Affiliates

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz has been involved with Border Cricket since 1991 and has assisted with financial assistance to ensure that the transformation of cricket in the Border has been a success. Mercedes-Benz involvement incorporates the Development and the Academy Sponsorships. With Mercedes-Benz’s support Border Cricket has developed into one of the most dynamic outfits in South African Cricket. Border Cricket has been able to deliver both exciting cricket and a successful youth policy, a policy which has seen Makhaya Ntini and Monde Zondeki graduate to international level.

BORDER CRICKET LEADS THE WAY, BUILDING TALENT AND FACILITIES IN THE HEARTLAND OF CRICKET.

Since 1991 Mercedes-Benz has been committed to one of the top development programmes in the country. The programme has the largest regional player base in South Africa and is acknowledged as the leader in the development arena.

The Mercedes-Benz Development Programme began in 1991. It has the largest player base in South Africa and is an acknowledged leader in the development arena.

Fifteen years ago, unearthing future provincial and national players from the dusty hillsides of places like Middledrift, Alice and King Williams Town was a novel notion that few potential sponsors were willing to take seriously, despite the lengthy and rich black cricketing tradition in the Border area. But, Mercedes-Benz did exactly that and the Mercedes-Benz Development Programme remains the envy of every province. Makhaya Ntini, first Black African National Cricketer, is the obvious success story.

The Development Programme continues to grow from strength to strength with more facilities being built and more talented young cricketers achieving in the various age groups. This
programme brings cricket to more than 40 000 children and there are approximately 700 schools active in its network.

Border Cricket with a commitment to developing grassroots players and the creation of facilities in the disadvantaged areas have so far developed 110 fields with pitches and 130 cricket nets in various areas in the region. An impressive tally considering the first of these facilities went up in 1991. The real value of the Mercedes-Benz Development Programme is better seen in terms of the fact the 50% of all provincial school teams selected on merit are players from the previously disadvantaged group.

MERCEDES-BENZ’S SUPPORT HAS PROVIDED FUNDS FOR:

• The continuous development and upgrading of facilities which have been erected in rural areas

• The provision of the best available coaching to all disadvantaged cricketers

• The continuous upgrading of equipment

• The facilitating of leagues and tournaments for disadvantaged cricketers at a high level and nurturing sound administration

The Mercedes-Benz Cricket Academy, which began in 1997 has offered top young players the opportunity to broaden their cricket talents and to gain in valuable life skills
Thanks to Mercedes-Benz, career opportunities have been offered to a number of talented players who have represented either Border A or Border B sides. The Academy therefore provides a necessary link between school and senior cricket and also ensures that the top Border Cricketers remain in the province

Mercedes-Benz has once again supported this project, which has provided funds to ensure that talented young rural school players are identified and relocated to East London in order to get the best coaching available.
Unlike most other institutions of its kind, students at the Mercedes-Benz Academy are housed on site at Mercedes-Benz Park. This is an important factor as each intake is drawn from all over the province and the growing number of players emerging from the rural areas are thus able to remain in East London.

 

Clothing Sponsor	Airtime Sponsor	Vehicle Supplier
Energy and Carbonated Drinks Supplier	Holistic involvement with Border Cricket and Border Bears	Paper Supplier