Puttick retired at the end of last season. Van Zyl was one of the best four-day batsmen on display for the Cape Cobras last season, but a knee injury will keep him on the sidelines until the end of January

He has been forced to watch his County side Sussex from the sidelines since the start of June and his progress will only be reassessed at the end of January. Van Zyl is not a fully contracted player for the Cape Cobras this season.

Prince, in speaking about the fielding – which has been described by Justin Ontong as in decline generally amongst all the franchises – said the Cape side have done enough fielding drills before the season starts and expect it to be better.

They field a very young team with Rory Kleinveldt being one of the few senior statesmen in the side.

But the fielding in South Africa has not slipped to a lower level due to a lack of intent by the franchises, according to Prince.

“Herschelle Gibbs and Ontong were playing in an era where there was general brilliance in the field.

“The fielding now is poorer because of a wrong attitude. The players don’t realise that in one moment of brilliance, you can remove the batsman who is controlling the game and possibly change the outcome of the game. It is because many players see fielding as a chore.

“What is needed is a change of attitude that you must want to make a difference in the field. If you go home and you have not given it your best effort, you have let your team down.

“Through good fielding you can lift the spirit in the field and lift the spirits of the bowlers,” said Prince.

The World Sports Betting Cape Cobras get their 4-Day Franchise Series season underway on Monday, 1 October when they take on the VKB Knights at PPC Newlands.

Commenting on the injury, team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee said: “ Hashim sustained a tear to the tendon in his left fifth digit while fielding during the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League. The injury will need up to three weeks to heal making him unavailable for the series against Zimbabwe.

Cape Cobras’ white-ball cricket captain, JP Duminy has also been announced as the stand-in captain for the One-Day series in the absence of Faf du Plessis, who failed to recover in time from a shoulder injury suffered in the recent 3-2 ODI series victory against Sri Lanka.

“The CSA medical committee has also withdrawn Faf from the ODI series. He has not made a satisfactory recovery from his shoulder injury and has been given more time to make a complete recovery. We are hopeful he will be fit enough to return to lead the T20 side for the three-match series against Zimbabwe.” Dr. Moosajee concluded.

CSA National Selection Panel (NSP) convener, Linda Zondi, says Elgar’s recent form and experience will be added value at the top of the order.

“We have said that the Zimbabwe series is an opportunity to further explore our ODI options and the unfortunate injury to Hashim gives us an opportunity to see what Dean is capable of in the limited-overs format. He has always been on our radar having put in consistent performances both in South Africa and the UK, and brings a wealth of valuable experience to the batting group in Hashim and Faf’s absence.”

Keshav Maharaj has been released from the ODI squad and will play for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their first round four-day competition fixture against the Multiply Titans starting at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

Parnell signed a three-year Kolpak deal with Worcestershire, effectively bringing an end to his international career, which consisted of 65 One Day Internationals, 40 T20 Internationals and six tests.

“The Board of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras unanimously decided to discontinue Parnell’s Cobras contract,” said Nabeal Dien, chief executive officer of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras.

“It was a tough decision, as he was a senior and successful member of the Cobras squad in the past, winning four awards at the Cobras Player Awards in 2015/2016. He was voted Player of the Year at that awards ceremony.

“But his decision to sign Kolpak and also to participate in the Afghanistan Premier League has made him available for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras for a very limited period, while he would also not be available for international selection in future,” said Dien. “We pride ourselves in being a conveyor belt for international South African players and it’s part and parcel of our mandate.”

Corrie van Zyl, general manager cricket of CSA, said, “Every franchise is entitled to select two Kolpak players in their playing eleven, but those Kolpak players must be paid from the franchise’s own funds, and therefore it is really up to the franchises to determine the value of that player to their team.

“We are concerned about the amount of players who have signed a Kolpak agreement, which makes them unavailable for national selection. Although the experience of the Kolpak players is valuable, CSA needs to ensure that those players, who are still committed to playing for the Proteas in the future, are afforded the opportunities to develop.

“Every player who turns Kolpak, is one less that can be eligible for the South African team and therefore CSA needs to look at ways to protect itself against the loss of experienced and younger players,” Van Zyl adds.

“Our mandate is to produce players at domestic level who will represent South Africa.

Parnell, when announcing his decision to turn Kolpak, said the decision to go Kolpak was the toughest of his life.

“This is probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make in my career,” Parnell told ESPNcricinfo.

