Your weekly dose of community sport Issue 3 May 2016 TEL 031 563 9546 Equestrian action lined up for Land Rover Durban Highgoal Polocrosse Event Inside The inaugural Land three handicap Rover Durban High- from the Cape; Page 2 goal will bring spectac- Elri van der Mer- Morgan backs talented ular equestrian action we, a five handi- 2016/17 Dolphins squad to the Durban Shong- cap from Mpuma- weni Club from 27 to langa who plays 29 May where the for Bethal and has country’s top polo- previously made Page 3 crosse players are sure the SA Junior to deliver some of the teams and SA Dolphins Spin Twins in best action and excite- Ladies’ side as India ment this growing well as Karen sport has to offer. Cocker, a four “This fast-paced, high handicap who Page 5 intensity sport is such a plays for Shong- treat for both specta- weni Club and has Golf tors and players alike, represented South and the highgoal is the Africa and Zimba- pinnacle of the polo- bwe. Page 6 crosse calendar,” said event organiser and Of the six Land De Vries and Maree Win Shongweni Polocrosse Rover Durban Vans Surf Pro Classic Ti- club chairman, Brent Men’s team mem- tlesPage 8 Von Benecke. “We are bers, five have an so excited to be bring- incredible eight ing this level of polo- handicap. Page 7 crosse to KwaZulu- The Starling Plumbers Natal and look forward The team captain Half Marathon & 10km to this becoming an is Gavin Cocker annual fixture at who has captained Shongweni, KZN’s the South African premiere equestrian club.” side for the past decade. Cocker is joined by Andrew Heynes, the Page 8 reserve for the World Cup 2015 with an eight handicap. Heynes has There will be eight teams competing for the top spot – four men’s also played on numerous international teams. Richmond player, School and four ladies’ teams – consisting of six quality players each. Each Scott Hosking, as well as Australian players Lance Anderson and competitor in polocrosse is given a handicap which indicates his or Beau Moore, also have an eight handicap. Swatberg’s Shaun Gilson, her skill level, ranging from 0 to 10 with 10 being one of the best in who has a four handicap, has played through the ranks at a junior the world and 0 a beginner. level. Page 9 As this is a highgoal tournament, the combined handicaps of the six The Land Rover Durban Highgoal sees polocrosse action every day teammates must average between 42 and 45 (out of a possible 60), from 8am to 4.30pm with six to seven games per day. Each game Gauteng which means that the teams are of World Cup-level quality. will be divided into six-minute chukkas with the men’s and women’s As well as being principal sponsors of the event, Land Rover Durban team alternating. The format ensures a fast-paced, action-packed is also sponsoring two of the participating teams; Land Rover Dur- game, entertaining for even the novice spectator. ban - Team Evoque (ladies’ team) and Land Rover Durban Men: There will be a number of vendors on the outskirts, jumping castles Aubrey Strauss (men’s team). for the children as well as evening entertainment for those wishing to stay after the polocrosse action. Team Evoque is captained by Jean Hackland from Bishopstowe, one of the members of the 2015 World Cup winning team with a six-goal Photo by Shannon Gilson: Wayne Collett from Richmond (front) handicap. Also on the team is Emma Hall, a four handicap from and Graham Maclarty from Nyati (rear) Gauteng who plays for Walkerville; Albie Kamffer, a three handicap from North West Province of the Huhudi Club; Camilla Harris, a For more info contact : Maggs Reddy 084 584 5110 2 Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open Morgan backs talented 2016/17 Dolphins squad KwaZulu-Natal’s Jabu Price Moore out- gunned regular Nedbank SA Disabled New head coach Grant Morgan is looking forward to instilling his fresh philosophy in the Golf Open competitors to win the Les Au- Sunfoil Dolphins squad of 2016/17 and taking the Durban franchise forward with the tal- tres ISP Division on his debut at the ented crop of players that now have a wealth of experience within it. Zwartkop Country Club in Centurion .The 16-year-old Pietermaritzburg youth carded As reported previously, the like of Cricket South Africa contracted players Kyle Abbott and rounds of 37, 34 and 30 to edge out Free David Miller have left the Dolphins and will continue their career at the Warriors and VKB Stater Enrique van Wyk by one point with Knights respectively however Morgan backs the talent that remains wholeheartedly. a winning total of 101 points. “It is a bit of blow to lose players like Kyle (Abbott) and David (Miller) however there is a Moore joined the First Swing Programme huge amount of talent still left here at the Dolphins!” says