Okuhle Cele can’t wait to play with many of the players he used to look up to as a young boy.
Now that the former Dolphins fast man has moved up north and joined the Titans, he will have that opportunity.
‘I’m keen to be playing alongside Dean Elgar and Henry Davids, especially having had the privilege of sitting on the stands as a young boy watching them playing against the Dolphins,’ he recalled.
‘To play alongside them will be a great thing. I’m really looking forward to playing around experienced players and to also see how they think and how they go about their business.’
Cele, still just 22, is also going to come to terms with leaving home for the first time, as he looks to grow into the game.
’It is going to be the first time leaving home, so I’m excited to see how I manage and cope in a new environment,’ he admitted.
A popular and quiet member of the Dolphins armoury for the past few seasons, he has become a bowler who surprises batsmen with his pace. Greater control has made him an even more interesting prospect, and he says the move to the Sky Blues has come at just the right time.
‘I felt that the Titans was the best move for me because I felt I’m at a stage where I really want to elevate my career and get out of my comfort zone. I think the Titans being the franchise they are was the best place for me to grow not only as a cricketer but also as a human being,’ he added.
He joins former Dolphins teammate Sibz Makhanya, Thando Ntini and Lizaad Williams in making moves to Centurion, as a new wave sweeps into the franchise.
Having come through the successful Glenwood High School production line, gone through KZN representative age-group sides, and then on to the Dolphins Academy and rookie system before earning his first full contract, Cele now has massive ambitions that he wants to achieve while at the Titans.
‘To be honest there are exciting nerves about joining the Titans. Being in and around such big names and a franchise that has had legends of the game like it is quite nerve-wracking, but also it’s an exciting new challenge,’ he said.
There are many who have arrived at the Titans with dreams of bigger things, and many have gone on to do just that. Cele is no different, and he hopes to make a big impression at his new home.
‘My aspirations are to play for Proteas one day, but one thing I would love to be better at is consistency and becoming a match-winner,’ he admitted.
