The CSA 3TeamCricket Solidarity Cup Thread (2020)

[MenInG]

3 Teams, 2 halves, 1 match – Cricket is back with a bang

Wednesday, 17 June 2020

3TeamCricket, in partnership with Cricket South Africa is set to launch a brand-new format of cricket.

Cricket fans can celebrate the return of their favourite game with the innovative and first of its kind 3TCricket, where three teams will play in a single match, competing for the inaugural Solidarity Cup on 27 June at SuperSport Park.

Presented by RAIN, the Solidarity Cup will be the showcase event for the brand-new cricket format which sees 24 of South Africa’s top cricketers in three teams, playing two halves in one match.

The three teams competing in the Solidarity Cup are the Eagles captained by AB de Villiers and sponsored by Takealot, Kingfishers captained by Kagiso Rabada and sponsored by OUTsurance and the Kites captained by Quinton de Kock and sponsored by Mr D Food.

SuperSport is the official broadcast partner of the Solidarity Cup. The match will be the first live sport in South Africa since the lockdown was announced in March 2020. It will be broadcast on SuperSport 2.

CSA Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith, believes that this new format will bring back the excitement of cricket. “It’s been quite some time since the South African public and fans of cricket worldwide have been able to consume the game we all love. I know that the players are itching to get back into action as well, which is why we as CSA are so excited about the Solidarity Cup. It’s a thrilling new format and a match that is working towards a greater good. We are proud to partner with 3TeamCricket on this project.”

The Hardship Fund

Cricket South Africa and 3TeamCricket understand that the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in the world experiencing economic challenges. This is very true for the sporting industry and South Africa. Sadly, many people in South Africa and the cricket industry are severely affected. Cricket South Africa identified the need to “use their voice” to help people and institutions. 3TeamCricket will be raising money for The Hardship Fund using its platform of passionate cricket supporters.

RAIN Chief Marketing Officer, Khaya Dlanga, believes that 3TCricket will be an exciting new addition to the international calendar.

"As a pioneer in the data-only mobile industry, we have an avid appreciation for innovation. At RAIN we are ecstatic that some of the best players in South Africa will kickstart 3TCricket, which we are sure will be an inextricable part of the international cricket calendar in no time," said Dlanga.

Takealot Eagles skipper AB de Villiers believes that 3TCricket will be an incredible spectacle for the fans starved of cricket action.

"It's a great idea and credit must go to Cricket South Africa and Rain for working to develop this new and innovative style of cricket. There are very few team sports in the world where you get to play more than one opponent in a single fixture, this is going to be a game changer. We have some very talented cricketers involved who are really excited to return to play with a bang.”

Mr D Food Kites captain, Quinton de Kock relayed his excitement at the prospect of beating two teams at once in the 3TCricket model.

"I'm really excited to be captaining the Kites, we have a great team and I think we can claim the gold. I'm even more excited about the new format, it's going to be a lot of fun playing to beat KG and AB on the same day", De Kock said.

Proteas fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada, the captain of the OUTsurance-sponsored Kingfishers, will make his much-anticipated return to cricket in the Solidarity Cup after being ruled out with a groin injury since late February 2020.

“It’s been a long wait to get back into action and I’m looking forward to playing again alongside some of the country’s biggest names. We have a good balance of talent and experience in our team and I’m confident that we can walk away with the inaugural Solidarity Cup.”

 

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CSA announces revised Solidarity Cup match date

Wednesday, 01 July 2020

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is pleased to announce Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July 2020) as the revised date for the 3TCricket match presented by RAIN where three teams of eight will play in a single match, competing for the inaugural Solidarity Cup.

The news comes after return to practice and play approval was granted by the Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, the Honourable Nathi Mthethwa last week Friday (26 June 2020).

The match details remain the same with SuperSport Park as the hosting venue and the starting time being 11:00 (SAST). The match will also still be broadcast live on SuperSport 2, with the team sheets not undergoing any changes.

The three teams competing for the Solidarity Cup are the Eagles captained by AB de Villiers and sponsored by Takealot, Kingfishers captained by Kagiso Rabada and sponsored by OUTsurance and the Kites captained by Quinton de Kock and sponsored by Mr D Food.

