Middelburg ‘cricket sensation’ set to play in England

A local cricketer from Middelburg who is being described as a “Mpumalanga cricket sensation” – Benjamin van Niekerk – will play for Dartington and Totnes in the Devon League in the upcoming cricket season in the UK.

According to CricX – the UK’s leading cricket agency – ‘the prolific off-spin bowling all-rounder who represents the senior Mpumalanga team is a star in the making and is eager to make a big impression during his maiden stint abroad in 2015.’

CricX specialise in the recruitment, placement and management of professional and amateur cricketers across the globe.

Benjamin van Niekerk

It was stated that “A product of HTS Middelburg, van Niekerk boasts a remarkable junior career to date. He has represented Mpumalanga through every age-group, excluding the Under-13s due to his involvement with the South African Schools Tennis tour to America”.

He has played in six National Cricket Weeks, including two at Under-17 level and recently the Khaya Majola Under-19 Coke Week.

During his second CSA Under-17 National Week, van Niekerk not only skippered the side, but finished as the tournament’s second leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets at 9.21, including 1 five and 2 four wicket hauls.

CricX stated that the following year (December 2014), he topped Mpumalanga’s run charts at Coke Week, averaging 48 with notable scores of 79 (vs. Limpopo) and 57 (Easterns).

“His age-group representative success culminated with senior Mpumalanga inclusion this summer during their 2014/15 title winning campaign. He enjoyed a successful transition into senior provincial cricket averaging 45.50 and 18.50 with bat and ball respectively.”

Van Niekerk graduated from HTS Middelburg in December 2014, not before two prolific season’s 1st XI cricket (where he acted as vice-captain).

In 2013, he scored 623 runs at 52 with a century (112*) against Generaal Hertsog alongside 29 wickets at 11.34.

In 2014, he churned out another 573 runs at 64 with successive scores of 97 (Rob Ferreira), 96* (Nelspruit Hoërskool) and 107* (Uplands College) in addition to 20 wickets at 14.15.

Alongside his school and age-group representative commitments, he has also played Premier Club cricket where he has averaged 45 and 11.90 in 2013/14 and this summer, has scores of 75*, 46*, 15*, 26 and 19 alongside 6 wickets at 13.33 including a hatrick en-route to 5-35 (10).

The CricX statement concluded: Van Niekerk is quite the prospect who seems destined for higher honours in the not too distant future. Now he has completed his studies, he has signed to play in the Devon Cricket League for Dartington and Totnes for the 2015 season.