The launch of the High Performance Girls’ Cricket Centre on Sunday signalled a new dawn for girls’ cricket in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Twenty-six aspiring cricketers were given pink caps as an official welcome at the launch of the centre at the Old Grey Cricket Club.
The girls were selected from a group of 40 who had undergone a series of assessments.
The remaining 14 who did not make the initial cut have been placed in incubation with the hope of making the squad in the future.
Founded by Keith Buhr, Chris Krugel and Gerry Smith, the centre is aimed at revolutionising how talented cricketers are identified, nurtured and selected, placing performance over preference through a data-driven assessment model.
By moving away from traditional, coach-dominated selection processes, the model ensures objectivity, transparency and equal opportunity for all players.
Buhr said it would be a platform where every girl had a fair and equal chance to earn her place based solely on ability.
“We worked with Gerry, who is part of EP’s girls’ and women’s cricket, and we identified all the girl players who went to EP trials last year and made the EP team, or didn’t but are still part of the system and play club cricket and for their schools,” he said.
“We had 50 girls who mostly went through assessments and some didn’t make it, unfortunately.
“All the [capped] girls are going to get what we call group training sessions, where there will be two coaches with batters and bowlers, like any normal training session.
“The training sessions will happen mostly during weekends, then the selected squad girls, the ones who have been capped, will have a chance to be coached by an individual coach on a one-on-five basis and those sessions will be more technical.”
He said the centre was designed to empower the next generation of female cricketers.
It would provide dedicated coaching, cutting-edge resources and increased playing opportunities for girls in Gqeberha.
Buhr said that watching the girls play cricket for their school teams and EP at IPTs, they had realised that the EP girls’ level of coaching was lower than that of their counterparts in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
He said they had set out to provide better coaching and provide more game time to help them achieve their dreams.
“It’s not the perfect module. It’s a baby which is growing, and it will take time to perfect.
“In five years, we hope it will be sustainable in terms of continuing for the future to help the girls who do not even know about cricket yet.
“So, we see a potential merger or a collaboration between a professional cricket academy and the nonprofit centre.
“At this Independent nonprofit organisation, we welcome any individuals or sponsors who would like to get involved to help make this initiative a great success,” he said.
Pearson High grade 10 pupil Cayleigh Wankel, who is among the 26 girls who were capped, is excited about the venture.
The 15-year-old all-rounder, who is originally from East London but moved to Gqeberha in 2025, is now part of the EP girls’ side.
“I started playing cricket when I was in grade 3,” she said.
“My dad is very big into cricket and he bought me my first cricket kit for Christmas when I was in grade 4 and that was when my love for the sport grew.
“I am very excited to have made the squad and I can’t wait to see what will happen.
“I think this is a good start and that girls’ cricket is growing fast.
“I think this will also lead to growth in EP cricket and the youth development.”
Fast bowler Musa Halana, 16, a grade 11 pupil at Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School, was thrilled to make the squad.
“I started playing cricket in 2023, I love sports in general,” she said.
“I just wanted to stay active and I eventually fell in love with the sport.
“I am nervous because we have a lot of good players in the squad, but at the same time I am excited about this great opportunity.”
The Herald
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