HOWZITW E L C O M E T O O F F I C I A L

N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E F S C U

I cannot believe that we are planning for the National Weeks to start, soon. This year has flown by! Congratulations on your inclusions to the relevant Free State Teams and we wish you all the best for your week. Remember it is a big honour to partake in these weeks and we know you will give it your best! To all the staff thank you for all the hard work and may you enjoy some quality time with your families over the coming festive season. God Bless!

JOHAN VAN HEERDEN - CEO

What to look forward to in this issue:

VKB Knights visited local schools in order to build awareness ahead of the Knights T20 Challenge campaign at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.

ISSUE 4 - 2016

The inaugural Momentum Greyt Bash proved to be a huge success.

Thousands turned up for the KFC Mini Cricket Festival held at Curro Private Scool in Bloemfontein.

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GREY COLLEGE MOMENTUM GREYT BASH

GREYT BASH RULES AND PLAYING CONDITIONS

SCHOOLS

Grey College hosted a very successful Momentum Greyt Bash at the beginning of Septembe. On the 23rd of August we had an Auction Evening where 72 of the school’s cricketers were sold to 6 companies who bought the naming rights of the teams. The following teams participated: ABSA (known as ABSA Aces), Qualicon Construction (known as Qualicon Strikers), AutoPark 101 (known as AutoPark Jets), Slurry Master / Diamond Fuel (known as Diamond Hunters), TyreMart (known as TyreMart Titans) and Kloppers (known as Kloppers Kings) Our aim with the Greyt Bash was to reward the cricketer who plays in the lower teams and never gets the opportunity to play in any of the big Inter-schools matches during the season. We also wanted to reach out to under

privileged players and give them the opportunity to play and compete with other cricketers at a higher level.Each team was made up of players ranging from under 14 right up to all the Grey College First XI players. Up until the Auction, none of the 72 players knew who they were going to play with or against, which

added to the excitement of the event. This year we invited 6 black players from other schools to also take part in the Momentum Greyt Bash and showcase their talents. Each team had one of these players added to their line-ups and it proved a huge success with these players putting in some

match winning performances for their teams. During the tournament, which took place on Friday and Saturday (2 and 3 September), all the teams played in specially branded clothing to go with the company logos. The matches were keenly contested with most of them going down to the last over. During all the games there was a designated Momentum Multiply Zone where batsmen could double their runs if they managed to hit the balls into that specific area. The players loved this and teams felt they were always in the game and rarely was any target too big to chase or set. After three rounds of round-robin games the Momentum Greyt Bash final was played on the main field between the ABSA Aces and the Auto Park 101 Jets. After a great final the ABSA Aces were crowned as the inaugural winners.

Games were contested as 15-overs-per-side matches. White balls and black side-screens were used to add to the excitement. In an attempt to give all players an equal opportunity we introduced a few different playing conditions as well. Bowlers were limited to 6 meter run-ups and batsmen had to retire when they reached 30 runs. A batsman who retired were allowed back on, if 3 more wickets fell in that innings. Only two bowlers were allowed to bowl their maximum allotted overs, which meant that each team had to use at least 7 bowlers per match.

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KFC MINI CRICKET PROVINCIAL FESTIVAL

KFC MINI CRICKET

KFC MINI CRICKET NEWS

Free State Cricket Union hosted the annual KFC Mini Cricket Provincial Festival on the 5th November at Curro Private School in Bloemfontein. The festival is a great opportunity for kids of all backgrounds to get activly involved with KFC Mini Cricket, make new friends and get coaching tips from volunteer coaches. VKB Knights batsman Pite van Biljon attended the festival, taking the youngsters through their warm-up routine, after which he helped the scholars fine tune their techniques during the games. The festival was attended by well over a 1000 youngsters, making it a spectacle to behold with cricket games spread over the Curro Private school sports fields. A DJ was on hand to provide the entertainment as players blasted sixes all over to the beat of the music! Huge thanks to all involved for making this a very speacial day out for the younsters.

The regional festivals are currently taking place at various regions across the Province. Sasolburg hosted their second regional festival on 7 September 2016 at Taaibos Primary. It was well organised and the attendance was very good. Rocklands festival was held at Mothusi School on 13 September 2016 and since the last festival we have seen a lot of improvement. It was also pleasing to see Toka under 7 team taking part in the festival. They executed the basics very well. The Mini Cricket Coach for the month of September is Doctor Motlhakoane and for October 2016 Stefan Vermeulen.

