Richards Bay coach leads SA cricket team to finals

RICHARDS Bay’s Nizar Fransch, coach of the South African U14 indoor cricket team led his team to a silver in the Indoor Cricket Junior World Series held in Australia recently.

Fransch said the final was a close affair with the Australians posting 111 in their 16 overs, and at 41 after 4 overs South Africa had one hand on that elusive crown, however disciplined bowling and the home crowd saw the Australians take the crown.

He has coached the provincial KZN North U11 and U13 squads from 2011 and was appointed, in 2014, to the U14 SA squad.

His KZN squads have competed in four national tournaments, bringing home three consecutive medals.

Cricket runs deep in the Fransch household and his eldest son Tahreef represented South Africa at the 2012 Junior World Series and his youngest, Suhayl was selected for the KZN North U11 squad and is Veldenvlei Primary School’s cricketer of the year for the past two seasons.

‘The tour has been an awesome experience and it was an honour to have represented South Africa successfully over the past four years.

‘I cherish these opportunities and thank my family for their continuous support and encouragement as well as all my friends across the globe,’ said Fransch.

Passionate about developing and inspiring the youth, he initiated a sporting academy, where the youth of the area can develop and excel.

He coaches outdoor cricket on a Saturday morning and dreams of the day where the youth will be filling our sporting facilities on weekends in the various sporting codes.

Coaching highlights

In 2013 his coaching potential was recognised and he was appointed the South African National coach at the U11 level.

Over the three years Fransch’s team has won 16 of the 19 South African matches.

In 2014, his second season in charge of the juniors, his group of Proteas were undefeated.