2021 in review

2021 and 2020 has been 2 years that most people rather would want to forget. We have lost most (if not all) of our freedom, many of us lost our income, we had to say goodbye to friends and family. Covid-19 came and taught us that everything can change in a wink of an eye.

With almost no Indoor Cricket to be played for almost a year, some of our arena’s closed down. We lost so many legends of our great sport in this time, their memories and the lessons they taught us, will live on forever.

Then, FINALLY, in October 2021 we could host a National Championship. What a great day this was. Friends from all over South Africa came together to battle for the title on the court, but off the court we all could catch up and have a few beers together. Anthony Ristow and his team made us all feel welcome in their home arena, so much work and planning went into this tournament to ensure a safe, clean and healthy environment was created for us all to come to.

Elrich and Mariette’s planning into arranging all the Tournament admin and Umpiring staff took month’s of hard work. Walking through the arena, you could feel the sense of happiness and a communal feeling of thankfulness. Familiar faces happy to see each-other again and so many new faces, excited and hungry to learn. Finally after almost 2 years, a successful tournament was hosted. Congratulations to all the winning teams and the individual winners.

Novermber 2021 saw us in Kuils River, Cape Town. In true Western Province style, we were welcomed with an unrivaled spirit of pure Capetonian flair. Vicky and Norma Petersen welcomed us all to their arena. Our Overs Tournament, with a total of 16 teams, could finally start. Friends from all over South Africa came together for an enjoyable week of Indoor Cricket. Congratulations to Western Province and all involved, this Tournament was a huge success, and a few legends of the game stood up and made us notice them. Respect from each player toward another became unmissable, it is an honor to have witnessed how the players of this tournament recognized another and respected every player and spectator to enter the arena. Congratulations to every participant and to all the winners of this spectacular Tournament.

As we start to crawl our way back to some sort of normality, we have to reevaluate our position and find a way to return our sport to a pre-covid state, no let me rephrase, we need to find a way to take our sport to new heights in South Africa by growing our Provincial teams to attend our tournaments. We need to reestablish some Provinces that saw their only or last arena close down. Find a way to assist arena’s to survive this uncertain times and build new arena’s where there is a need to do so.

As I look back, 2021 will be remembered as the year we started to stand back up, may 2022 be even more successful and let us take hands to ensure that our beloved sport continue to grow for our children and their children.