CRICKET NEWS - SWD Cricket (SWDC ) concluded the 2019/20 season on Saturday 1 August with a successful virtual annual general meeting (AGM).

In the absence of the chairman of the board, Rudy Claassen, the report was tabled by the vice-president, Shael Laminie.

Laminie highlighted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences on South African cricket. "The reality is that it will have a massive impact on the game for which Cricket South Africa (CSA), together with its members, have designed a Covid-19 and Future Cricket strategy," he said. 

CSA members have also formulated a consolidated Covid-19 risk analysis covering risks like financial sustainability, the inability to complete the core mandate within the member region, people risk, player well-being and conditioning, insufficient facility maintenance and revenue projects.

Incentive

For the Operational Incentive Scorecard results, which is a very important barometer whereby the union measures their performances, SWD Cricket again excelled, finishing fourth overall with an average of 80,03% (behind KwaZulu Natal 83,49%), Boland 82,49% and Northerns 81,88%).

This achievement has earned SWD an incentive of R400 000. In addition, SWDC again achieved 100% for the Governance anchor on the Incentive Score Card - only one of two unions to achieve this - for which they will receive a further R138 916.

Finance

SWDC, which faces a very challenging and competitive landscape as part of the South African Cricket fraternity and as one of the smaller members of the union, often punches above its weight and delivered many notable achievements in the 2019/20 season.

Despite tough financial challenges, the SWDC reported a profit of R249 132 compared to a loss of R1 202 383 in 2018/19. A major contributing factor was the fact that SWDC management strictly controlled expenditure of a R600 000 grant from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).

SWD Cricket will continue with the processes to establish its headquarters in George. "Although a lot of hard work, time and energy have already being delivered, the process was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we are looking forward to conclude a favourable lease agreement with the George Council and start with the project," Laminie said.

Player success

SWD's commitment and dedication towards the transformation imperatives of CSA is evident in that SWD is one of only four affiliate members to meet the EPG transformation benchmark of 60%. SWD achieved 67,40% on the EPG score card that focuses on data quality, member barometer, quality of opportunity, squad high performance assessments, governance assessment, finances assessment and win ratio.

SWDC's core business is to produce quality cricket players for the system. In this respect, the elevation of Glenton Stuurman, former SWD player who is making a statement at national level, and Tyrece Karelse, who was selected for the SA u.19 team, are evidence of successful programmes.

Stefan Tait, who spent two seasons with SWD, was rewarded with a contract at the Warriors and the senior provincial team coach for the past three seasons, Baakier Abrahams, will further his career as the assistant coach at the Warriors.

Laminie was re-elected for his last terms as vice-president and Aubrey Mokoka as independent director (chairman of audit and risk committee), whilst Levesto le Roux and Donovan Claassen were elected for the vacant non-independent director's positions.

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