Fifteen Leinster school cricketers are currently residing in South Africa taking advantage of their school Transition year spending time at a variety of schools and playing cricket at a high standard.
Over the past 14 years, Cricket Leinster has assisted young cricketers to find appropriate schooling arrangements at various venues around the country. The experience gained is invaluable with most returning as better players and having experienced first-hand the strong South African schools cricket set-up.
Richard Bisgood, Andrew Brawders, Stuart Jackson and Neil Rock were involved in a two-day High Performance training camp at Glenwood High school in Durban several hours after arriving at King Shaka airport. The boys will be at the school until early April and will have use of very impressive training facilities during their 11-week stay at the school. Neil Rock scored an impressive 75 in searing heat for the school 2nd XI last week and has been selected for the 1st XI for this weekend’s fixture against arch-rivals Maritzburg College.
Leinster U15 cricketers Aaron McGuire & Harry Archer made their debuts for Muir College 1st XI on their pre-season tour to Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape and also played Muir’s first competitive fixture against Graham at Uitenhage last weekend. Four games in four days (all time cricket format) was a great introduction for both boys at Muir whose 1st team this year contains two, top quality Eastern Province provincial players in wicketkeeper Sine Tsotsa and fast bowler Neo Pepeta.
Fixtures in the coming weeks will involve games against other strong Eastern Cape cricket schools like Woodridge, Grey High, Union High, Brandwag, Queen's College, Daniel Pienaar, Pearson and Sterling High.
Capped players at senior level Andrew Balbirnie, George Dockrell, Lorcan Tucker along with Barry McCarthy have spent time at Muir College recently and it is hoped that the current crop of players spending time there can follow their example and gain higher honours in the years to come.
The first Leinster girls to be part of this programme are Malahide twins Lara and Tess Maritz who arrived in Pretoria several weeks ago to spend time training and playing at Menlo Park school. As well as playing for the school, both girls will play for local club Irene Villagers. Ryan Tobin from The Hills is also playing, studying and coaching at Menlo Park and on Sunday’s plays for local club Sinnoville CC.
Ireland U15 pair Cian Nulty and JJ Garth arrived to Johannesburg last week and will spend time at the prestigious St Stithians school whose cricket is headed up by former Pembroke CC professional Wim Jansen. Garth, playing for the senior 2nd XI this week took 3-26 off 10 overs in their fixture against Pretoria school Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool (Affies).
Below is a list of the Leinster players currently in South Africa: