“Sunrisers, jou lekker ding!” is the chant that has reverberated through St George’s Park over the past three Betway SA20 seasons.
Translated, it means “Sunrisers, you good thing”, and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and St George’s Park have been a good fit, serving up some memorable nights in SA’s premier domestic T20 cricket competition.
For a month each year, the stadium transforms into a jubilant cricket carnival, satisfying Gqeberha’s thirst for high-quality sport and providing the Eastern Cape with a team that its people can take pride in.
Coach Adrian Birrell is a son of the Eastern Cape soil and has surrounded himself with fellow Gqeberha-born coaches Baakier Abrahams and Russell Domingo among his support staff.
It is this Ubuntu spirit that has been the foundation of the Sunrisers’ success, yielding back-to-back Betway SA20 Championships and a runners-up position in season 3.
Eastern Cape legend Makhaya Ntini, who played many seasons at St George’s Park, believes much of the Sunrisers’ success stems from the energy of their passionate fans, affectionately known as “The Orange Army”, who are supported by the iconic brass band.
“We all know this is the home of cricket, Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape,” former Proteas fast bowler Ntini said.
“This is the place that everybody loves to come to.
“We’ve got the Orange Army, and an incredible atmosphere that everyone just loves.
“The crowd is amazing; people of this province love their sport and cricket.”
Ntini believes Birrell’s unique coaching methods have played a pivotal role in shaping the most successful franchise in the history of Betway SA20.
“Adi makes everyone feel at home. It’s almost like a family.
“He makes people of this region feel like they are important, everyone is part of the team,” he said.
“I think that’s one of the things that made them so successful, because if you win one game here, you must know that the next game that you play, everybody will be here.
“Last year, we didn’t start very well, but look where we ended, look at the crowds. They never say die. They’re forever behind their team.”
The same energy and fanfare of the “Orange Army” could be felt at Greenwood Primary, which recently hosted the third leg of the SA20 Schools Tour.
Media personality and Eastern Cape native Anele Mdoda got the party started as the pupils erupted to the sounds of the season 4 anthem, Put Your Hands Up in the Air! by Danzel and danced to the #PutYourHandsUpSA20 TikTok challenge.
Sunrisers all-rounder Patrick Kruger believes the SA20 has helped to change the mindset of the domestic players.
“You can see in the recent CSA T20 challenge, youngsters are stepping up; they are hungry to make an impression, which could lead to an SA20 call-up.
“I think the influence the SA20 has on players is unbelievable, especially for the domestic players in SA.
“The competition opens up doors for players to get a Proteas call-up or put their name on the map.
“It is a very good platform for domestic cricket; it just gets better every year.”
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape open their Betway SA20 season 4 campaign away to the Paarl Royals at Boland Park on December 27.
Gqeberha then greets the two-time champions for the opening home fixture on December 29 against the Pretoria Capitals and the New Year’s Eve clash against the Paarl Royals.
Tickets for matches can be purchased at www.SA20.co.za or at the stadium ticket offices. — SA20 Media
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.