Lungi Ngidi will look to impress for the SA National Academy with an eye on the SA Emerging tour to Sri Lanka in August.
National Academy programme will run from 22 May until the end of July and at its conclusion an SA Emerging men’s squad will be named for the tour of Sri Lanka in August.
Ngidi has been tipped for great things. The 20-year-old has played an import role for the Titans and has represented SA U19. His development has qualified him for a spot in the National academy squad, which aims to prepare young players for the demands of professional cricket.
SA Schools captain Wiaan Mulder has also made the side after impressing on multiple levels for his province, franchise and country. CSA will hope that they can improve on last season’s success, which saw SA Emerging and SA A all-rounder, Andile Phehlukwayo, promoted to the Proteas ODI side.
‘The National Academy Programme forms a very strategic part of our developmental pipeline,’ said CSA General Manager, Corrie van Zyl.
‘It has the aim of preparing young players for the demands of professional cricket. These selected players that are carefully identified include previous graduates of the SA U-19 programme, performing senior provincial and emerging franchise players.
‘This past year saw a highly successful SA Emerging squad home series against Sri Lanka and it has been highly encouraging to see the manner in which a number of them have gone on to the next level of making their franchise squads while Phehlukwayo made his debut for the Proteas.
‘This confirms that this programme is living up to its expectations to assist CSA and its members to develop the identified players in such a way that will produce quality players for our domestic competitions as well as prepare them for future international participation,’ Van Zyl concluded.
SA National Academy men’s squad: Karabo Mogotsi (Gauteng), Wihan Lubbe (North West), Yaseen Vallie (Gauteng), Tony de Zorzi (Northerns), Janneman Malan (North West), Senuran Muthusamy (KZN), Isaac Digale (North West), Lungi Ngidi (Northerns), Lwandiswa Zuma (Free State), Tladi Bokako (EP), Okuhle Cele (KZN), Migael Pretorius (Northerns), Ndumiso Mvelase (Gauteng), Kyle Simmonds (Boland), Thomas Kaber (Northerns), Kyle Verrynne (WP), Matthew Christensen (EP), Wiaan Mulder (Gauteng).
