Windhoek
Some of Namibia’s finest junior cricketers are once again getting an ideal opportunity to showcase their skills in the Momentum Under-19 cricket week, which got underway in Windhoek last Friday.
The opening matches started immediately after the official opening ceremony at the Wanderers Lapa. The finals will be played in the 20 over format, later today.
The Momentum Week, taking place for the 4th time since its inception in 2012, is widely considered as one of the best development events in Namibia.
The Windhoek Gymnasium team will be out to defend their title after they reigned supreme over the boys from the Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool (WAP) in the final last year. The team is laden with U19 World Cup squad members and with the likes of Niko Davin, Lohan Louwrens, Charl Brits and Eben van Wyk in the lineup, they are certainly the team to beat.
Another victory will however not come easy as other teams, including Country Districts, a team strung together of cricketers from outside the big cricket hubs in the central and coastal regions, are set to stake a serious challenge for the prestigious title.
Walvis Bay and Windhoek high schools are also not to be underestimated, boasting a significant number of junior cricketers, including Burton Jacobs, Petrus Burger (coast) and Warren van Wyk (WHS), who all have represented Namibia at the U19 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year.
With up and coming young cricketers out to establish themselves, led by the likes of Albert van der Merwe (WHS), Damian da Silva (WHS), Marnus Steenkamp (WAP), Keanu Engelbreght (WAP), Floris Steenkamp (WAP), Dewalt Nel (WAP), Rene Were (WAP), Ben Shikongo and Mauritius Ngupita (coast) and Tiaan Jacobs (Gobabis – Country Disticts), it appears all the matches are destined to produce highly competitive action.
“On behalf of Cricket Namibia, we would like to welcome all players to the 3rd edition of the Momentum Schools Cricket Week, where we have assembled all the top cricket playing schools throughout the country.
“This event has become a great steppingstone in proving yourself for the junior national teams, and eventually into the national senior side.
“With players like Gerhard Erasmus, JJ Smit, Michau du Preez and Zane Green having come through the tournament, then played U19 World Cup and moved on to represent he national team, we are excited to see what the next crop of talent will produce,” said Steven Barry, development manager of Cricket Namibia.