In March, Baviwe Dlabantu hit two sixes in three balls in the eighth over of the Komani internal cricket league final. Two overs later, his team, Spartans, won the match and made its mark on the local cricket circuit.
Skipper Lutho Hadi said the team had ambitions for Mlungisi teams to play in Border league matches.
“Winning the Komani internal league boosted our morale and added to the belief that we can do anything.
“There used to be many teams in Komani. Many have disappeared because of a plethora of challenges including facilities, access to professional coaching and funding,” said Hadi.
Spartans had been competing on two fronts in the past season, both in the local league and the Border second league.
Before the halting of the league season, Spartans was at number one in the Border second league log and preparing for the top eight trials.
“Last year we were the youngest team (in the Border league) and a bit scared, but this year we have been bolder,” said Hadi.
He believed having a team full of bowlers aided its cause as both leagues were 20 over competitions.
“Our bowling is pretty solid as seven of our members are bowling all-rounders. Every time we won the toss we bowled first and tried to make sure our competitors set low scores.”
While realising that having many bowlers was the team’s strength, Hadi said they understood it was also a chink in their armour to perhaps be short on the batting front.
“As we move up the leagues, we will play 40 over and 50 over cricket, which will demand depth in batting. We are working hard on it, so that we have more people hitting big scores regularly.”
While many challenges still plague the possibility of competitive cricket in Mlungisi, Hadi believed the dream of competing in the higher echelons of Border cricket was achievable through grit and creative thinking.
“On average we spend more than R10 000 a month just on travel. Some of us work, but others rely on parents.
“We need sponsorship to go far. Queen’s College was kind enough to offer us its fields for our home games in the Border league. That is a positive, something we can build on.”
For now, Hadi and the team will settle for the cement pitch and tattered nets at Dumpy
