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Posted:
Sunday 9th May 2010
Source: Stephen Birley
Bradninch Cricket Club are playing host to a pair of South
African teenagers. Jacobus Pienaar a 16 year-old who stands 6'
2" is an opening bowler whilst Richardt Saaiman, of similar age,
is an opening batsman who can also deliver some very competent
off-spin.
The boys hail from the cricket academy that former Bradninch
player Gem Coetzee works at in South Africa. Each English summer
Coetzee sends a youngster to spend time with a club and this is
a first for a pair of boys to travel and lodge together, playing
for the same club.
Both lads were quickly into action playing for Bradninch 1st XI
in the Premier game at Plympton on Saturday and again the
following day in the Devon Senior Cup at Axminster.
The pair arrived in the country late last week and were
collected from Heathrow Airport by Bradninch CC Secretary Chris
Dean who drove through the dawn chorus to meet and greet the
pair upon arrival in the country. Dean said:
“First impressions are that they are nice lads. I know that Gem
(Coetzee) rates the off-spin of young Richardt as being the best
of anyone his age within their district so hopefully over the
next ten weeks the English weather will oblige and give him some
decent surfaces to bowl on.”
The youngsters are being accommodated by club stalwart Pete
Hardy who said:
“They have settled in very quickly. It really is a culture shock
for them and they spent the first few days with chattering teeth
thanks to our weather. But I’ll take good care of them and
hopefully we’ll be able to give them plenty of cricket.”
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