“Of course this wasn’t an overnight decision, it’s a very difficult decision and I am fully aware and understand the pros and cons of it. I have always enjoyed playing for my country since making my debut. I’d like to thank everybody who has supported me through thick and thin, my family, my friends.

“Special mention must go to the Eastern Province and Warriors unions for taking a risk and giving a kid from the dusty streets of Booysen Park a chance play this wonderful game. To all of those people who dislike me for whatever reason I thank you as well, you’ve helped make me mentally and emotionally tougher.”

Parnell admitted he had been considering the move for almost a year during which time he has slipped out of South Africa’s teams across all formats and battled with injury.

“After my serious injury in January 2018 I had three to four months out and really had time to reflect and think about what I want for the rest of my career going forward,” he said to the Worcestershire website.

Parnell experienced a dip in form in 2017/2018 in the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge, but also battled injury. The Momentum One Day competition was his most productive for the Cobras, taking six wickets and averaging 29.33 with the blade in five matches.

“We will remember with glee his three straight five-wicket hauls for the Cobras in 2015/2016 and also the way in which he forced his way back into the national side through consistent excellence for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras. We wish him well with his future endeavours,” Dien concluded.

In the match against the Mpumalanga Titans David Bedingham struck 100 with sixteen fours and three sixes. Zubayr Hamza belted 91 off 133 balls.

In the two-day inter-squad match on Friday and Saturday, Aviwe Mgijima struck a 90, while Jason Smith and Pieter Malan both managed 60s.

Both coaches said the bowling was sharp and penetrative and there was nothing to be alarmed about. They were also pleased with the sharpness of the team in the field.

In the 2017/2018 season, the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras finished third in the Sunfoil Series.

The greatest bonus was the superb batting by the team under pressure and the way they fought their way back into contests.

They were 1.02 bonus points off the leading team, the Warriors, when the last round of matches started in the Sunfoil Series in 2017/2018.

Prince said at this stage they have a very secure vision of who will be the leading 12 players in the province, but every one of the 17 players of the franchise squad will play an important role throughout the season.

Mgijima’s form is a very positive sign for the middle-order of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras. He struck his first two first-class centuries in 2017/2018 and compiled his maiden first-class century against the VKB Knights in the opening match last season.

“Most of our batsmen got middle practice the past two weeks. We are ready for the VKB Knights,” said Davids.

Dane Paterson will in all likelihood be the leader of the bowling attack, having been the leading wicket-taker for South Africa ‘A’ in the quadrangular one-day series which also involved India A, India B and Australia ‘A’ recently.

Bedingham scored his runs quickly, retiring on 100 after hitting 15 fours and three sixes.

Hamza’s stylish 91 came off 133 balls, an indication of his attacking stroke play at number three.

Ashwell Prince, head coach of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras, was pleased about the innings of the visitors, and especially the time in the middle.

Prince underlined that the match against Mpumalanga Titans was not franchise cricket and not even a first-class match, but the time spent in the middle was precious and good preparations for the opening match of the season against the VKB Knights starting on October 1 at PPC Newlands.

Bedingham’s century, along with his previous pre-season century in a pre-season match during the recent trip to Durban, where he struck 101, has demonstrated the top-order batting depth at coach Prince’s disposal this season.

On Wednesday, the Mpumalanga Titans scored 319 in 89.1 overs.

Spinners Dane Piedt and George Linde were the most successful bowlers. Piedt captured 3-27 in 19.1 overs, while Linde finished with 3-46 in 13 overs.

“I have been bowling well. I am in a good space. All I want to do is contribute at the end of the day,” Piedt said.

“George was a bit more consistent than he was in the past. He is reaping the rewards for the hard work in the off-season,” he added.

“Bedingham is a solid batter, and he hits the ball very cleanly. He is potential test quality but he needs to put in the hard work first,” Piedt said.

On Friday and Saturday the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras will play in an inter-squad match at Wits University.

The S Balan Group is a successful construction and real estate company in Pune, India that has expanded into IT, food and beverage, entertainment and sports and other sectors in recent years.

With over three decades of experience in the construction of prominent commercial complexes, IT parks and residential projects, this group of companies is a corporate giant.

With real estate development and redevelopment as the primary focus, the group has striven towards excellence and perfection.

