Limpopo (cricket team)

Limpopo cricket team, also called the Limpopo Impalas^[1] are a former first-class cricket team from Limpopo, the northernmost province of South Africa. They played their home games at Modjadjiskloof Oval, Duiwelskloof.

When Cricket South Africa decided to expand the Provincial Three-Day Challenge in 2006, Limpopo were one of five provincial teams (along with Kei, KwaZulu-Natal Inland, Mpumalanga and South Western Districts) elevated to first-class status.

First-class history

Limpopo played eight first-class matches in the 2006-07 season, losing five and drawing the other three. They played seven matches in the Provincial One-Day Challenge, winning two and losing five.

Their highest score in each competition was made by Andrew Galloway.^[2] In the first-class match against Free State he scored 127 off 123 balls in the first innings to help Limpopo to their highest score of 402 for 7 declared.^[3] He finished the season with 421 runs at an average of 42.10, scored at a run-rate of 108.22 runs per 100 balls. The five matches he played in 2006-07 were Galloway's whole first-class career. In the one-day competition he hit 91 not out off 88 balls against North West.

The other prominent batsmen in the first-class matches were Pieter Haasbroek,^[4] who scored 497 runs at 31.06, and Johannes Shokane,^[5] who scored 437 runs at 36.41, including one century. In each case 2006-07 gave them their only first-class matches.

The two main bowlers were the pacemen Tumi Masekela,^[6] who took 22 wickets at 24.18 and continues to play first-class cricket, and Sammy Letsoalo,^[7] who took 22 wickets at 29.40 and subsequently played a few matches for North West.

Later history

In a competition that was itself of borderline first-class status, Cricket South Africa considered Limpopo's performance (and those of Kei and Mpumalanga) too weak to justify their place, and after one season, all three teams were omitted.^[8] They have played no further first-class cricket.

Limpopo continue to play at sub-first-class level.^[9] Since 2010-11 they have competed in the Cricket South Africa Rural League, inland division, a 50-over competition.^[10] Their under-age teams compete in the annual inter-provincial tournaments.^[11]

In August 2018, they were included in the 2018 Africa T20 Cup tournament.^[12][13]

References

External sources

• Lists of matches played by Limpopo at CricketArchive
• Limpopo Impala Cricket

Further reading

• South African Cricket Annual – various editions
• Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – various editions