Cape Town – Proteas debutant batsman Zubayr Hamza has made history by becoming the first cricketer from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to don the senior national cricket team colours in a Test.
One of the country’s leading franchise cricketers, Hamza also claimed the milestone of being the 100th player to represent the Proteas in the five-day format against Pakistan in Gauteng, replacing skipper Faf du Plessis as the series had already been won.
Hamza batted confidently on Friday, scoring 41 runs, but was caught leg before without scoring in the second innings. On Monday, the Proteas secured a 107-run victory and a 3-0 series clean sweep against Pakistan at the Wanderers.
Currently doing his BCom accounting degree, Hamza joined UWC through the Sport Skills for Life Skills (SS4LS) programme.
The director of the SS4LS initiative, advocate Nicholas Kok, has congratulated Hamza on his Proteas debut and said it was incredible for the UWC Cricket Club, the Sport Skills for Life Skills programme and for the UWC community.
“Zubayr is our first Protea to come from the programme and from UWC, and he is a humble, hard-working man who has shown dedication and perseverance.
“He is still a youngster and will have a great future ahead of him,” said Kok.
Hamza has regularly put the university on the map since enrolling.
His sterling form was rewarded with a call-up to the South Africa ‘A’ side last year and a contract with the Cape Cobras for the Sunfoil Series two years ago.
Being on the selectors’ radar for a couple of seasons, he grabbed their attention last summer when he scored 828 runs in the Sunfoil Series for the Cape Cobras, at an average of 69, making three centuries and four half-centuries.
He represented the Proteas A in India in the winter and made a pair of fifties against India A.
UWC’s director of sport administration, Mandla Gagayi, said Hamza’s selection bears testimony to his consistency for the Cape Cobras and UWC.
“Being UWC’s sportsman of the year in 2017, his selection to the Proteas was inevitable.
“As UWC Sport, we are very proud of our contribution to South Africa’s sport agenda in different disciplines,” said Gagayi.