“It’s very exciting to get live cricket, featuring our top players, back on our TV screens again,” commented CSA Acting Chief Executive Dr. Jacques Faul. “I can’t think of a more appropriate day on which to hold this game than Nelson Mandela Day when its prime objective is to raise funds for those who have been badly affected by the Corona virus.

“It is still nearly three weeks away, so it also gives our players more time to prepare properly and to minimise the chance of injuries.

“I would like to thank the Government and our own medical team once again for everything they have done to make a return to training and playing possible and I would also like to add special thanks to the incredible sponsors involved in this event for their continued commitment towards the match and its beneficiary, the Hardship Fund,” concluded Dr. Faul.

"The Solidarity Cup will provide a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the message behind our Citizens In Solidarity campaign," said Nomkhita Nqweni, interim CEO of the Solidarity Fund. "This message is to reinforce all the very necessary, appropriate behaviours in the time of this pandemic and also, to remind all of South Africa of our ability to work together, to find unique solutions in a time of crisis."

 

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Media Advisory: Update to Kites 3TC squad

Saturday, 18 July 2020

Mr D Food Kites captain, Quinton de Kock has been forced to pull out of the inaugural Rain 3TeamCricket Solidarity Cup match taking place at SuperSport Park today, due to unforeseen personal circumstances.

Ryan Rickleton has been called up to replace him as batsman and Temba Bavuma will be the new team captain.

The squads for 3TC are:

OUTsurance Kingfishers: Reeza Hendricks (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Faf du Plessis, Thando Ntini, Gerald Coetzee, Glenton Stuurman, Tabraiz Shamsi. Coach: Mignon du Preez.

Mr D Food Kites: Temba Bavuma (captain), Jon-Jon Smuts, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, Ryan Rickleton. Coach: Wandile Gwavu.

Takealot Eagles: AB de Villiers (captain), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi. Coach: Geoffrey Toyana.

 

[MenInG]

The innovative 3Team Cricket marked the return to live sport in South Africa for the first time since March as the inaugural Solidarity Cup, presented by Rain, served up an entertaining new format in Centurion on Saturday.

The match, which was put together to raise funds for the Hardship Fund, a joint Cricket South Africa (CSA) project aimed at providing relief to those within the cricket industry affected by COVID-19, was won by the Takealot Eagles.

The AB de Villiers-led outfit profited from another gem by their captain, whose swashbuckling century stand with the equally attacking Aiden Markram went a long way towards cementing the gold medal.

The two, who struck 61 off 24 balls and 70 off 33 balls respectively, helped their side amass 160 for four across the two halves of six overs each that they faced.

That put them 22 runs clear of the 138 for three posted by silver medallists Mr D Food Kites and 47 ahead of the OUTsurance Kingfishers (113/5), the team that ended with bronze.

It was an anxious return to play for everyone involved after more than 100 days of no sport and a lockdown enforced due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That also meant that the stands, usually packed to watched South Africa’s cricketers at the famous Tshwane venue, were empty.

But that mattered little as the players – all sporting black armbands and then taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement – delivered an excellent exhibition.

Batting first in the opening half after winning the toss, or selecting ball one in a draw, the Kingfishers reached 56 for two at halfway.

And, with the Eagles (66/1) and Kites (58/1) all reaching similar scores after six overs, it meant that just 10 runs separated the teams at halfway.

Critically it was De Villiers and Markram who were still not out for their sides at the changeover, and the skipper got things going by lashing 20 off the first over back that got them going.

Markram hit 50 off 27 balls, followed by De Villiers’ half-century in only 21 deliveries as they finished in a powerful position.

The Kites were in next and still had Jon-Jon Smuts in, but he fell for 48 and with it the hopes of his team as the scoreboard pressure took its toll.

Dwaine Pretorius, the man with the quickest half-century of the day, 50 off only 17 balls, did momentarily give them hope, but his effort proved a mere consolation.

As for the Kingfishers, the fact that they lost both openers Janneman Malan (31) and Reeza Hendricks (21) towards the end of the first half left them with a mountain to climb. Faf du Plessis was their last hope but ended with 28.

