Despite the Proteas being unable to clinch a much-needed whitewash over the English, the good news for Kimberley is that the city’s cricketing venue came out shining.
EVERY dark cloud, it is said, has a silver lining. This adage is used to express optimism even in the face of gloomy or seemingly hopeless circumstances.
That ominous shadow hovered over the Kimberley Diamond Oval on Wednesday night after England prevented South Africa from sweeping the One Day International series. Losing the last game of the series meant that South Africa did not automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup, which was a difficult pill to swallow.
And the Proteas fans certainly felt that disappointment on Wednesday afternoon.
The silver lining, though not for the beaten Proteas team, was nonetheless pretty dazzling as it shone a spotlight on the venue and the spectators who had turned up for the ODI. Enthusiastic cheering, music, trumpet blasts and tunes could be heard all around the Kimberley Diamond Oval. And there was also a fair bit of rhythmic swaying to the beat as spectators danced despite their team being squeezed by a determined English team.
I couldn’t help but think that the Diamond Oval did an outstanding job hosting this international game. Despite all the obstacles, hoops and hurdles, I believe that Northern Cape Cricket can be proud of itself for setting up a facility and extravaganza that met all requirements and expectations.
Acting CEO for Northern Cape Cricket, Thapelo January, said that the ODI meant the world for the Oval. “For us at NCC it was like the phoenix rising from the ashes hosting the biggest game of cricket the province has ever seen,” he told the DFA.
All of the seats in the stadium, including those in the main grandstand, side grandstands, and grass embankments, were occupied despite the game taking place mid-week. And as the day wore on, even more people could be seen entering the grounds.
January said both NCC and CSA were heartened by the support. “Cricket South Africa has commended us for a well-organised setup,” he said. “CSA could not stop talking of the hospitality they received from our province as a whole, also they were blown away by the fact that the numbers reached thousands of spectators, on a weekday, at the start of play!
“Having reached full capacity at the stadium was the final cherry on top,” he added. “And for that, we as a company are very grateful to our province for coming out in numbers to ensure the stadium was sold out.”
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape sun was doing what it does best, and while most of the spectators were prepared, I was not one of them. As I sat on the edge of the border in the sweltering heat, hoping to get one or two great photographs, perspiration was streaming down my back.
Even the sweltering heat, however, could not depress the onlookers’ enthusiasm. Numerous spectators could be seen rushing up and down with their flags, supporting their teams, and jumping in celebration each time the ball reached the boundary.
I pondered on my own why the Diamond Oval does not host more matches of this magnitude as I watched the fans enjoy the day with friends and family. It is true that the venue is tiny and that it requires some upkeep, but how are the Diamond Oval and Northern Cape Cricket expected to handle maintenance if they don’t host important matches like this?
The individuals who purchase tickets and fill the stadium are ultimately responsible for its continued operation. I am confident that the Oval will improve if Cricket South Africa permits more games to be played there since money would then be available for much-needed equipment and upkeep.
The CEO told the DFA that this is in their planning. “We also want to utilise the space we have better by adding more seating. If the capacity is increased by a small percentage, it will make decisions easier to allocate international fixtures to us as the return on investment will always make sense,” January said.
While taking a little stroll, I saw that everything was operating as it should. Sure, the scoreboard briefly experienced technical difficulties, and yes, one of the restrooms had water on the floor (maybe an excited fan momentarily forgot the basics of how taps work), but both of those minor concerns can be easily fixed.
January said that these minor issues could now be remedies, thanks to the cash injection from the ODI. “Regarding the ticket sales, the union receives a percentage from Cricket South Africa for the gate sales, this assists us to replace what we financially laid out for stadium upgrades, and allows us to use any surplus funds for more upgrades to the stadium to ensure we receive more games of this magnitude.
“The stadium has a very outdated scoreboard that acts up from time to time, so that’s definitely a priority for us to replace going forward. We have to look at building an indoor net facility on the stadium’s premises as this will also take us out of a ‘rural stadium’ classification and give us ‘urban’ status, this also helps pull in more international fixtures,” he explained.
The One-Day International between South Africa and England, in my opinion, demonstrated to Cricket South Africa that the Kimberley Diamond Oval is equipped to host big international events. The Oval can only get better with a much-needed financial boost, and ideally, it will eventually be a location that can be used more frequently.
My plea to the people of Kimberley is to support the cricket stadium when there are matches being played. Bring your family and friends, sit on the grass under an umbrella, and enjoy some fine cricket being played. At the end of the day, the seat you paid for helps the Diamond Oval stay up to par with the other fields around the country.
In conclusion January expressed his thanks to everyone who made Wednesday possible.
“The Premier, the MECs, and our corporate partners, who all assisted us, thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we pray for a long-lasting relationship, ensuring a smooth journey, and many many more fixtures of this calibre,” he said.