Their vision is to work towards satisfying their customers with high quality and innovative services. And secondly, to be intensely competitive in whatever they do by constantly bettering the benchmarks set by them.

The World Sports Betting Cape Cobras see the associate sponsorship as a fresh new chapter in striving for loftier heights.

“I have known Mr Balan and the S Balan Group for a couple of years now and trust and deeply respect their work ethic, ethos and success. This is a good fit for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras who have for years been the primary producer of international players while winning several trophies since the franchise era started in 2004/2005,” said Nabeal Dien, chief executive officer of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras.

“We are delighted in the new associate sponsorship and trust it will be a long and fruitful association that will see the transformation of players from good to great.”

“I met Mr Nabeal Dien through JP Duminy and Basil Madeira when Duminy was playing in the IPL. That is when we discussed about expanding to South Africa and in developing new talent,” said Mr Balan.

“Our core business is construction and real estate, we have packaged water and have an IT company. We are also in automobile design and have a testing track in Spain. We are into food and beverages as well. We have a sports and entertainment company where we sponsor sporting athletes.

“We are based in Dubai, Barcelona, Pune, and soon we will expand to Cape Town.

“It is a stepping stone for us, a new country in which we hope to develop talent,” said Balan.

“Sponsorship is the first step to come to Cape Cobras and we hope to ultimately buy a stake in the team that could become a franchise in a tournament like the IPL.

“We are excited about this development, we have committed ourselves for three years and we will also be hoping to become a headline sponsor of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras.”

Mr Dien also announced at the press conference, which was held in the President’s Suite at PPC Newlands the launch of the Cape Premier League which is set to launch in April 2019. “We are also pleased to announce the imminent launch of the CPL or Cape Town Premier League featuring six teams and founded by Ziyaad Desai. It is a 20/20 format tournament that will be launched during the New Year’s Test when an auction will be held at PPC Newlands.

“JP Duminy will be the owner of one of the teams, The District Sixers. The other teams are the Dromedaris Dragons, Bulls, Cape Vikings, Atlantic Pirates and the Bo-kaap Falcons,” concluded Dien.

Mitchum is a brand of antiperspirant deodorant with the famous phrase ‘Great moments in life start with Mitchum’ and the Brand and Sponsorship Manager of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras, David Brooke, is confident that there will be many great moments ahead for the two brands: “We welcome Mitchum to the cricket space, and in particular to the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras brand. Mitchum have been doing some fantastic activations in the market of late and we know our loyal fans will enjoy the activations at all our matches. We thank them for coming on board and backing the team and look forward to a long relationship with them.”

The Mitchum logo will be displayed on the collars of the Cobras jerseys during the entire domestic campaign as well as on the training jerseys, and as a great new season in the history of the two brands is set to kick off, Cobras captain Dane Piedt is excited to now get the season up and running with a new company backing his young team: “We have enjoyed a very exciting start to our season and it’s gotten even better thanks to the new partnership with Mitchum. We are an extremely talented squad and with partners like Mitchum behind us we can only strive towards greater things as a team.”

Mitchum Brand Manager Prathiva Pillay expressed her delight at the partnership: “Team Mitchum is really amped about our partnership with the Cape Cobras. Being one of the top teams in the country and boasting world class players, this partnership was a no brainer. You could say that efficacy and world class players are at the heart of both partners in this relationship. The Mitchum on the Move team will be there supporting the Cobras at their upcoming home ground games, keeping the team sweat + odor free and hosting fun activities for the Cape Cobras supporters. So, come on down to Newlands for the upcoming season and enjoy good cricket while Mitchum keeps you protected!”

The Chief Executive Officer of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras, Nabeal Dien, added: “We have a fresh new approach in the sponsorship space at our franchise and we thank Mitchum for buying in to our vision for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras. This is the start of a few thrilling announcements over the coming weeks ahead of an exciting new domestic season.”

The team engaged in several fun-filled exercises including “boeresport”, karaoke and a cook-off in which three teams competed to prepare the best hors d’oeuvre for the judges Coach Prince, Assistant Coach Faiek Davids and physio Shane Jabaar. The cook-off was won by the team of Piedt, Sherman Baatjes, Aviwe Mgijima, Ferisco Adams and Zubayr Hamza.

“It was about team-building, connecting with each other to discuss team culture and general protocol around the team,” said Prince, coach of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras.

“What was refreshing was the honesty of the players. Sometimes the younger players can hold back and leave the talking to the senior guys, but not this time,” said Prince.

