How you can help us

By Khalid Mohidin

Hey, guys! Welcome to another issue of Cricket Fanatics Magazine, the first and only fan-driven Cricket publication in South Africa.

We started this venture on 1 July 2019 with a vision to get fans from all walks of life engaged with the game and give them access to the personalities in South African Cricket.

We want to tell the untold stories of South African cricket and we want fans to be heard.

Since we started, we covered the Mzansi Super League, Women’s Super League, Proteas Men and Women International Test, ODI and T20I series, as well as school and club cricket, with the aim of providing entertaining, engaging and educational content.

But haven't stopped there.

We started a Monthly Magazine where we provide multi-media content, including exclusive features, opinion pieces and analysis.

This works hand-in-hand with our YouTube channel where we produce unique cricket shows that allow fans to call in and have their say.

We have the Daily Show, which reveals all the major talking points in South African cricket, the Sunday Podcast Show where we sit back, relax and engage with the live chat, answering all the questions fans have about us and the game.

We have Off-Side Maidens, the first ever All-Women’s Cricket Show on YouTube, which helps empower women in cricket and gives them a place to share their own views on not only women’s cricket but all cricket.

We have a Legends show, where we interview all legends in cricket.

To produce all of this, we’ve invested a lot of money, time and effort to bring this to you for free.

But to keep this going we need your help.

So we have opened a Patreon account.

In the past, the super-rich supported the work of artists as patrons of the art.

Today, we are fortunate that technology has enabled anyone to become a patron of creative work, even if they are not billionaires.

We have therefore launched a campaign for you as a Cricket Fan to become a patron and support us as an independent, bootstrapped publisher.

As a Patron, you also get your voice heard as a Fan.

Plus: You have the opportunity to become more engaged with the content we produce.

Every month we produce at least:

• 60 Website Articles
• 20 Daily Video Shows
• 4 Weekly Podcasts
• Match Previews
• Match Reviews
• Video Interviews
• And more…

So please join our Patreon today initiative today. Even a tiny amount can make a big difference.

Strong World Cup Squad Selected

By Khalid Mohidin

Aiden Markram will lead the side in what will be his first World Cup assignment since being named T20 International (T20I) captain.

The squad includes two uncapped T20I players – DP World Lions batter Ryan Rickelton and Hollywoodbets Dolphins fast bowler Ottniel Baartman.

Rickelton finished as the leading run-scorer of the second edition of the Betway SA20 with 530 runs at an average of 58.88 for MI Cape Town, while Baartman took 18 wickets in eight matches for defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and is currently with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals.

The team will also benefit from the expertise of batters Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and the promising Tristan Stubbs.

Leading the pace attack will be Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje supported by Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee.

Other notable selections include three front-line spinners in CSA T20 Challenge winning captain Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Pace pair Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi have been named as the travelling reserves.

“Firstly, I want to congratulate all the players that have made the cut,” coach Rob Walter said.

“Selecting this group was extremely tough considering the amount of T20 cricket that has been played recently and the form that has been on show. I want to congratulate the two uncapped players, Ryan and Ottniel, on their selection.

“We have seen some incredible performances from our players in 2024 and that made my job very tough indeed. I am nonetheless proud and confident that we have named the strongest possible squad that no doubt has every chance of success in the West Indies and USA.”

A squad, assembled for a week-long camp from 13 – 17 May at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria, with the final squad including the returning IPL players, announced prior to their departure on 18 May.

Rassie van der Dussen (captain, DP World Lions), Ottneil Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Gerald Coetzee (Momentum Multiply Titans), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Dafabet Warriors), Bjorn Fortuin (DP World Lions), Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions), Patrick Kruger (Dafabet Warriors), Wiaan Mulder (DP World Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Dafabet Warriors), Nqaba Peter (DP World Lions), Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions), Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins) and Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans).

“Our preparations for the tournament will start with a three-match T20I series against West Indies. For this tour we will unfortunately be without most of the players who are currently involved in the IPL," Walter added.

“But it does provide an opportunity for others, especially those who excelled in the CSA T20 Challenge."

South Africa squad – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup West Indies and USA 2024

Aiden Markram (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Ottniel Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Gerald Coetzee (Momentum Multiply Titans), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (DP World Lions), Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions), Marco Jansen (Dafabet Warriors), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Anrich Nortje (Dafabet Warriors), Kagiso Rabada (DP World Lions) Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans) and Tristan Stubbs (Dafabet Warriors).

