The Eastern Cape Iinyathi cricket team have been dealt a tough blow with their head coach, Tumelo Bodibe, departing to link up with the Eastern Storm.
Border Cricket made the announcement in a social media post on Wednesday, saying Bodibe had rejoined Storm, where he used to be an assistant coach and had previously played.
The news came shortly after Bodibe led Iinyathi to second on the promotion log, missing out on a jump to Division One by only a handful of points.
In the recent 2025-26 season under Bodibe’s guidance, Iinyathi made two finals, the Division 2 T20 and One-Day Cup, both of which they lost to the Knights, who were promoted.
The season before, Bodibe and Iinyathi were crowned co-champions of the One-Day Cup together with the Tuskers.
“Bodibe has been instrumental in shaping the team’s journey over the years,” Border Cricket said in a statement.
“From his early days within the setup to stepping into the role of head coach, his growth has mirrored the rise of the team.
“Through dedication, resilience and a deep passion for the game, he has not only brought success on the field but has also played a meaningful role in developing players beyond the game.
“His impact will be felt for years to come in the standards he set, the culture he built and the belief he instilled in the team.
“As he begins a new chapter with Eastern Storm, we thank him for his unwavering commitment and the legacy he leaves behind.”
A former wicketkeeper-batter, Bodibe succeeds veteran coach Geoffrey Toyana, who recently parted ways with the Benoni franchise.
It is understood that Bodibe has inked a three-year deal with Easterns, who finished fourth on the promotion log.
Bodibe recently revealed that he had a year left in his contract and would have wanted continuity at the KuGompo City team to push for promotion.
He acknowledged it would be difficult to keep some personnel during the transfer period as the team had done well.
“You know when you do well and come closer to being promoted, like we did, you get teams recruiting players who did well,” Bodibe said three weeks ago.
“We can’t stop people from getting better opportunities.
“I hope there won’t be many guys leaving us, and we continue from where we left off as opposed to rebuilding again.”
Bodibe joined Border in mid-2021 from Easterns. He succeeded former head coach Paul Adams in 2023 in the head coach role with Rowan Richards as his assistant coach.
The new domestic season is expected to start in October, and Border are now searching for a new mentor.
Daily Dispatch
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