“The team-building was superb. Nestled in Elgin, it is a lovely place brilliantly set up with artificial beaches, chalets and trailer mobile homes. The facilities were brilliant and was one of the best glamping sites I have been to,” said Piedt.

“After this team-building exercise, we are on track for the season,” Piedt added.

“The players have gone to the Africa T20 Cup with a clear mind and know what the type of cricket we want to play this year is.”

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The hosts, who had started the competing with a hat-trick of defeats, needed a big weekend to kickstart their campaign. And, after beating the bizhub Highveld Lions in Paarl on Friday, they followed that up with another vital showing in front of a sizable home crowd that had gathered for the second of a double-header at the venue.

Seamer Kleinveldt led the way with the ball by taking three for 19 after the hosts had won the toss and opted to field first.

That helped restrict the visitors to 159/5 in the process – a total built around a rather subdued 50 (37 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) by David Miller as well as Ryan McLaren’s unbeaten 31 off 20 balls and 40 from captain Theunis de Bruyn.

The Cobras appeared sluggish for most of their reply and looked in real trouble when Hashim Amla fell for 29 in the 10th over with only 54 on the board. They slumped further to 108/6 in the 16th over before a fine cameo by Vernon Philander helped get them over the line.

The Standard Bank Proteas all-rounder made 22 off 11 and offered good support to captain Duminy, who eventually fell for 67 (44 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) as the home side secured the win.

The Cobras clash with the bizhub Highveld Lions at 18:00 on Friday at Eurolux Boland Park in Paarl. On Sunday, the Warriors and the Lions will battle at PPC Newlands at 12:00 and the WSB Cape Cobras and the VKB Knights will follow at 16:00 at the iconic stadium, one of the world’s most popular cricket venues.

Amongst the South Africans who have hit the most sixes in their T20 careers, is AB de Villiers, with 258. Albie Morkel, on 234, is also prominent. Two WSB Cape Cobras feature on the elite list – Richard Levi, with 232 sixes, and JP Duminy, with 177. David Miller, who is set to play for the VKB Knights at Newlands on Sunday, features with 231 sixes.

For Duminy to continue his aerial assaults, he would require a top four that remains steady against the thunderbolts of Kagiso Rabada, Hardus Viljoen and Wiaan Mulder on Friday 24^th November.

And in the second match against the Knights on Sunday, the same top four would have to be up for the potential assault of Marchant de Lange.

But it is not the case that the Cobras don’t possess the fire-power to star at Eurolux Boland Park and PPC Newlands. Vernon Philander has captured 31 test wickets at Newlands and is a master in assessing conditions and lengths quickly. Rory Kleinveldt has historically produced lethal performances at Paarl.

For the WSB Cape Cobras, both matches almost shape as must-win clashes, hopefully with bonus points, to come within touching distance of the third placed team, the Lions (with 8 points), on the log.

One of the finest T20 players on the planet right now is Hashim Amla, a man who has improved out of sight and substantial contributions in both games by this match-winner could take the Cobras to victory.

The bowling attack, though, needs to fire with more clinical fielding support as was the case in the first three matches.

Rupert Bailey, curator at Eurolux Boland Park, said strip number three will provide equally free-flowing options to batsmen on Friday as was the case in the One Day International between South Africa and Bangladesh recently.

South Africa smashed 353 for six in the second One Day International against Bangladesh.

“In that game, we saw how good a batsman AB de Villiers is, because he came in and adjusted superbly to conditions.

“The strip for the T20 match will be hard and batting friendly and the team taking first strike would be expected to score 180,” he added.

Evan Flint, curator at PPC Newlands, said the rain the past week has impacted things and there might not be as much pace as up-country. Possibly a par-score would be 160.

“A spinner can put on the breaks in a T20 match at Newlands. It might not turn, but just hold up. It is not always that easy to play through the line,” said Flint.

Tickets for both matches are still on sale on www.ticketpro.co.za and if you get in there early, there’s a #BlackFriday ticket sale taking place on the website today for this weekend’s RAM Slam matches so buy now to get the discount. Terms and conditions apply.

WSB Cape Cobras Squad for Lions clash in Paarl: JP Duminy (c), Hashim Amla, Ferisco Adams, Temba Bavuma, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, George Linde, Aviwe Mgijima, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Dane Paterson, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Kyle Verreynne