“BOWL MORE NOT LESS”

COACHING

Australia’s growing number of fast bowling casualties proves CA’s resting policy is not workingIt’s that time of year when Australia’s battle weary footballers must shake their heads in disbelief at the cotton wool culture that has taken over cricket. Rugby league iron man Johnathan Thurston has been smashed and bashed and thrashed for eight months but he has put up his hand to cop more of the same by playing for Australia in this month’s Four Nations. Meanwhile in South Africa, Australia’s bowling attack has been smacked around like park cricketers. It comes as no surprise because their names — Mennie, Tremain and Worrall — might well pass for your local law firm and South Africa is a brutal place to start a career. The reliable Josh Hazlewood should be there but he is resting. You read that right. A fast bowler is resting in October. The view is he has a tough year ahead. The brilliant Mitchell Starc would be resting too if he was not injured. Cricket Australia is heavily into sports science these days and restricting workloads of fast bowlers in an attempt to reduce the risk of injuries. The issue has caused a massive philosophical divide between the scientists of the present and the players of the past who feel that the best way to prepare forbowling is to actually do it. Their trump line in the debate is this question no one can

answer. If the workload management theory is so good why has Pat Cummins played eight first class games in six years, why does Peter Siddle have stress fractures, why will Nathan Coulter-Nile miss the entire summer with a back injury and James Pattinson again race the clock for Test selection after back and shin problems? Australia has barely started the summer yet its fast bowling landscape is stricken with more casualties than a remake of Pearl Harbor. Sports science has come a long way in cricket but the jury is very much out on this workload issue including

the rationing of balls delivered in nets. Thank heavens it wasn’t around in Glenn McGrath’s day. The fast bowling great hated resting. He believed on keeping his engine running so he never went cold. So did plenty of others. The great Courtney Walsh played cricket all but non-stop

for the West Indies and Gloucestershire for 14 years and suffered barely a cracked fingernail. The more he bowled the stronger he got. Pakistani great Wasim Akram only became the mesmeric genius that he was because he would arrive at training in Lahore two hours before his teammates to practice his tricks. These days he would be told to bowl his 40 balls per net session, go home and the world could have been denied one of its greatest talents.

The article below by Robert Craddock, puts the spotlight again on whether restricting the workload of bowlers could be the cause of the number of injuries that we see amongst some of the best fast bowlers at the moment. And as he says “right now the Bowl More Not Less old boys club are winning the argument”.

Some people obviously suggest that the best way to have a strong body to cope with bowling is to bowl more not less. On the flip side of the coin, the reasoning especially at youth level has been to implement bowling directives to manage the workload of young fast bowlers and reduce the amount of wear and tear on their young growing bodies.

The following are the restrictions that CSA have put in place as to how many overs young cricketers can bowl in

a spell and in a day: U13 (Max overs per spell 4 - Max overs per day - 12) U15 (Max overs per spell 5 - Max overs per day 14) - U17 (Max overs per spell 6 - Max overs per day 16) - U18 (Max overs per spell 6 - Max oves per day 18) U19 (Max overs per spell 6 - Max overs per day - 18)

Recently I also attended the Cricket South Africa Coaches Conference where Adrian Le Roux, former fitness trainer for the Proteas who currently works with the Kolkata Knight Riders did a presentation on the management and workload of bowlers. They started what they call the Fast Bowlers Clinic and I asked Adrian to give us some more insight into the work that they are doing. (See Article in this Newsletter on FBC)

RAFEEK ISMAIL - FSCU COACHES MANAGER

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FAST BOWLERS CLINIC

COACHING

The Fast Bowlers Clinic originated in

2013. From the outset the primary goal

was to create an effective and practical

monitoring system. A system that will

enable coaches, support staff and the

players to monitor and manage the

fast bowler. At the time CSA had a

management system in place but it had

some limitations to effectively manage

the fast bowler. The biggest limitation

was the ability to capture accurate data.

As with any athlete management system

the success of a system is depended on

accurate data coming in. Without the data

no program will be a success. No analysis

can be done, no recommendations can be

made leading to ineffective management

and as a result the bowler cannot perform

optimally and will stand the risk of injury.

In 2013 the system was introduced to

CSA and in the first season 12 selected

1st class bowlers were monitored using

the FBC method. A dedicated person

based at HPC captured weekly data.

