The recent Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week rediscovered a special venue in Cape Town Cricket Club.

The substantial size of the prestigious tournament, which hosted 16 teams across 48 matches, required organisers to use more venues than only local high schools.

The usual suspects, such as Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Wynberg Boys’ High School and others were, of course, retained. However, humble community offerings such as Tygerberg Cricket Club, Victoria Cricket Club, Langa Cricket Club and Cape Town Cricket Club were also deployed.

Cape Town Cricket Club is a real gem in the heart of the southern suburbs, and a genuine servant to the local community on and off the field.

‘Blue collar’ to an extent and on ‘the other side’ of the railway line, Cape Town Cricket Club boasts a certain appeal, relatively unfathomable to those inclined to the finer things in life.

The pinnacle of the venue, other than its friendly staff and welcoming culture, is the Boon Wallace Oval. The pitch played well enough for something not watered and rolled nearly as much as decks at, say, any of the privileged local high schools.

Bounce and carry was sufficient, if not as consistent as witnessed at other grounds. The outfield is green, trim and tidy – all excellent traits in a Western Cape region still managing the negative affects of historic drought.

The William Bartus Scoreboard, meanwhile, is a modest version of its manually-operated counterpart at the Adelaide Oval in Australia and a definitive throwback to the past, too.

The clubhouse is also an effective ode to yesteryear, complete with characteristic wood finishings and a bar that isn’t fazed by the craft beer fad. Patrons, parents and other visitors in attendance at ‘Coke’ Week were rather treated to the bar’s staple: Castle Lite quarts.

The catering is modest, appropriate for a volunteer-based community sports club, with chicken strips and chips among the cheapest and tastiest fare, second only to Cape Town Cricket Club’s bacon and cheese burgers.

The club’s history speaks of Jacques Kallis, Brian McMillan, Jonathan Trott and other famous names as former members. Currently, it has Cape Cobras and Cape Town Blitz wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne in its ranks, with several other burgeoning stars jostling for position in its premier league XI.

With the help of the Western Province Cricket Association and City of Cape Town, the future indeed seems promising for Cape Town Cricket Club, as all three entities work together for the greater good of the game itself.

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