Travelling Reserves

Nandre Burger (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans)

Management

Rob Walter (Head Coach), Khomotso Volvo Masubelele (Team Manager), Jean-Paul Duminy (Batting Coach), Eric Simons (Bowling Coach), Wandile Gwavu (Fielding Coach), Thomas Dawson-Squibb (Performance Coach), Runeshan Moodley (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Matthew Reuben (Performance Analyst), Sizwe Hadebe (Physiotherapist), Dr Konrad von Hagen (Team Doctor), Kyle Botha (Logistics and Masseur) and Lucy Davey (Media Manager).

South Africa Group Stage Itinerary – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup West Indies and USA 2024

Monday, 03 June – 10:30 (16:30 SAST)

Sri Lanka vs South Africa – Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

Saturday, 08 June – 10:30 (16:30 SAST)

Netherlands vs South Africa – Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

Monday, 10 June – 10:30 (16:30 SAST)

South Africa vs Bangladesh – Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

Friday, 14 June – 19:30 (01:30 SAST)

South Africa vs Nepal – Arnos Vale Ground, St Vincent

Business Corner

By Khalid Mohidin

Businesses can now market affordably and effectively to a cricket audience!

We are excited to announce the launch of our Business Corner to help you market your business, products and services affordably and effectively to a cricket audience.

Since we started Cricket Fanatics Magazine in 2019, we've survived a pandemic, lockdowns, no cricket and even the financial woes of Cricket South Africa.

As a small, independent startup, we know how difficult it is to remain competitive under difficult circumstances.

We have to compete with some of the biggest media companies in the world ourselves, despite not having the budget and the resources they have.

However, we found a strategy that works for smaller businesses and that has been proven to work for thousands of businesses all over the world.

When we first discovered this strategy, we didn't believe that it would work.

After all, everybody around us was trying to blast their way to success via social media, just like the big brands did with traditional media like print, radio and television.

But it made so much sense that we decided to test it ourselves.

Today we are a well-respected publication in cricket circles.

And we have the systems to help any business implement the strategy.

We've therefore decided to start a Business Corner to help businesses implement this strategy.

But we know it's not for everybody.

Read more about the strategy and the system on our Business Page to decide whether you are ready to implement a modern online marketing strategy that gets you more long-term happy customers.

Sliding into place

By C.S Chiwanza

Ryan Rickelton dances down the pitch and meets the ball on the up. He returns to the popping crease, takes a big step forward and stops as if considering his next move. He considers his backlift for a moment, then backtracks. Rickelton is working on the step-out shot. He is good at it, but not as good as he envisions. Today, he is focused on that shot and the pickup. They are the only two he is working on this week. The plan is to master them till he executes them fluently.

Rickelton has always been the face of dedication and focus. When he was six, Rickelton woke up to hit balls at 5 am. The dull sound of a lightweight bat making contact with a tennis ball brought the Rickelton household to life on weekends. He spent hours and hours hitting the ball. A year later, Rickelton was monopolising his father’s time, asking him to shoot 100s of deliveries from the bowling machine.

More than 20 years later, he spends less time hitting the ball compared to back then. A net session can last about 20 minutes, but the training is now more intense - he engages in deliberate practice. "It's more focused. I work on specific details of my game," he says.

The pause halfway through the shot is as if he is breaking the move down to its parts—this, this, and that. Rickelton retreats and takes guard again, on middle stump. Done properly, the step-out shot is glorious, the batter can play drives or clear the boundary with ease.

Rickelton faces a couple of deliveries, he middles one and edges the second, but that doesn’t bother him, he is more concerned that his mechanics are on point. He faces another one and makes clean contact, the ball is smothered by the net. In a match situation, it would have raced to the boundary. It is the first of consecutive deliveries where the 26-year-old looks like poetry in motion. The mechanics, the timing, everything clicks into place. He faces delivery after delivery on different lines and lengths and executes the shot with panache.

He is now inhabiting the same plane he was on on 11 January 2024. MI Cape Town was playing against Durban Super Giants at Kingsmead. Before the match, Robbie Petersen had reminded him of the talks they had had before. “The only way I can explain it is to say Coach Robbie P gave me the license to get out,” he says.

