Every young boy loves sport! Whether it be cricket, rugby, football (soccer to those uneducated fools) and some sports only the Yanks play. Whether the dream is to pull on a coveted jersey, stand behind the mic and commentate or get involved in some way in which they can claim “to have been a part of it all!”
Well, I was one of those young boys. I played cricket and football in primary school, including club football, and in high school, I played cricket and rugby – not very good at either. I knew that I would never make an impact on the field – and neither off it.
I did attempt an on-screen interview for SABC’s Top Sport back in 1993. I remember waiting to have my screen test, where we were given a clipboard with a whole bunch of sports questions on it, having to scribble our answers down prior to being called to the sports desk.
My mom told me afterwards that there was a gentleman – some years older than me – furiously trying to copy my answers as I strolled through the questions without hesitation.
Well, I sat down behind the sports desk, with Martin Lock’s voice coming to me via the earpiece I had in my right ear. He explained to me that we would present the current sporting news and then go to some live content (obviously recorded), at which there would be a break in transmission at some point, which I would then have to navigate accordingly.
Well, I feel I did ok, but because I was only 17 – and perhaps like my school-playing career, not very talented. So, I moved on.
It was also conveyed to me during my working career that I talked too much. I even remember my wife telling me at our wedding that “you love the sound of your own voice!”
It was only some 19 years later in which I fortuitously stumbled into writing on sport. It took a moment of “Tweeting” with Neil Manthorp while South Africa were touring England, winning two of the three tests to win 2-0.
It was a fantastic tour in which Hashim Amla registered the then highest Test total for South Africa, scoring 311 not out in the first innings as South Africa won by and innings and 12 runs at the Oval.
The second match was drawn despite Alviro Petersen making 182 and Graeme Smith making back to back half-centuries. But the third test was won by 52 runs thanks to Amla’s 121 in the second innings and Vernon Philander claiming 5-30 to seal the series win.
Since then, I was involved in South African cricket through writing for Supersport.com via Manthorp’s MWP Media organization. Through this time, I got to meet many cricketers, writers and broadcasters. At times, I pretended to be “part of the gang” but often felt an outcast.
It was only in 2025, when at a match at Newlands, I got chatting to James King, known locally as the Cape Fox, because of his support for Leicester City (known in England as the Foxes), about the commentary on YouTube.
I had often had to cover a match for Supersport via Cricket South Africa’s YouTube channel (which PitchVision produce) and had wondered how the people got to commentate.
Anyway, James gave me the background, invited me to a Hollywoodbets Pro20 women’s game at Newlands the following Sunday. He invited me to sit in and provide some colour commentary for two 20 minutes sessions as a “screen test”/
It seemed to go well as I filled out the Pitch Vision form, got loaded onto the Excel Spreadsheet for allocations and then started being allocated to the odd game here and there.
My dream really came to fruition on Saturday 7 February 2026. I had just woken up, made some coffee and was sitting at the bar when a Whatsapp came through from James, asking if I was available to commentate that day at for the Hollywoodbets Pro50 game between Western Province and the SWD Badgers ladies.
I was due to commentate on the Sunday during the Pro20 game but I replied to James and said “I just need to shower, and then shall shoot through” as the game started at 10am.
Why was I so excited? Because I was able to share the mic with Jeremy Fredericks – otherwise known as Rhino. A voice often heard on Supersport and in the cricketing circles. And so 2026 blossomed.
I enjoyed the day and still asked the Rhino for some feedback which he duly gave me on the Monday. Then I was invited by Boland Cricket to commentate on the Boland Super League T20 tournament – which featured five teams in a round robin tournament all at Boland Park in Paarl.
This was where I got to do my first Pitch Report and Toss, getting to know the players and captains, as well as making good acquaintances with match referee Laurence Matroos.
Then I also got to commentate with former Western Province, Lions and North West cricketer Eugene Moleon. Eugene (The Mole) Moleon and I clicked, we formed a lekker partnership behind the mic.
The two weeks whizzed by, doing a few pitch reports, some toss reports and commentating with Eugene, Jeremy, James and some other chaps. This gave me more confidence!
Now I cannot wait for the new season to start. Hoping that I can really get some more airtime behind the mic, whether it be women’s cricket or men’s.
It is something I absolutely enjoy. I do get compliments from family and friends – but you know, they are just being the polite bunch they are!
No matter – being a blabber-mouth has turned me into a cricket commentator at the age of 50 and may it long continue!