Former South Africa Under-19 captain Sibonelo Makhanya has arrived at May’s Bounty as Basingstoke & North Hants’ overseas player – but the club is uncertain whether he will be able to make his ECB Southern Premier League debut against St Cross Symondians, 12.30pm.
The Dolphins right-arm all-rounder arrived yesterday and met his team-mates for the first time at last night’s training session.
The 22-year old KwaZulu-Natal cricketer captained South Africa on their UK tour in 2015, having played in his country’s ICC Under-19 World Cup winning side in Bangladesh.
But it is taking time for his Premier League registration to be sorted out.
“We obviously need to get the necessary paperwork signed off before Sib can play, so its a case of wait and see,” said Basingstoke skipper Mitchell Stokes.
“Sib certainly hasn’t missed anything as few of the first team has managed to play any cricket yet.”
This will be Basingstoke’s delayed Premier Division debut, last week’s scheduled visit to New Milton being called off because Fernhill was unfit.
St Cross Symondians did play last weekend and took a seven-wicket biffing from the Hampshire Academy – weaknesses in their bowling armory being exposed.
They are without skipper Tom Foyle, but Southampton Solent University all-rounder Matt Stokes is expected to return and beef up the pace attack.
Basingstoke & North Hants: Belcher, Thane, Harsham, Stokes, Makhanya, Williamson, Griffiths, Jolley, Benge, Porter, James.
St Cross Symondians: Stokes, Young, Came, Ellis, Mead, H Foyle, Bransgrove, C Ayres, Lunn, Veillard, Mitchell.
The Dolphins right-arm all-rounder arrived yesterday and met his team-mates for the first time at last night’s training session.
The 22-year old KwaZulu-Natal cricketer captained South Africa on their UK tour in 2015, having played in his country’s ICC Under-19 World Cup winning side in Bangladesh.
But it is taking time for his Premier League registration to be sorted out.
“We obviously need to get the necessary paperwork signed off before Sib can play, so its a case of wait and see,” said Basingstoke skipper Mitchell Stokes.
“Sib certainly hasn’t missed anything as few of the first team has managed to play any cricket yet.”
This will be Basingstoke’s delayed Premier Division debut, last week’s scheduled visit to New Milton being called off because Fernhill was unfit.
St Cross Symondians did play last weekend and took a seven-wicket biffing from the Hampshire Academy – weaknesses in their bowling armory being exposed.
They are without skipper Tom Foyle, but Southampton Solent University all-rounder Matt Stokes is expected to return and beef up the pace attack.
Basingstoke & North Hants: Belcher, Thane, Harsham, Stokes, Makhanya, Williamson, Griffiths, Jolley, Benge, Porter, James.
St Cross Symondians: Stokes, Young, Came, Ellis, Mead, H Foyle, Bransgrove, C Ayres, Lunn, Veillard, Mitchell.