Since its inception in September 2023, the Jeffreys Bay Cricket Club, founded by Ruan Thomas, has provided a platform for cricketers of all ages to showcase their talents.
Now, more than a year later, the club has not only continued to grow and thrive but has also achieved a significant milestone — becoming the first cricket club in the Kouga region to be invited to participate in the esteemed Pineapple Tournament, set to take place in Port Alfred from March 8 to 15.
Despite not having played cricket for over 10 years, in 2023, Thomas deeply desired to revive the sport in Jeffreys Bay and provide a base for people of all ages, regardless of their socioeconomic background, at no cost.
He said that they currently have 55 members, of whom 28 are actively involved, and they make use of the cricket pitch at Victory Christian School, where they practise on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Thomas said that they have also registered the club as a non-profit organisation and are awaiting their registration certificate.
“The goal of the cricket club is to uplift the community and provide equal opportunity to all,” said Thomas.
The club has participated in the Heatherbank Corporate Cricket League in Gqeberha multiple times since the start of 2024 and recently won the summer semi-finals against the Gqeberha-based Nomads.
The finals will take place on February 22, with their opponents yet to be decided at the second semi-finals on February 15.
“It is amazing to see the waves that our club has made since we started in 2023,” said Thomas.
Having attended the Pineapple Tournament as a spectator in 2024, he was inspired by the excitement, and he said that he could not wait to share the experience with his own team.
Thomas then took the initiative to contact the organisers to inquire about joining this year’s tournament.
To his surprise, they received an invitation to participate in the tournament, where they will play at least four games over four days.
“Only eight teams receive an official invitation, so it is a great honour to be invited,” said Thomas.
“This is also the first time since the tournament was established in 1904 that a club from the Kouga region has been invited to participate.”
Since accepting the invitation, Thomas said that they have been hard at work practising playing 50 overs, which is a requirement for the tournament.
“It is going to be a total mind shift because when we play 20 overs in the corporate league, we focus on building up as many runs as possible, while playing 50 overs can be more time-consuming and we will need to protect our wickets,” said Thomas.
Even though they are thrilled to be participating, he said the trip will cost at least R30 000, which will cover tournament fees, food, and accommodation.
Unfortunately, Thomas said that most of the players are not able to afford the expenses, and he is hoping to receive sponsorships to assist.
He said they have been fortunate to receive food donations but require more financial assistance.
“We would appreciate any donations from individuals and businesses,” said Thomas.
For more information, contact Ruan Thomas at 083 997 8803 or email jbaycricket@gmail.com.