The pick of the bowlers on the day was Andile Phehlukwayo of the Eagles with two for 24, but Glenton Stuurman (2/26) was hugely impressive alongside the likes of Bjorn Fortuin (1/20) and Anrich Nortje (2/27).

A 3TC match is contested between three teams of eight players each and is played over 36 overs in two halves of 18 overs with a break at halftime. In the second half, teams bat in order of the highest scores in the first half. If scores are tied, the first half order is reversed.

The squads for 3TC are:

OUTsurance Kingfishers: Reeza Hendricks (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Faf du Plessis, Thando Ntini, Gerald Coetzee, Glenton Stuurman, Tabraiz Shamsi. Coach: Mignon du Preez.

Mr D Food Kites: Temba Bavuma (captain), Jon-Jon Smuts, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, Ryan Rickelton. Coach: Wandile Gwavu.

Takealot Eagles: AB de Villiers (captain), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi. Coach: Geoffrey Toyana.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

I have a headache after watching this game. So many changes in just a few moments. One moment one team is batting and after 6 overs some other team starts batting in the same innings and then even the bowling side gets changed after 6 overs. That's not even the end of it because the team that just batted for the first 6 overs also gets to bat in the final 6 overs of the game.

Hopefully they never get serious with this format. It would have been okay if they had kept it to two teams, but this is just too much.

 

[MenInG]

Aiden Markram and AB de Villiers bludgeoned lightning half-centuries to lead their Eagles side to victory in the inaugural, experimental three-team Solidarity Cup fixture at Centurion Park on Saturday. Cricket South Africa is hopeful the unique format may catch on, though for many the jury will be out as the slogathon produced entertainment off the bat but little else for the purists to enthuse over in a display of power hitting.

Markram (70 from 33 balls) and De Villiers (61 from 24) helped the Eagles to 160 for four in their 12 overs, convincingly beating the Kites (138 for three) and Kingfishers (113 for five). Played with the twin aims of raising money for charity and providing the country’s leading players with some cricket under COVID-19 lockdown, there were no fans in the stadium and all fielders were posted to the boundary in order to ensure social distancing.

The three sides, made up of eight players each, batted in two six-over innings in which they faced each of the other opponents in the field. A draw at the start of the game decided who would bat, bowl and sit in the stands first. The team with the highest score in the first round of innings, in this case the Eagles (66), bats first in the second to post an aggregate total for the other teams to chase.

Organisers believe the format can be played over anything up to 90 overs. South Africa had a limited-overs tour to India cut short due to Covid-19, and series against Sri Lanka and West Indies have been postponed. They had hoped to welcome India for three Twenty20 matches in late August, but that looks increasingly unlikely with both countries still yet to reach their peak of Covid-19 cases.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...kingfishers/story-5Pz6RkeDZlxdMTeRZUAkcK.html

 

[Saj]

AB de Villiers said he was proud to have been part of the inaugural 3TeamCricket Solidarity Cup match, presented by Rain, that raised a total of R3-million for charity when it was played out at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday.

R2,5 million will go to the Hardship Fund, a joint Cricket South Africa (CSA) project aimed at providing relief to those within the cricket industry affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. R500 000 will be split among the charities that were identified by the captains ahead of the match.

The innovative new format – one that saw three teams play each other in the same cricket match for the first time – marked a return to live sport in South Africa for the first time since March when COVID-19 lockdown began.

The match was won by De Villiers’ Takealot Eagles.

“There were obviously more important things out there, getting out and playing, doing it for solidarity in South Africa and showing that we can stick together as a nation,” the electrifying batsman stated. “That to me was what it was ultimately all about. What does make me the happiest is the funds we raised, that is the cherry on the cake.”

The 36-year-old struck an explosive 61 off 24 balls and shared in a sizzling century stand with Player of the Match, Aiden Markram (70 off 33 balls) to help the Eagles amass 160/4 across the two halves of six overs each side faced.

That put them 22 runs clear of the 138/3 posted by silver medallists Mr D Food Kites and 47 ahead of the OUTsurance Kingfishers (113/5), the team that ended with bronze.

“We had a lot of fun out there, there were lots of runs, catches and wickets,” De Villiers said. “It was quick, fast and fun, which is exactly what I expected of the format, and that is what we got.”

