Cravenby Cricket Club (CCC) closed out a landmark 2025/26 season in style at its annual awards dinner at the weekend — celebrating historic promotions, club growth, community pride and outstanding individual achievements.

But the evening was about far more than handing out trophies.

Celebration

It was a celebration of everything Cravenby stands for — community, family, service, sacrifice and a deep love for the game. Over the years, the club has grown into more than just a cricket club. It has become a home for players, a gathering place for supporters and a proud part of the greater cricket community. This season will go down as one of the club’s finest — and the numbers tell the story.

After spending close to 20 years in First Division C, Cravenby’s First Team embarked on a remarkable rise through the Western Province club cricket ranks. In 2023/24, the side earned promotion to First Division B. They then won First Division B to move up to First Division A. This season, they went and won First Division A as well — earning promotion to the Premier League, the highest level of club cricket in the Western Cape.

Three consecutive league promotions. For a community club, that is a rare and remarkable feat — and one the club regards as an unmatched achievement in recent Western Cape club cricket history. For Cravenby, it represents far more than movement through the divisions. It is the result of years of persistence, belief and rebuilding — a cricket family moving in the same direction.

Behind the First Team’s historic rise has been a strong executive leadership and coaching group, led by Chairperson AK Sonday and Head Coach, First XI captain and player Yaseen Vallie. Vallie is a local Cravenby talent who went on to play professional cricket before returning to give back to the club and community that helped shape his journey. His recognition as Cricketer of the Year was a fitting honour — a reward for the leadership, experience and commitment he brought to the First Team and to the club as a whole.

Alongside him, Shaheen Khan has been central to the First Team’s success. Another local Cravenby product, Khan carried the badge with pride throughout the season. Being named both Players’ Player of the Year and First Team Most Valuable Player reflected not only his performances on the field, but the deep respect he has earned from his teammates.

The 2025/26 season also told a wider story of club growth.

Sevens

Cravenby fielded seven teams across the campaign, with the introduction of a Ladies team, a Vets team and a Fifth team adding new energy, depth and opportunity. While the First Team’s promotion grabbed the headlines, the expansion across the club showed the true strength of the CCC journey — more players, more families, more opportunities and more people proudly carrying the badge forward.

“This season is not only about what we have won. It is about how far we have come as a club, as a family and as a community,” says Sonday.

The evening was attended by key figures from the cricket community, including the WPCA President, the club’s Life Presidents and senior leadership from CCC.

In his opening address, Life President Sharafad Ahmed reflected on the season’s progress and the collective effort behind it — speaking to the importance of unity, commitment and the people who give their time and energy to move Cravenby forward. “This season showed what is possible when a club moves together – from our players and coaches to our families, supporters and wider cricket community.”

Reflection

WPCA President Johannes Adams also addressed guests, reflecting on the important role community clubs play within the wider Western Province cricket landscape — and the value of clubs like Cravenby in developing players, building character and keeping the game strong at grassroots level.

From the speeches to the awards, the message was clear: Cravenby’s success belongs to everyone. The players who performed. The coaches and captains who led. The families who made sacrifices every weekend. The supporters on the sidelines. And those who serve behind the scenes.

Among the club’s top individual awards, Shehzaad Parker was named Sportsperson of the Year, while Zakariyah Inglis received the Emerging Player of the Year award — a sign of the exciting future being built at Cravenby.

The season delivered trophies across multiple divisions, making it one of the club’s most memorable campaigns to date:

-First Team — First Division A League Winners

– Second Team — Reserve C League Winners

– Third Team — Reserve F League Winners

– Ladies — Second Division Trophy

– Youth — Awqaf U19 Trophy

Team awards:

First Team: Best Bowler — Roberts | Best Batsman — Mubashier Vallie

Second Team: Most Valuable Player — Ahmed Bayoumy | Best Bowler — Sergio Veary | Best Batsman — Ryan Woolgar

Third Team: Most Valuable Player — Shaheem Isaacs | Best Bowler — Rizaam Abrahams | Best Batsman — Mubeen Khan

Fourth Team: Most Valuable Player — Masoed Dawood | Best Bowler — Shaakir Laloo | Best Batsman — M. Uwais Abbasi

Fifth Team: Most Valuable Player — Ronald Bailey | Best Bowler — Wasim Ismail | Best Batsman — Channing Cane

Ladies Team: Most Valuable Player — Taybah Adams | Best Bowler — Zarah Lewis | Best Batsman — Natalie Hopwood

Vets Team: Most Valuable Player — Chirag Ebrahim | Best Bowler — AJ Parker | Best Batsman — Mohammed “Middy” Ebrahim

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