The Eastern Cape Learners with Special Education Needs cricket team are ready to defend their title when they compete at the national championships next month.
A total of 13 players from four LSEN schools across the province trained at the Bulls Batting Coaching Centre in Conyngham Road last week as they continued preparations ahead of their title defence in October.
Team captain Jack Munnik said the spirit among the pupils was high and they felt ready to take on all comers in their search for a fifth national title, as well as a second Platinum section trophy in two years.
“We have had two training camps so far, and from those two, there is a lot of positivity in the team.
“The guys are working really hard,” the Cape Recife High School grade 11 pupil said.
Jack believes there are still aspects of their game which can be worked on.
“There is always room for improvement. I like to believe that every team member has a role to play.
“You cannot do everything or be perfect in everything.
“There are still a few things we need to tick off, but we will do the best we can in that first game, push hard and play with a lot of intensity.”
Eastern Cape LSEN cricket chair Willie van der Veen said the players chosen were the cream of the crop across the four schools that belong to its Cricket Programme – Baysville Special School (East London), Bergsig Special School (Uitenhage), Cape Recife High and Westview High (both in Port Elizabeth).
He said the Eastern Cape arm of LSEN cricket started in 2012 and initially comprised three schools, with Cape Recife joining in 2014.
“We would love to grow the programme to include more of our LSEN schools, but we just don’t have the funds,” he said.
“We do receive support from both Border and EP cricket.
“[However] we are not seen by the associations as a provincial side.”
Van der Veen said funds for trips to attend competitions came from the provincial cricket unions, the schools and the children themselves.
The competition is divided into two sections, the Platinum section for the top teams, and the Gold section, featuring the second-tier teams.
The Eastern Cape team won the Gold section three times before taking the Platinum Cup last year.
Coach Robin Palm said the team had improved greatly since last year, and would be looking to play some good cricket.
“We, [the] management, are very happy with the team assembled for the nationals this year,” he said.
The team, he said, would play time format cricket on day one, before two 20-overs matches and two 50-overs matches in the week in Benoni from October 1-5.
Van der Veen said a South African side would be selected to compete at the SA National Academy Week in December.