The 2020 Kiwi-African 1st 11
Aotearoa has an illustrious history of receiving cricketing assistance from those in Africa and we're now seeing the cycles change. This initially felt like an older and younger cycle, but in pondering Kiwi-Africans on the domestic circuit in the past year or so, it became clear that the Kiwi-African group has undergone an interesting wee shake up and now appears to be rather concise.
Prior to last summer, two younger Kiwi-Africans with potential to have long domestic careers stepped away from their contracts with Otago Volts. Shawn Hicks had a history of concussion since coming to Aotearoa and Warren Barnes battled all sorts of injuries just to get to a domestic cricket contract, which then forced Barnes to step aside. Depending on their possible form last summer, both Hicks and Barnes would have been in the mix for Kiwi-African 1st 11 spots; Hicks as a crisp all-rounder and Barnes as a hostile seamer.
Mid-season, Wellington Firebirds' Malcolm Nofal went back to South Africa and took up a contract with Easterns as well 'The Hills' in the Leinster League (Ireland - Nofal has played cricket in Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland). Nofal was a favourite of the domestic cricket nerd, low key impressing with bat and ball, putting him well in the mix for Kiwi-African 1st 11 action.
More recently, Auckland Aces' Craig Cachopa announced his retirement from domestic cricket and this is kind of monumental as it wraps up the Cachopa dynasty in kiwi cricket. Older brothers Carl and Brad have moved on from domestic cricket, while Craig largely stuck to Ford Trophy and Super Smash in recent seasons after a career that feels like it didn't quite live up to the potential that Cachopa showed in dominating age-group cricket. Ultimately, Craig played professional cricket, so did his two brothers and that's pretty damn solid.
The Kiwi-African 1st 11 that I've named zones in on players who are active and will be playing moving forward, so there's no Cachopa or Nofal. Including Hicks and Barnes, that's four lads who fall out of contention and this signals a minor shift in the playing base for this Kiwi-African team.
I've included some squad members: Chad Bowes (Canterbury), Danru Ferns (Auckland) and Andrew Fletcher (Wellington). Bowes and Fletcher could have top-order batting spots depending on your vibe.
Colin Munro - Auckland
Born: Durban.
FC Debut: Auckland.
Misc: Batted #11 on FC debut.
Bat
FC : 51.58avg/98.79sr.
LA : 37.04avg/113.69sr.
T20 : 29.06avg/144.71sr.
Ball
FC: 27.51avg/2.72rpo.
LA: 62.50avg/5.48rpo.
T20: 32.48avg/9.21rpo.
BJ Watling - Northern Districts
Born: Durban.
FC Debut: Northern Districts.
Misc: FC debut vs Auckland; Mark Richardson, Richard Jones, Matt Horne, Lou Vincent, Rob Nicol, Tama Canning, Brooke Walker, Reece Young, Kerry Walmsley.
Bat
FC: 39.25avg/44.32sr.
LA: 37.56avg/73.55sr.
T20: 24.60avg/108.94sr.
Devon Conway - Wellington
Born: Johannesburg.
FC Debut: Gauteng. Misc: FC debut alongside Temba Bavuma and Andre Nel (!!), T20 debut alongside David Miller and Kyle Abbott.
Bat
FC: 47avg/56.84sr.
LA: 44.98avg/85.86sr.
T20: 39.66avg/124.84sr.
Glenn Phillips - Auckland
Born: Eastern Cape.
FC Debut: Auckland.
Misc: Younger brother Dale plays for Otago, brother-in-law Donovan Grobbelaar was another Kiwi-African stalwart.
Bat
FC: 39.62avg/60.68sr.
LA: 34.69avg/83.21sr.
T20: 30.87avg/135.39sr.
Dean Foxcroft - Otago Volts
Born: Gauteng.
FC Debut: Central Districts.
Misc: South Africa's T20 Schools Player of the Year in 2015.
Bat
FC: 26.30avg/47.76sr.
LA: 51.15avg/90.23sr.
T20: 41.46avg/129.56sr.
Ball
FC: 18.04avg/2.59rpo.
LA: 40.42avg/5.39rpo.
T20: 48.60avg/9.34rpo.
Brad Schmulian - Central Districts
Born: Cape Town.
FC Debut: Central Districts.
Misc: Casual 203 on FC debut.
Bat
FC: 41.60avg/.60.32sr.
LA:59avg/105.98sr.
Ball
FC: 28.66avg/2.67rpo.
LA: 248avg/6.82rpo.
Colin de Grandhomme - Northern Districts
Born: Harare (Zimbabwe).
FC Debut: Zimbabwe A.
Misc: List-A debut was for Manicaland vs Namibia and de Grandhomme hit 96* opening the batting.
Bat
FC: 36.72avg/72.70sr.
LA: 25.65avg/(no Cricinfo strike-rate lol)
T20: 24.45avg/161.23sr.
Ball
FC: 29.91avg/2.42rpo.
LA: 43.35avg/5.12rpo.
T20: 38.80avg/9.35rpo.
Michael Rippon - Otago
Born: Cape Town.
FC Debut: Western Province.
Misc: Averages 16.70 (ODI) and 20.66 (T20I) in international cricket bowling for Netherlands.
Bat
FC: 27.88avg/47.30sr.
LA: 30.18avg/77.07sr.
T20: 26.31avg/119.90sr.
Ball
FC: 33.07avg/3.35rpo.
LA: 25.18avg/4.77rpo.
T20: 27.12avg/7.44rpo.
Willem Ludick - Central Districts
Born: Pretoria.
FC Debut: Central Districts.
Misc: Same South Africa Under 19 squad as Dean Foxcroft for 2016 World Cup.
Bat
FC: 28.42avg/53.20sr.
LA: 12avg/73.84sr.
T20: 21.14avg/135.77sr.
Ball
FC: 23.51avg/2.80rpo.
LA: 38.55avg/5.98rpo.
T20: 67.50avg/9rpo.
Neil Wagner - Northern Districts
Born: Pretoria.
FC Debut: Northerns.
Misc: FC debut alongside former Kiwi-African stalwart Kruger van Wyk - Wagner took 8w on debut.
Ball
FC: 26.68avg/3.21rpo.
LA: 28.76avg/5.43rpo.
T20: 27.82avg/8.78rpo.
Louis Delport - Auckland
Born: Transvaal.
FC Debut: Western Province.
Misc: FC debut alongside Travis Muller who played for Otago last summer.
Ball
FC: 30.55avg/2.98rpo.
LA: 28.27avg/4.64rpo.
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