Ongama Gcwabe
GIVEN the expensive nature of cricket among many other limiting factors, it is always a pleasant surprise to see township-based cricket clubs produce professional cricketers.
Against all odds, a handful of township and village-based cricket clubs play an important role in unearthing talent for the national cricket teams year in, year out. One such township is the Lindelani township in KwaZulu-Natal where Nonkululeko Mlaba, Nondumiso Shangase and Ayanda Hlubi, all Proteas Women’s players, started their journey.
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Presenting the fixtures for the Proteas Women in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup taking place in the UAE.
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Hlubi, a 20-year-old fast bowler, is the most recent player from Lindelani to break into the national team when she made her international debut against Bangladesh Women last summer. The youngster is in the Proteas squad that is set to compete in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates next month.
In an exclusive interview with Independent Newspapers, Hlubi emphasised that though she picked up the sport in the townships, she had all the inspiration she needed as she knew that Mlaba and Shangase had been able to make it to the international arena coming from the same township.
Now, the right-arm fast bowler is living the dream that she has always carried in her heart.
“It’s a dream come true because I’ve always wanted to play for South Africa since I was little. Everything happened so fast but I’m grateful that I have achieved this so early in my career,” said Hlubi.
“It came as a surprise to me that it all happened so early but I know it is because I had a lot of inspiration as a young girl playing cricket for the Lindelani Ladies Cricket Club.
“I had senior players like Mlaba, Shangase and even Andile Mogakane (Warriors men’s player), who I looked up to growing up at Lindelani.”
Hlubi and the entire Proteas Women’s team will assemble in Johannesburg today before they fly out to Pakistan tomorrow for the three-match T20I series in Multan. This will be the team's final series before they play their first World Cup game against West Indies Women at Dubai International Stadium on October 4.
As runners-up in the last edition of the showpiece event here at home, Hlubi says the Proteas are confident that they will bring the trophy home this time.
“All that we are saying as a team is that we are coming back with the trophy,” she said. Everyone is in a good space and we trust our skills to achieve this.“
The three-match T20 series between the Proteas Women and Pakistan Women is set to get under way on Monday.