He got out after facing 51 deliveries. Rickelton was dismissed after carving six fours and six sixes on his way to a brilliant 87, his first half-ton of SA20. It was a sign of things to come. Rickelton finished the season with 530 runs, a new benchmark in the league. He was the first batter to score 500 or more runs in a season. He scored the most half-centuries and had the highest average among batters with 400 or more runs and the second-highest compared to the top 10 run scorers.

His strike rate of 173.77 was number two on the top 10 run-scorers list. If you take a microscope to look beyond the surface of those figures, Rickelton’s SA20 numbers are even more impressive. His average of 58.88 and astronomical strike rate is 30.7 and 37.75 points higher than the average opener facing the same deliveries. No other opening batter had such an impact on their team.

Rickelton’s SA20 performance was not a one-off. After scything bowlers in the 2024 edition of the SA20, Rickelton turned his blade on domestic attacks. He added four more half-centuries for a total of nine 50s in just under four months of T20 cricket. Only five batters scored 400 or more runs in the CSA T20 Challenge. Rickelton was in second place with 441 runs for an average of 40 at 144.1. No other batter from that list had a higher average and only one had a better strike rate.

In 2021, Prasanna Agoram matter-of-factly told Mushtaq Ahmed, the Deccan Challengers coach, that Rickelton was going to open for them that season. The analyst had watched enough video footage to be certain that he was looking at a future star. Unfortunately, that move didn't work out for both parties because Rickelton was called up to Proteas duty just before leaving for the UAE. The matches he had been called up for were cancelled.

His Proteas debut was delayed by a few months and he missed out on what could have been his gateway into the franchise circuit. Nothing was working as it was supposed to. However, things are clicking into place three years later - just like his batting. He was awarded a national contract, was selected for the T20 World Cup squad and signed his first franchise contract with a non-South African team, the Seattle Orcas in the MLC.

They are developments he didn’t envision in January 2023. Rickelton went through the 2022-23 season batting and keeping wicket with an injured ankle. His ATFL ligament was torn and there was a bone spur on his heel pushing on his Achilles. It was so bad that he might as well have batted on crutches. Rickelton received PRP and cortisone injections for him to be able to take to the field.

The move was driven by his love for the game, he did all he could to delay the operation till the off-season, and he was also trying to save his international career. He hadn’t performed as well as he would have liked and was aware that other players were vying for the same position as him. The train of international cricket moves on quickly, one day you are a starter and the next you find yourself as a fifth choice.

Batting on one and a half legs, Rickelton peeled off three centuries in three First Class appearances for the Lions on his way to 365 for an average of 121.66 at 60.33. Rickelton also topped the List A run-scorers list with 452 runs for an average of 64.57 at 103.

However, he had a dismal showing in T20 cricket, he scored 146 runs in seven SA20 matches for an average of 20.85 at a strike rate of 113.17. He was 30th on the top run-scorers list and numbers were in the negative, compared to other openers facing the same deliveries.

“Six months ago I wouldn’t have put my name in the hat of potential picks. I wouldn’t have even considered the idea that I could be one of the travelling reserves. I am super stoked and can’t put it into words,” says Rickelton as he picks up his keeping gloves. He will put in 20 minutes of working on his wicketkeeping.

He crouches on the line of fourth stump, head above gloves. The first delivery is drifting to his right. Rickelton keeps his eyes trained on the ball as it slides into his gloves. He drops it, anticipating the next one. Like his batting, this session is also going to be good.

Lions CEO Jono Leaf-Wright Interview

By Stuart Judge

We recently sat down with Jono Leaf-Wright, the CEO of Lions Cricket, to discuss his role as a CEO as well as the factors that have led to the success of the Lions.

Jono Leaf-Wright is an accomplished entrepreneur and passionate cricket and sports lover. At only 38 years of age, Jono became the youngest CEO in South African cricket in October 2019, heading up the established Central Gauteng Lions Cricket Union and Lions Cricket Franchise. 

From 2001, the Johannesburg-based businessman established a hugely successful cricket coaching business working with players of all ages. During this time, Jono also held the title of CSA National U19 Talent Scout; U19 Lions Franchise Coach, CSA Level 3 coach, Royal Challengers Coach and much more. Jono also owned and operated many businesses as he followed his entrepreneurship dream.

