De Villiers eyes growth in England

Dafabet Warriors captain Matthew de Villiers is hoping to further sharpen his game in his latest stint in the United Kingdom, where he will spend the next few months playing club cricket ahead of the upcoming domestic season in SA.

The right-handed batter will once again represent Longridge Cricket Club in Preston in the ECB Northern Premier League, marking his second spell as the club’s overseas professional after previously featuring for them during the 2023 season.

While overseas club cricket can often prove challenging, de Villiers believes the experience is crucial to his development as a player.

Speaking to The Herald, the Warriors skipper said exposure to different conditions and playing styles remained one of the best ways to improve as a cricketer.

“I think that’s why my game can and will continue to improve. Cricket is all about adapting as quickly as possible, so I aim to expose myself to as many different conditions as I can,” he said.

“You cannot play the same type of cricket all over the world. You have to adapt quickly, and if you approach it with the right mindset, playing overseas can be hugely beneficial for any cricketer looking to grow into someone capable of competing at the highest level.”

De Villiers heads to England on the back of a breakthrough 2025/26 domestic campaign with the Warriors.

He captained the Gqeberha-based side to CSA T20 Challenge glory while also leading them to the final of the domestic four-day competition. The Warriors narrowly missed out on a third final appearance after losing to the Titans in the one-day qualifier.

One of the standout moments of the season came when de Villiers led the Warriors to a dramatic Super Over victory against Boland to secure the CSA T20 Challenge title.

His performances during the domestic season also earned him an opportunity in the Betway SA20 after he was drafted by the Joburg Super Kings for season four of the tournament.

Although his returns with the bat were modest — scoring 151 runs in 10 innings at an average of just over 15 — de Villiers described the experience as invaluable and remains hopeful of building on it in future editions of the competition.

“It was an experience I’ll never forget,” he said.

“You always hope to get noticed by these teams, but to be drafted and then play as many games as I did was definitely not something I expected before the tournament.

“Just being in the same dressing room as some of the game’s top players was already a massive boost for me. Knowing the coach and my teammates backed me to succeed gave me all the motivation I needed every time I stepped onto the field.”