Liam Alder and Zintle Kula scoop Garden Route Badgers top awards

OUDTSHOORN NEWS - Garden Route Badgers, spin bowler all-rounder, Liam Alder, won the prestigious Garden Route Badgers Player of the Season award at their annual awards breakfast ceremony that was held at the ANEW Wilderness Hotel in George on Saturday morning.

The captain of the Garden Route Badgers women’s team, Zintle Kula, who excelled for the Garden Route Badgers women’s team in the Hollywoodbets professional women’s competition, won the Garden Route Badgers Women’s Player of the Season award.

The 22-year-old Alder bagged the 3rd most wickets in the CSA Division 2 Four-Day Competition, 30 wickets at an average of 19.06 with a best bowling analysis of 5/56, economy rate of 2.04. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the CSA Division 2 T20 Challenge, with eight wickets at an average of 13.75 and a best bowling analysis of 3/26. He was also voted by the South African Cricketers’ Association as the most valuable Division 2 player of the season.

Kula, who currently plays for Sussay Cricket Club in the United Kingdom during the South African winter, bagged the 2nd most wickets in Pro50, 14 wickets, and an average of 17.57 (4th on bowling averages), and took the third most wickets in Pro20, 14 wickets at an average of 12.21, best bowling analysis of 5/21.

Enathi Khitshini, who was the captain of the SA Schools team and represented South Africa at the ICC U19 World Cup that was hosted in February in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, received the prestigious SP Swigelaar merit award.

Special Merit Awards were awarded to:
• Mi-Jeanne Botha: Selected for the CSA Girls’ U19 Fillies team that was selected upon conclusion of the CSA Girls’ U19 National tournament that was hosted in Potchefstroom during December 2025.
• Jezé Campher: Selected for the CSA Girls’ U19 team for the international triangular series in Durban during January 2026 and the CSA Youth team for the Africa series in Kenya during April 2026.
• Gabi-Lee van der Westhuizen: Appointed as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the CSA Girls’ U19 team for the international triangular series in Durban during January 2026
• Yolandi van der Westhuizen: Appointed as Assistant Coach for the CSA Girls’ U19 team for the international triangular series in Durban during January 2026 and the CSA Youth team for the Africa series in Kenya during April 2026.
• Enathi Khitshini, Keano Coerecius and Kurt Botha: Selected for the SA Hubs national team that participated in the annual Michealmus tournament in September 2025 and CSA Switch Schools T20 finals in January 2026.
• Enathi Khitshini, and Shirwin Plaatjies: Selected for the Southern Superstars Cubs team that participated in the annual CSA National Cubs tournament that was hosted in Stellenbosch during January 2026.
• Ducayne Plaatjies: Selected for the Schools SA20 Team for the final phase 3 that took place in Pretoria.
• Enathi Khishini: Selected as captain of the SA Schools team that was selected upon conclusion of the CSA Khaya Majola National tournament that was hosted in Bloemfontein during December 2026.
• Luzuko Mralasi: Appointed as umpire to officiate in the CSA CSA Hollywoodbets Pro women’s series.
• San-Marie Strydom: Appointed as umpire to officiate in the CSA Hollywoodbets Pro women’s series.
• Nathan Rhodes: Appointed as umpire to officiate in the Cricket SA National Cubs, Khaya Majola and USSA ‘A’ national tournaments as well as the CSA Hollywoodbets Pro women’s series.
• Lyndon Volkwyn: Appointed as umpire to officiate in the Cricket SA National Cubs-, Khaya Majola, USSA A- and CSA Community Cup national tournaments as well as the CSA Hollywoodbets Pro women’s series.
• Enathi Khitshini: Selected for the SA U19 team for the ICC U19 World Cup that was hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia in January and February 2026.
• Annerie Dercksen: Selected as a member of the Protea National women’s team for various international matches across all formats during the 2026/27 season.
• Mr Michael Eksteen: Appointed as the Chairman of the Cricket South Africa Cricket Pipeline Committee.