Communication with the bowlers was

done on a weekly basis to ensure that

we have accurate data. In addition

regular feedback was given to the

players. This was an important part

of the program as practical feedback

engages the player to participate and

provide him with advice to manage his

workload. By all accounts season one

was a success and provided us with more

information than we ever had to increase

the performance of our fast bowlers

In season two all franchise trainers

were asked to assist in the capturing

of workload data. This enabled us to

monitor 42 players around the country.

In season 3 (2016) the number went

up to 51 players that included all

national teams. This effective meant

that the FBC program now monitored

all first class bowlers in the CSA system

How does it work? The trainers

essentially capture three workload

components. These components are

captured on a daily/weekly basis

and include: 1. Bowling workload

(all practice and match deliveries)

2. Strength & Conditioning Workload

(duration) 3. Cricket Activity (All activities

on the field other than bowling e.g. fielding

practice - duration) The combination

of the above activities all contributes to

the bowler’s workload. Trainers forward

weekly data to the FBC database. From

there the numbers are analyzed and

uploaded onto the FBC App. The App

is in essence a viewing app but does

play an important role in feedback to

coaches, support staff and players. The

app provides the viewer with a number

of options to scroll and select the needed

information. Permissions are allocated to

selected players, coaches and medical

staff to ensure confidentiality. As with

any App the App is never finished. It is

a continuous process to ensure the user

has easy access to relevant information.

In this article the exact numbers, values

and norms are not discussed. However

a number of important factors were

identified during the 1st two seasons

of the program. First and foremost and

with all the data now available it was

lear that the larger percentage of our

bowlers simply do not bowl enough.

Although components like strength

and conditioning are essential in the

performance cycle the most important

factor remains the bowlers ability to bowl

spells at a consistent pace and accuracy.

A bowler must bowl. It also became

evident that pre-season build-up in terms

of number of deliveries per week are

well below accepted norms. As the case

with other endurance sports base work

are important. This is no different for the

fast bowler. The correct workload during

the pre-season (12-15 weeks) will not

only enhance performance but can also

minimize the risk for injury. If the volume

of bowling workload is enough during

the pre-season it will have a protective

effect against injury. The first class bowler

needs to average 90-120 deliveries

per week during the pre-season phase.

In conclusion the mission of the FBC

program is to capture important

information on the activities and

workload of the fast bowler. But this is

only the first step and will mean nothing

without relative, usable feedback to the

coach and player. The FBC program

has made huge strides to ensure that

the bowler management cycle becomes

more effective. It is a continuous process

of research and innovation to ensure the

best possible platform is available to CSA

in the management of their fast bowlers.

ADRIAN LE ROUX

adrian@sportsperformanceclinic.co.za

006www.your newsletter business.comWOMENS

FREE STATE WOMENS CRICKET

PLAYER FOCUS - MASABATA KLAAS

It is with great excitement that our Free State Womens team have got off to an outstanding start in the Womens 50 over competition as well as the Womens T20 cup. Free State played against Boland in the 1st fixture of the season.Free State scored 177 for 8 in 50 overs (Yolandi Potgieter 41 , Izel Cilliers 33 , Michelle Burt 33). Boland were then held to 140 for 9 in there 50 overs( Yolandi Potgieter 10 overs 1 for 12 , Michelle Burt 10 overs 2 for 12 , Izel Cilliers 9 overs 2 for 21). Result: Free State won by 37 runs (1st time in 12 years) In the T20 match Free State vs Boland, Boland batted 1st and scored 79 for 8 in 20 overs (Papiso Matsau 4 overs 2 for 9 , Michelle Burt 4 overs 1 for 4 , Lauren Havenga 4 overs 2 for 16 , Yolandi Potgieter 4 overs 1 for 8) Free State 80 for 1 in 12 overs (Yolandi Potgieter 36 , Marcia Nape 28*) Result: Free State won by 9 wickets

I am really happy where our Ladies currently are and there has been a huge

improvement from all the Ladies. We will continue to work hard keep our feet

on the ground and look to keep improving all the time - QUINTON FRIEND

““

007 www.your newsletter business.comMARKETING & EVENTS

TWIZZA ACTIVATION

SCHOOL VISITS

“

Free State Cricket in association with the VKB Knights and Twizza visited schools in Bloemfontein to create some excitement for the upcoming T20 series. Schools visited included, Grey College, HTS Louis Botha, St Andrews, Toka Primary, and Universitas. The marketing team with the help of Teambo ensured that the scholars enjoyed every second. It was a party vibe throughout, and in between handing out free Twizzas and autographs, the VKB Knights won themselves a whole lot of new fans. Each scholar also received a ticket for the opening T20 Challenge Double Header at

the Mangaung Oval. The initiative once again proved to ba a huge success as the Free State cricket union once again showed their commitment to fans and sponsors while ensuring the development of the sport in out region.