Jono in his time as a National Scout developed and helped groom the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Quinton De Kock, Wiaan Mulder, Ryan Rickelton and many more. With an unrivalled passion and great determination, Jono works smarter and harder than most, resulting in a huge amount of work experience. His coaching successes range from Assisting Royal Challengers Bangalore during the IPL and Champions League (2009-2011); to Lions U19 coach, CSA National U19 Talent scout for 10 years as well as SA Schools coach. He has owned and managed multiple businesses over the past 23 years and has networked with some of South Africa’s leading corporates and CEO’s.

A calm and natural leader, Jono’s warm personality and solid organisational skills have resulted in him being appointed in leadership roles whether at school, club, national or international level. 

In October 2019, Jono was appointed the CEO of the Central Gauteng Lions. His daily tasks range from running a business that not only produces the best results on the field but also adheres to best practices and corporate governance; financial budgets, HR Management, Pipeline cricket, brand management, sponsorship, partnerships, relationships, adaptability and impact off the field.

Jono is a trustworthy, open, experienced and passionate man who is well-liked and admired for all that he has done and continues to do in the cricketing community, and for the lives and communities he is impacting meaningfully along the way.

When asked about his duties as a CEO, Jono said, “In essence, my Lions Cricket family are ultimately custodians of the sport. From a cricketing perspective, we constantly interact with the clubs, schools and universities in the areas under our care and jurisdiction to ensure the growth and development of the game. 

"From a business perspective, we also have to ensure that the business remains profitable and sustainable. At the Lions, we are fortunate that we do not put ‘titles’ on our jobs, but we rather focus on creating a family environment where everyone works for each other and the community of cricket we serve. 

"It is important to remember that whilst we do need to win on the field and lift those trophies, we have to also consider the fact that we need to change lives and allow all to DREAM BIG.”

Jono said the following when asked about the key factors to the success of Lions Cricket, “The success of Lions Cricket is because of the energy, care, hard work and love every person has for the brand. 

"Every day my team improves and tries to be better today than they were yesterday. They drive consistency while living, loving, learning and leading. 

"From a personal point of view, I was fortunate that I was a National Talent Scout for many years, and I feel that I know what talent needs in order to perform. 

"At Lions Cricket, we have fostered a family environment which has helped to foster relationships with key stakeholders such as players, staff, officials, fans, clubs, schools, universities and key partners. 

"We are extremely proud that we continue to retain our players and that more want to join our environment because of the professionalism we have both on the field and off the field. Add to that our DP World Lions Men’s Head Coach, Russel Domingo and DP World Lions Ladies Head Coach, Shaun Pretorius and we believe we have all the right ingredients for unprecedented success inside the boundary ropes and the boardroom.”

When asked about the player’s pathway at Lions Cricket, Jono said the following, “One of the goals that I had in 2019, was to align the schools system with the club system and to ensure both systems had a common vision for brand Lions Cricket. 

"The most important thing with young players is to give each player a fair and quality-based opportunity to play and develop. We are fortunate that we have an exceptional partner in Telkom, who has helped with the development of young players through the Telkom Talent Acceleration Programme. We also have a High-Performance team of players and coaches positioned within the system that affords players the opportunity to play alongside provincial and international cricketers which undoubtedly propels them to new heights. 

"The coaches and facilities we have at Lions Cricket is wonderful for the players and having some legends like Hashim Amla and Allan Donald involved as part of the Lions family is very special.”

Leaf-Wright elaborated on the impact additional tournaments have made to their powerful pipeline and the promise that lies within.

“Three years ago, we turned the winter off-season into one of the greatest 7-week periods of the year, in the creation of the Diadora Jozi Cup. Players like Sunette Viljoen-Louw, and Sarah Nettelton played this past weekend and got the award for Player of the Match. 

"Last year, we had Kyle Swart (U11) who managed to score four or five hundreds in the tournament. The event is known as the Carnival of Cricket culminating in the final at our iconic DP World Wanderers Stadium.

These tournaments ensure that our players gain greater exposure, form friendships and enjoy the privilege of playing for a Union that is wholeheartedly committed to growing the game and the communities in which we serve 365 days a year.”

When asked about the plans for the players and coaches during the off-season, Jono said, “At Lions Cricket, we have exceptional and unrivalled facilities and people including a full Medical Center equipped with specialized doctors, physios and strength and conditioning experts who

play a tremendous part in ensuring that our future and current players reach their peak and maintain it. 

