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Player Profile – Ben van der Merwe (Selborne College)

By Franco Oberholzer , in Cricket | News , at 2023-12-05 Tags: ,

Discussing where his love for cricket began, Selborne College‘s Ben van der Merwe shared his fond memories of going down to the beach in East London to play cricket with his father, Cassie van der Merwe.

“I first fell in love with the game when my dad used to take us to the beach to play on our holidays,” Van der Merwe recalled.

He also grew up watching his father excel in the game, playing at a provincial level for the Free State and Border, before earning selection for the South African Indoor Cricket side.

Ben has been a standout performer for Selborne for the past four years, and from the outset he made himself known to the Selbornian community when, at just 14 years of age, he smashed a stunning 202 not out against Stirling High School. That remains his favourite memory in the Selborne kit, he said, with a scintillating 122 versus Dale College in his Grade 10 year coming in a close second.

Ben could’ve boasted an unique accolade this year but Border has named him their vice-captain for this year’s Khaya Majola Week hosted in Makhanda. If he was the named the captain it would’ve been his third year in a row captaining the side at the prestigious tournament. He lead the team to the tournament in 2021 (Potchefstroom) and 2022 (Cape Town).

His younger brother Jacques is also part of this year’s Border team who will be in action in Makhanda. Ben also represented Amathole for two year’s during SASHOC’s u19 hockey tournament and made the SA Schools B-side earlier this year.

Since that attention-grabbing double-century, Van der Merwe’s confidence in his game has blossomed. He’s been an integral part of Selborne’s success, making telling contributions as a wicketkeeper-batsman, who every now and then gets the opportunity to send down some off-spin to bamboozle opponents, as well.

His aggressive nature with the willow in hand has seen him pile on the runs for Selborne over the last couple of years, which resulted in him receiving a call-up to the Eastern Cape Iinyati Colts side in February 2022 for the Cubs Week, even though he was just 17 years of age.

When asked about the format he likes most, the young batsman answered, without hesitation, that he prefers a 50-overs-a-side match. He added, however, that competing in a hard-fought multi-day game is at the top of the list of things he would like to achieve in the near future.

Questioned about the primary influences on his cricketing career, Van der Merwe said: “Someone who has played the biggest role in my cricketing career thus far must be my dad. All the times we have worked together behind the scenes, and all the motivation and equipment he has supplied me with, will not go unnoticed.

“Another person would be our Head of Sport at Selborne College, Murray Spence. He has worked with me since my high school career started.

“Selborne’s phenomenal coaching staff and facilities have led me to gain the knowledge and experience I have within the game thus far and to prepare myself for my future in the sport.”

Supremely talented, hard-working and humble, Ben van der Merwe appears on track to realise his aspirations of playing senior provincial cricket one day.

He’s also hoping to realise his biggest dream of all, to pull on the green and gold of the Proteas, to represent South Africa.

Franco Oberholzer
error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.