PASSION FOR THE GAME

VKB KNIGHTS AWARS FUNCTION

ITS KNIGHT TIME

The picturesque Emoya Estate in Bloemfontein was the setting for the VKB Knights an-nual awards ceremony. A chance for sponsors, players and the media to recog-nize VKB Knights achievements and contribution throughout the 2015/2016 season.

Congratulations were extended to the following winners:

Sunfoil Series Player of the Year - Duanne OlivierMomentum 1-Day Cup Player of the Year - Rudi SecondRam Slam T20 Player of the Year - Theunis de BruynVKB Knights Most Improved Player of the Year - Duanne OlivierVKB Knights Players Player of the Year - Werner CoetseeVKB Knights Most Valuable Player of the Year - Rilee Rossouw

VKB Knights coach, Nicky Boje introduced the squad and management for the 2016/2017 cricket season: Theunis de Bruyn (Captain), Tumelo Bodibe, Patrick Botha, Mbulelo Mudaza, Werner Coetsee, Marchant de Lange, Corne Dry, Dillon Du Preez, Michael Erlank, David Miller, Luthando Mnyanda, Duanne Olivier, Robin Peterson, Diego Rosier, Rilee Rossouw, Rudi Second, Letlotlo Sesele, Dylan Stanley, Pite van Biljon and Shadley van Schalkwyk.

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PLAYER PROFILE - DRIAAN BRUWER

ITS KNIGHT TIME

ACADEMY

At just 21 years of age, Driaan Bruwer is one of the brightest prospects to come through the Free State Academy. The multi-talented all-rounder is charac-terised by his powerful ball striking skills at the top of the order with the ability to destroy bowling at-tacks. His accuracy with ball in hand makes him a valuable asset to any side. Bruwer made his debut for the Free State Senior Provincial side towards the end of 2015, and became a regular member of the side during the 2016 season. He was also selected as part of the VKB Knights squad for three T20 Chal-lenge matches this year. He was also part of the South Africa U-19 side that won the world cup back in 2014. Under the tutorship of Quinton Friend at the Free State Academy, one can expect to hear a lot more of the name Driaan Bruwer in the future.

RPC had a couple of games where they played with schools that are within the range of Bloemfontein Area before the main stream leagues starts. RPC has played inter league games with Kreitberg Primary School and Credence Primary School ,which brought a lot of cricket game awareness. RPC took part in the junior provincial trials that was held in Mangaung Metro and Senior Provincial Trials held in Machabeng Welkom.

REGIONAL PERFORMANCE CENTRES - HUBS

SCHOOLS INTER LEAGUES

011 www.your newsletter business.comCRICKET SCENES

20168-10 Dec - Free State v Namibia • Provincial 3 Day Cup11 Dec - Free State v Namibia • Provincial 1 Day Cup16-21 Dec - CCKM Week20175-8 Jan - Knights v Titans • Sunfoil Series19-21 Jan - Free State v Gauteng • Provincial 3 Day Cup22 Jan - Free State v Gauteng • Provincial 1 Day Cup26-29 Jan - Knights v Warriors • Sunfoil Series

8 Dec - Sergio Arends - FSCU Prov19 Dec - Nthako Nketsi - FSCU Prov24 Dec - Herman Bakkes - FSCU Staff6 Jan - Driaan Bruwer - FSCU Prov7 Jan - Martin Tlhake - FSCU Prov12 Jan - Leus du Plooy - FSCU Prov22 Jan - Jan Steemkamp - FSCU Prov23 Jan - Johan van Dyk - FSCU Prov23 Jan - Patrick Botha - VKB Knights31 Jan - Eugene Nogabe - FSCU Staff

Free State Cricket UnionHowzit Newsletter

Address:Mangaung OvalAtt Horak Ave, WillowsBloemfontein

Phone: 051-4475715

marinav@cricket.co.za www.knightscricket.co.za

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