JOHANNESBURG — “The Global Softech Sixes tournament at SuperSport Park in Centurion is the dawn of a new exciting era in the game which will use Africa as the platform to expose a new audience to an enterprising brand of cricket and might accelerate the globalisation of the game,” Jacques Faul, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Unlimited Titans, who initiated the concept, said.
The six domestic franchises and six African countries — Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the host, South Africa — will participate in the six-a-side tournament which will consist of five overs per team in September 2014. SuperSport Park in Centurion will host the four days of jam-packed action.
“At GSS, we look forward to aligning our company and brand with cricket and believe that this could open up many business opportunities,” Leela Ramesh Yemineni, CEO of the official sponsor, Global Softech Solutions (GSS), a professional information technology and business service provider to corporate companies and government organisations, said.
“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa, the African Cricket Association and SuperSport Park for giving us this opportunity and we look forward to successful partnerships with all.”
The opening game of the international Africa Sixes Challenge will be between Kenya and Namibia on September 6 from 10am. Uganda and Tanzania will go head to head from 10.50 to 11.40am.
A mouth-watering clash between South Africa and their Southern African neighbour Zimbabwe will be third on the menu, starting at 11.40am and finishing at 12.30pm.
Those three matches will be part of eight clashes on Friday, September 6.
Another eight matches will lure fans through the gates of the popular SuperSport Park on Saturday, September 7, with the action reaching its climax with two finals from 4.10 and 5pm.
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“The Global Softech Sixes could be the ultimate test of nerve and skill,” Faul said. “It will require pinpoint accuracy by the bowlers, a cerebral approach to each delivery and the necessary variety and quality. It might also set new standards of fielding.
And of course, batsmen will have to raise the bar in terms of innovation, finesse, timing and audacious shot-making.
“Power and brutal onslaughts might not be enough. Other global games in the shorter formats have demonstrated that fast bowlers and spinners with expert skill can pull the wool over the eyes of even the master craftsmen with the bat.
“This six-a-side-international event is also an equaliser. Not even the overwhelming favourites might easily advance to the finals. One exceptional performance with the ball or enormous boundary bashing by outsiders might turn the tables.
“That’s why I am convinced that this fun-filled African tournament might expand to all four corners of the globe soon. Ideally, the Global Softech Sixes tournament offers cricket an opportunity to globalise the game in similar fashion to what sevens has done in the oval-ball game (rugby),” Faul added.
Cassim Suliman, Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Cricket Association, extended his gratitude and appreciation to Cricket South Africa and the Titans for giving cricket members of the continent the opportunity to participate in the Global Softech Sixes.
“A big thank you to Global Softech Solutions, as main sponsor, that you have made this tournament a reality as the first of its kind in Africa. We are indebted to you for giving the African teams a stage and an occasion to ply their trade against the full members like South Africa and Zimbabwe. This will be a beneficial and productive event for the participating African teams. Long may it continue in future. We wish the organisers and officials all the best in spearheading a successful tournament,” Suliman said.
— Cricket SA