Roll of Honor Awards
• Bevin André Fortuin (player of Blanco Cricket Club) 6 February 1979 - 11 September 2025
• Stephen Xavier Jantjies (member of Mayflower Cricket Club) 21 July 1961 - 22 August 2025
• Gusvine Tyronne May (former SWD player and member of Western Hope CC) 6 April 1978 - 22 November 2025
• Hilton Saayman (player at Riversdale Cricket Club member) 7 September 1989 - 7 December 2025
• Peter-John Nordejee (E-Commerce and Marketing Manager of Crown Food Group): 20 September 1966 - 14 February 2026
• Johannes Wagenaar (member of Union Stars Cricket Club) 18 March 1942 - 14 April 2016
• Wilfred Neville Petersen (former team manager of Mossel Bay Women’s team) 1 February 1943 - 21 April 2026
• Manie Olivier and Carlos Biljohn, who received the Eden Legends Awards, were honoured, and Mervyn Davids (Blanco United CC) received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lifetime Achievement Awards
• Vonna LeKay, Sally Herman, Bettie Fipaza, Eva Joseph, Imelda Saunders and Barbara Anne Cupido who all serve as coaches in the Mini-Cricket program for more than twenty years.
• Anaxolo Khitshini (Pacaltsdorp United CC), for his all-round performances, was the Premier League player of the season, Gideon Scheepers (NMU Madibaz CC) won the award for the Promotion League, Carlton Rasmus (Beaufort West CC) for Reserve League Division 1 and Werner Mels (Knysna Cavaliers CC) for Reserve League Division 2.
• Enathi Khitsini (Garden Route Badgers U19’s), the T20 player of the season, and Mochelle May (Pacaltsdorp United), who scored the most runs in the Women’s League, received the Award as Women’s Player of the Season. May was also the Women’s Division 1 T20 league player of the season, and Jeronique Murphy (Harlequins Forces CC) was the Women’s Division 2 T20 player of the season.

Other achievements recognised
• Leagon Fortuin (Primary Schools Cricketer of the Season)
• Enathi Kitshini (High Schools Player of the Season)
• Jezé Campher (High School Girls’ Player of the Season)
• Keenan Arries (Rural Player of the Season)
• Enathi Khitshini (Colts Player of the Season)
• Mary-Jo Lamont (SWD Scorer of the Season)
• Lyndon Volkwyn (SWD Umpire of the Season)
• Marco Donson (from the REC Ground, the Club Groundsman of the Season)
• Pacaltsdorp United CC was the winner of the Fair Play Award, and they also won the Operational Excellence Award.
• Most runs in the Switch SA20 schools U19 girls: Jezé Campher (Bridgton Hub)
• Most runs in the Switch SA20 schools U19 boys: Singumzi Blou (York High)
• Most runs in U15 promotion- and U19 promotion league: Daclan Arries Rosemoore Hub)
• Most runs in U15 super league: Carlo Seegers (Oakdale Agricultural High School)
• Most runs in U19 super league: Jordan Ross (York High)
• Most wickets in the Switch SA20 schools U19 Girls: Jezé Campher (Bridgton Hub)
• Most wickets in the Switch SA20 Schools U19 Boys: Johalin Oosthuizen (Outeniqua High)
• Most wickets in U15 promotion league: Buhle Ntshili (Thembalethu Hub)
• Most wickets in U15 Super League: Hendrik Hofmeyer (Outeniqua High School)
• Most wickets in U19 promotion league: Zackary Opperman (Edenshine Christian School)
• Most wickets in U19 Super League: Singumzi Blou (York High)
• Batter of the season: Women's Twenty20 league: Julia Hoal (Pacaltsdorp United CC)
• Bowler of the season: Women's Twenty20 league: Millicent Steenberg (Pacaltsdorp United CC)
• Batsman of the season: Twenty20 league: J-P Ellis (Knysna Cavaliers CC)
• Bowler of the season: Twenty20 league: Stefan May (Knysna Cavaliers CC)
• Batter of the season: women's league: Mochelle May (Union Stars United CC)
• Bowler of the season: women's league: Tiché Frans (Sussex CC)
• Batsman of the season: reserve league division 2: Fernando Tiemie (Calitzdorp Young Stars CC)
• Bowler of the season: reserve league division 2: Cornelius Piedt (Calitzdorp Young Stars CC)
• Batsman of the season: reserve league division 1: Randy Wesso (Mayflower CC)
• Bowler of the season: reserve league division 1: Clinton Pietersen (Mayflower CC)
• Batsman of the season: promotion league: Jade Titus (Knysna Cavaliers CC)
• Bowler of the season: promotion league: Divino Koert (Knysna Cavaliers CC)
• Batsmen of the season: Premier League: Anaxolo Khitshini (Pacaltsdorp United CC)
• Bowler of the season: Premier League: Ricardo Majolla (Pacaltsdorp United CC)
The respective league and club winners also received their trophies.

Schools League
• Schools SA20 Girls U19: Bridgton Hub
• Schools SA20 Boys U19: Bridgton Hub
• U15 Promotion League: Langenhoven Gymnasium U15B
• U15 Super League: Outeniqua High School
• U19 Promotion League: Oudtshoorn High School
• U19 Super League: York High School

League Winners
• Women Division 2: Harlequins Forces
• Women Division 1: T20: Pacaltsdorp United
• Women Division 1: Pacaltsdorp United
• Reserve Division 2: Knysna Cavaliers
• Reserve Division 1: Beaufort West
• Promotion League: Plett Pioneers
• T20: Pacaltsdorp United
• Premier League: Pacaltsdorp United