NCC upbeat about hosting T20 KO play-offs

THE 2021-22 CSA Provincial T20 Knock-Out cricket championship has entered the crucial quarter-finals stage minus one of the host teams after the Northern Cape Heat were eliminated in the pool stages of the competition in their own backyard.

Northern Cape Heat could not come up the mast thanks to three consecutive defeats in the pool stages, ending bottom of the log.

Yet, despite the less than favourable performances by the hosts, their executive management remained four square behind them and sounded upbeat about the fact that the tournament would still reach its climax at the Diamond Oval.

Northern Cape Cricket (NCC) CEO Eugene Jacobs this week told the DFA how excited they were to be hosting the play-offs and final. “It is a huge honour and privilege for NCC to have been awarded the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and the finals weekend here in Kimberley.

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“The top eight sides of the various bio secure bubbles will now assemble in Kimberley to compete to get a finalist for this competition,” he said.

“We are, however, sad that our own Northern Cape Heat team could not progress to the finals weekend. But we are encouraged by their performance and there were very good individual performances that we are very proud of,” Jacobs added.

Jacobs also zeroed in on the impact the current cricket jamboree in Kimberley will have on the local economy.

“Yes it’s an honour for the province to contribute to the economy of the city where people are coming in as players along with the support staff to host all the games,” He said.

“These games are aired in Africa, England, Australia and are live streamed in India. We are on the world stage and it makes it such an honour to host the T20 finals.”

The first quarter-final is set for Tuesday October 19, pitting South Western Districts against the Multiply Titans in the first match of the day at the Diamond Oval.

The second game starts at 2pm and will be a face-off between the Itec Knights and Western Province.