"At the moment, players will work throughout winter but start coming together towards the end of August. Many of our players are playing overseas and some were selected for the Protea’s World Cup squad and West Indies tour, which has helped to ensure they remain in peak condition. 

"Each player has their own Player Development Plan for the off-season where they have certain goals and aspects that they need to achieve. Every single coach and mentor is available to our players as and when needed – off-season or not. Communication is key.”

Q&A: Rubin Hermann

By Stuart Judge

What was your upbringing like?  

I grew up in Pretoria East. I have two brothers and we were highly competitive; especially Jordan and I. My earliest memories are playing cricket in the carport with my brothers at our first house in Pretoria East where my dad put up nets for us to play in. At our second house in Pretoria East, we had a bigger garden so we started playing in the garden a lot more.

What was your path up until you joined the Titans as a contracted player?

During my primary school career, I played club cricket for Willowick (which subsequently became a part of Harlequins). I then went on to go to Waterkloof High School. Unfortunately, due to the increased workload in High School, I was unable to continue playing club cricket. After I finished High School, I went to the University of Pretoria where I joined the Tuks and Northerns sides.

Tell us more about your relationships with your brothers.

My brothers and I were extremely competitive at everything we did. If we played a game it would often end up with at least one of us crying. Jordan and I are particularly competitive whilst my other brother has a more nurturing personality.

Luckily now we are a bit calmer and are happy for each other if one of us does well. My dad was an extremely good swimmer and he encouraged us to be competitive by writing leaderboards for the games that we played. During lockdown, my brothers and I had championships for everything and our partners would join in as well which made it more fun and competitive.

What's your journey as a provincial cricketer been like, playing for the Titans, the Mpumalanga Rhinos and the North West Dragons?

When I joined the Titans it was a bit overwhelming as there were so many international cricketers and experienced provincial cricketers. When Cricket South Africa changed the provincial system, I moved to the Rhinos where I lived with my wife in Nelspruit for two years. I really enjoyed my time there and learnt a lot from my coaches like Gordon Matheson and Neil Levinson who offered invaluable advice throughout my time at the Rhinos. I then subsequently moved to the Dragons where I am also really enjoying the environment. I was fortunate that I knew coach Levinson from my time at the Rhinos and I have played with and against most of the people in the team so it was not that overwhelming.

Tell us about your time at the North West Dragons.

I have really enjoyed working under Craig and Neil. What I think that they have done really well is that they have created an environment where everyone feels like they can be themselves without being judged. There is a good mixture of banter with the players, but, equally, we know that when it is time to work hard we remain focused.

Talk us through the successful and difficult periods that you have experienced as a player.  

I am very fortunate that my family and my wife’s family (whom I have been with for 11 years) have been extremely supportive of me. Whilst I enjoyed my time at the Titans, I felt insecure in my game because the team was stacked full of excellent cricketers who won many competitions. When the provincial system changed, I did not expect that I would go to the Rhinos, however, I credit this period where I worked under Coach Levinson and Coach Matheson in helping me feel secure in my game. I credit both these periods at the Titans and the Rhinos for helping me feel more secure in my game.

What do you think could help some players feel more secure in their games?

Although I did not see a sports psychologist to make me feel more secure, I have nothing against it and I am willing to see a sports psychologist if needed. As a person, I often reflect on my performances and I am fortunate that I have coaches who give me honest feedback about my technique and my game. It is important that I stick to my own strengths and the technical and mental qualities that have gotten me to this point. If I start trying to play like someone else, I would lose my individuality as a cricketer and would ultimately not perform nearly as well as I could.

What are your short, medium and long-term goals?

As a person, I believe in trusting the process rather than obsessing about results. At the start of each season, I do not sit and set individual goals such as I would like to score x amount of hundreds or have y average, but I focus on thinking about how many games I would like to have an impact on. Obviously, I would like to score a lot of runs, that would be great, but if it is not helping the team then I will still feel down if the team hasn’t won.

What is your outlook on following process goals and how has it impacted your view on being selected for the national side and for tournaments such as the SA20?

I would really love to represent my country and be selected for tournaments such as the SA20, however, I try not to obsess about this as it takes me away from my focus on performing for the teams that I play for. Often with selection to national sides and franchise tournaments, there are many contextual factors such as other players also performing well or overseas players being selected. If I keep contributing to the teams that I play for winning matches then the selection will organically take care of itself.