Morgan passionately. “There is at the South African Disabled Golf Asso- no doubt that a very competitive Dolphins team will still represent the Dolphins in all for- ciation last year and already competes off mats come the start of the new season,” he adds. a 20 handicap out of Underberg Golf Club. The Michaelhouse scholar excels at diving Morgan is also confident the strength of the province’s two Provincial squads – KwaZulu- and scuba diving is a keen cricketer and Natal and KZN Inland – during the 2015/16 season will help create a healthy competition also plays hockey. for places in the Dolphins mix come the new season. “Inland having performed extremely Photo by SADGA. well this past season and KZN having done nicely, outside of the 50 overs competition, has also meant that there are guys waiting in the wings who are hungry to play franchise crick- et.You never want to lose anyone – they’re like family; their blood is Dolphins green – but at the same time, their departure gives some other guys a mas- sive opportunity to show what they can do at Franchise level.” The conclusion of the South African domestic 2015/16 season saw Mat Pillans join Surrey in England, Thandi Tshabalala retired from the game, both Daniel Sincuba and Jonathan Vandiar joined The Unlimited Titans while Ryan McLaren – no longer a CSA contracted player – has opted not to sign a contract with any South African Franchise for the 2016/17 season. Former KwaZulu-Natal semi-professional contracted players Khalipha Cele (Free State) and Craig Kirsten also won’t be part of the Sunfoil Dolphins and KZN mix next sea- son while Ayavuya Myoli – previously uncontracted but who played much of the RAM Slam T20 Challenge for the Dol- phins – has signed with the bizhub Highveld Lions. Mthokozisi Shezi’s return to Durban on a permanent basis, having re-joined the Dolphins on a loan from the Cape Cobras during the second half of the 2016/17 season, is a pleasing one while exciting talents Sibonelo Makhanya, Sarel Erwee and Tshepang Dithole have all earned Franchise contracts for the first time. The Dolphins don’t have any reason to believe that Imran Tahir won’t turn out for them in 2016/17 however con- firmation of this is only expected in the near future due to the world class leg-spinner yet to sign his CSA contract. Rabian Engelbrecht, Senuran Muthusamy, Brandon Scullard and Mishkal Ramsaroop have retained their KwaZulu-Natal semi-professional contracts and are joined by newcomers Smangaliso Nhlebela and Okuhle Cele with the KZN Cricket Union set to finalise negotiations with a seventh player shortly. The evergreen Kyle Nipper, together with Graham Hume, Ruhan Pretorius, Lefa Mosena, Attie Maposa, Kushen Kishun and Cyril Mthimkhulu, has been granted a KZN Inland semi -professional contract for 2016/17. Sunfoil Dolphins squad: Craig Alexander, Cody Chetty, Cameron Delport, Tshepang Dithole, Daryn Dupavillon, Sarel Erwee, Robbie Frylinck, Imraan Khan, Keshav Maharaj, Sibonelo Makhanya, Andile Phehlukwayo, Calvin Savage, Mthokozisi Shezi, Daryn Smit, Prenelan Subrayen, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Divan van Wyk, Morné van Wyk, Khaya Zondo KwaZulu-Natal semi-professionals: Okuhle Cele, Rabian Engelbrecht, Senuran Muthusamy, Smangaliso Nhlebela, Mishkal Ramsaroop, Brandon Scullard KZN Inland semi-professionals: Graham Hume, Kushen Kishun, Attie Maposa, Lefa Mosena, Cyril Mthimkhulu, Kyle Nipper, Ruhan Pretorius Photo supplied: Sibonelo Makhanya (centre), together with Sarel Erwee and Tshepang Dithole, has been awarded a Sunfoil Dolphins contract for the first time ahead of the 2016/17 season. Tel 031 5639546 [email protected] Disclaimer Sports Express is a Tomorrow Media publication. Any opinions expressed is not necessarily that of Tomorrow Media. No responsibility can be accepted for errors as all information was deemed to be correct at the time of distribution. 3 Major Benefits to be Reaped from Sanlam CT Marathon While the road running and general sporting fraternity stand to benefit greatly from the 2016 Sanlam Cape Town Mar- athon, local communities and sectors of society are again also expected to receive major boosts through the success of the annual event. As the only standard marathon race in Africa to be awarded IAAF Silver Label status, organisers, partners and stakeholders will again use the annual Spring weekend road running festival to make a difference beyond the world of sport. Figures from last year's event offer an indication of its lengthy reach, as race organisers work to- wards long-term goals in an effort to bridge the gap between the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and the world's most popular road races: Participatory numbers have climbed by over 35% year-on-year.