The Tops Awkward Turtles will look to break their run of bad luck in the previous two editions of the Rhodes Internal Premier League (RIPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament when the 2011 version kicks off on 7 September.
The Tops Turtles were very unlucky to be pitted against the unbeaten Belmont Bashers in the semifinals of 2009 and 2010, losing narrowly on the second-last ball in last year’s game.
The Tops Awkward Turtles will look to break their run of bad luck in the previous two editions of the Rhodes Internal Premier League (RIPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament when the 2011 version kicks off on 7 September.
The Tops Turtles were very unlucky to be pitted against the unbeaten Belmont Bashers in the semifinals of 2009 and 2010, losing narrowly on the second-last ball in last year’s game.
Nonetheless the strong Tops Turtles side will be looking to find the killer instinct that will give them a shot at the title this year.
On paper, things are looking good for the Tops Turtles, with RIPL founder and former team captain, Dean McLuckie, signing more players in the off season than Alex Ferguson.
Craig Dargie and Garren Kent were drafted to the Tops Turtles from the College Knights – Dargie was playing for the latter when he topped the tournament wicket-taking charts.
Other significant inclusions are Matt Clark and RIPL organiser, Andrew Beach, who have joined from the Panthers and Smuts respectively.
But arguably their biggest signing is Robin Cheeseman. The master-blaster batsmen made an unbeaten 93 off 57 balls for KZN Inland against the Dolphins back in 2006.
That said, the Tops Turtles have also had to forgo several players key to their success in the past.
Greg White, a deadly bowler, is pursuing business opportunities in Canada, while Poelano Khutsoane’s contract expired. He has sadly received no further bids from the Tops Turtles or any of their rivals.
Most of the talk in the Tops Turtles changeroom has been over the loss of left arm seamer, Mark Fulton. The wily Fulton, likened to his Zimbabwean counterpart, Brian Vitori, has done the unthinkable and jumped ship to arch rivals and new kids on the block, the Pink Platypuses. This will undoubtedly turn up the heat on the field, as the Tops Turtles v Platypuses is the first scheduled game of the season.
The 2011 Tops Awkward Turtles team is arguably the strongest they have ever fielded. The new signings will accompany the more senior big-name players of McLuckie, Chris van der Meulen and skipper Doug Nupen.
The Tops Turtles have drawn a tough pool and will rely heavily on their senior players to pull them through to the playoffs. Despite an under-strength bowling line-up, they do boast what is perhaps the strongest batting order in the tournament and are ranked as one of the favourites to take the 2011 RIPL.
Squad: Doug Nupen (c), Dean McLuckie, Chris van der Meulen (wk), Andrew Beach, Matt Clark, Robin Cheeseman, Garren Kent, Paul Sheppard, Craig Dargie, James Moxham, Clint Moss, Ross Alford, Kevin Andrew.
