Maqonda Ndlovu
Eagles Captain Gerhard Merwe Erasmus says it is a great opportunity for him and his three Eagles teammates to go and play cricket overseas.
This comes after their recent drafting to participate in the third edition of the Global T20 Canada 20-over competition.
Speaking to New Era Sport, Erasmus said this opportunity is not only great in terms of exposure but it will allow the quartet to gain experience and new skills by learning from other players.
“It is also a good financial incentive for the players to make a career out of cricket, which will see players lengthening their careers. It will also inspire young Namibians who are talented to look forward to a career in the sport,” he said.
Erasmus said the tournament will see their skills being tested on high-quality fields, playing under pressure, being watched by larger audiences on television and playing alongside seasoned professionals.
He added that while they have played alongside top players at the World Cup, this tournament will allow them to test their ability against star names, which in turn will raise their confidence.
“I expect high-quality cricket, especially with all those big names who will be featured at the tournament. The franchise is a little bit different from playing for your country; there are a lot of individuals coming from different countries and places forming a team. It is quite a fast tournament; I am looking to gel with my squad and do well,” he said.
He said there are a lot of opportunities in the associate world, with a lot of T10 and T20 leagues popping up around the world, and these provide opportunities for players to make a good living and good career from their skills.
“This is about taking your opportunities to make a career at the moment. It is about how serious you are, and how much work you put into the craft,” Erasmus advised.
The four players nominated are Jan Nicolaas Frylinck (Brampton Wolves), JJ Smit (Toronto Nationals), Ruben Trumpelmann (Vancouver Knights) and Erasmus (Toronto Nationals).
The Global T20 Canada 20-over cricket tournament is scheduled for 20 July to 6 August 2023.