothing back when they take to the pitch in Potch.
Parnell highlights one valuable lesson learnt in the week in which he participated: “It’s not about winning at any cost – it’s about having the will to win. The Cricket Weeks teach you lessons about life and about setting goals and working towards them.”
There will be three formats of cricket played: Timed cricket (Day 1 and 2), T20 (two sessions on Day 3) and 50 Over (Day 4 and 5).
Games start each day at 9am. Fixtures will be drawn up for the first two days and the first set of T20 games on day three after which the selectors will decide the fixtures based on strength vs strength.
The central office will be based at Senwes Park where results, fixtures and venues for each day will be posted.
The week will culminate in the announcement of the South African Schools XI and a South African Colts XI teams. The SA Schools XI will play the North West Powerade Dragons at Senwes Park on 21 December at the same time the Colts will play a North West Invitational XI (venue to be announced).
Day 1
Boland v KZN Inland (Witrand Field),
KZN Coastal v Eastern Province (PUK Oval)
Northerns v Western Province (Senwes Park)
Gauteng v Griqualand West (PUK Ibbies)
Eastern v Namibia (Defence Field)
Free State v Limpopo (PBH Field)
Mpumalanga v South Western District (Soccer Oval)
North West v Border (Volkskool Field)
Day 2
Boland v Gauteng (PUK Oval)
KZN Coastal v Western Province (Witrand Field)
Northerns v Eastern Province (PUK Ibbies)
Griqualand West v KZN Inland (Gimmies Field)
Easterns v North West (Potch Tech Field)
Free State v SWD (Jool 1 Field)
Mpumalanga v Limpopo(PBH Field)
Border v Namibia (Jool 2 Field)
Day 3 Morning
Boland v Easterns (Defence Field)
KZN Coastal v Free State (PUK Oval)
Northerns v Mpumalanga (Volkskool Field)
Gauteng v North West (Senwes Park)
Griqualand West v Border (Soccer Oval)
Western province v SWK (Jool 1 Field)
Eastern Province v Limpopo (Gimmies Field)
KZN Inland v Namibia (Potch Tech Field)