As for his own form, as one of the world’s leading batsmen, he conceded that he surprised himself by the way he played.

“I had a few nets leading up to this game, so I wasn’t completely cold,” he explained. “I was just trying to stick to the basics and see the ball out of the bowlers’ hand.

“So I was quite surprised that a couple came out of the middle. It was scratchy early on but once I got going it was like riding the bike again, which I missed so badly.”

De Villiers’ Kites counterpart, Temba Bavuma was also happy to be back out in the middle saying: “It was very fun to be back on the park, we have been locked up in our homes, so to be running around and seeing the guys again, that was great fun. Also being part of this new, novel format, it was quite interesting.”

He agreed that raising money for a noble cause during the current climate was a big part of the game.

“It wasn’t just about us as the professionals out there, but it was also about the causes that we were playing for,” he added. “So to be able to raise three million Rands, that will be very handy for the needy people out there and go a long way towards alleviating some of the struggles being experienced at the moment.”

Reeza Hendricks, who led the Kingfishers, concurred and added that that the game was more than just cricket.

“We have to look at the bigger picture and to be part of that is great,” he commented. “As for the game, it was great to be back. Guys were a bit rusty but it was good to be back playing for the first time in a very long while.

“We didn’t know too much about the format, we had that trial game run, but for us to be part of this was quite special.”

Apart from the fundraising efforts, the match that was played on Nelson Mandela International Day was also a platform used by players to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and to show their support for the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV).

 

[Saj]

3TeamCricket announced its arrival as the sport’s newest format through the Solidarity Cup, presented by Rain, this past weekend in Centurion. The match which took place on Nelson Mandela International Day is just the beginning.

The organisers have hailed the new innovation – one that saw three teams participate in the same match for the first time – as one for the future but more importantly, were pleased with the outcome of the inaugural fixture for more than one reason.

This came after a total of R3-million was raised for charity. A sum of R500 000 is to be donated to three charities, nominated by the participating captains.

The three charities are the Kolisi Foundation, who receive R250,000 from the AB de Villiers-led Takealot Eagles, who won the title. The Temba Bavuma Foundation receive R150,000 from the Mr D Food Kites, headed by the batsman himself after the late withdrawal of Quinton de Kock, while the Imibala Trust will receive R100,000 donation from the OUTsurance Kingfishers, initially meant to be captained by Kagiso Rabada but replaced by Reeza Hendricks due to a family bereavement.

The balance of R2,5 million is to be given to the Hardship Fund, a joint Cricket South Africa (CSA) and SACA project aimed at providing relief to those within the cricket industry affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am really humbled by what transpired and would like to thank our great sponsors for making it possible,” Francois Pienaar, Chief Executive Officer of 3TeamCricket, said. “I can’t recall any SA sporting code that has done this!

“There has been fabulous feedback and yes we have plans to grow 3TC globally.”

The match at SuperSport Park marked a return to live sport in South Africa for the first time since March when the Coronavirus prompted a nationwide lockdown.

“We were hungry for live sport to resume in SA, so being part of the first live sporting event after such a long time was a bit of history that I will enjoy with a smile in my rocking chair one day,” the Springbok legend stated. “It was started by Paul Harris and many people, too many to mention, who worked tirelessly to put the game together. A big thank you to CSA and the 3TC board.”

While many people wondered about the format before the start of play, it became much clearer as the game progressed.

“It was important to play a practice game as the rules were brand new and the players and coaches had a number of questions but as soon as they finished the practice game all the rules were understood and they had some really interesting observations and questions,” Pienaar explained.

“We will debate this at 3TC headquarters and improve where necessary. The actual match went very well with some great performances. I would have liked a tighter finish, but AB's Eagles were just too good on the day.

“Losing two captains just before the game was disappointing but totally understood in these difficult times. Overall I am very pleased.”

With the future of South African sport still clouded with uncertainty, the 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning captain hoped that COVID-19 will soon leave us and allow for life to return to normal.

“We are living in such uncertain times mainly because of the pandemic, my hope and prayers are for wisdom amongst our leaders across all sectors of society to steer us through these difficult times,” Pienaar added.

“We must build a better future for all united against racism, gender-based violence, murder and corruption. We can be an example to the world.”