Dolphins Cubs ready for CSA Franchise Cubs Week

Durban – The Hollywoodbets Dolphins Under-19 Cubs team will be looking to hit the ground running at the CSA Franchise Cubs Week when it gets underway this week in Stellenbosch with a first match against the Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras Cubs on Wednesday.

The 2021 edition of Cubs Week will be the fourteenth time that this competition is held and it will be contested by the six franchises in a bio-secure environment under the adherence of the Covid-19 protocols with the final being played on Sunday, 7 February.

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cubs will be looking to build on the success of the 2019 side who won the tournament under the watchful eye of Fabian Lazarus and now Hollywoodbets Dolphins fielding coach, Mduduzi Mbatha.

“Winning a tournament of this magnitude takes a massive team effort. That Hollywoodbets Dolphins 2019 Cubs team was a special one, everyone contributed in some way when the team needed it,” Lazarus said. “This year isn’t any different as the key focus revolves around putting the team first.”

Lazarus will be joined by KZN Inland Under-19 Academy Head Coach, Minenhle Magubane who will be making his coaching debut in the annual competition.

“I look forward to working with this talented team and working alongside Fabian, he has really involved me in the decision making processes and most importantly I understand my roles and responsibilities. I am already learning and growing as a coach under his guidance,” Magubane said.

The 2021 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cubs squad will boast six players who have progressed from the KZN RPC/Hub programme. Sanele Mbatha, Bongumusa Shezi, Thulani Chiliza, Andile Wanda who are from the Umlazi Hub, Chad Laycock who began his career at the Chatsworth RPC and Banele Cele from the INK Hub.

Lazarus continued to thank Hilton College and Ashton College who opened their doors and allowed the team to prepare for the Cubs Week.

KZN Cricket Union CEO, Heinrich Strydom wished the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cubs the very best for their tournament and expressed his pride for the team.

“The CSA Franchise Cubs Week is always exciting as we get to see our talented youngsters compete at a national level,” Strydom said. “The Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cubs side is an impressive group of players with six players progressing through the KZN Cricket RPC/Hub programme.

“For me, this shows the strength of the KZN Cricket pipeline and I would like to thank Sunfoil and KZN Department of Sport and Recreation for their continued support in this programme. We cannot wait to see this team take the field and give it their best shot.”