“It is exciting times for Grey High.”
That is how Richard Gilbert, the outgoing cricket head coach, described recent developments at the school.
Gilbert, who has led the first team for 13 years, overseeing the development of players like Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs, will now hand over the reins to former South Africa and Italy international player, Jon-Jon Smuts.
As the Head of Cricket, Gilbert will steer the Grey High programme into the future. No longer will he coach the first team exclusively, but he will continue to coach across all age groups. He will also direct off-season and pre-season winter training.
Grey High is also bringing Dave Callaghan, a Grey High old boy and former South African international. He will serve as a mentor to coaches, captains, and some of the younger players.
“I am very excited to begin the next phase of my career with Grey High. I am grateful to them for giving me this opportunity,” new head coach Jon-Jon Smuts told SuperSport Schools News.
Smuts carries a CV that is the envy of most cricketers. He earned 26 international caps in ODIs and T20Is, turning out in six ODIs and 13 T20Is for South Africa and another seven T20Is for Italy.
In 118 first-class matches, he scored 6 315 runs and captured 206 wickets. In List A cricket, he tallied 5 745 runs and 123 scalps.
The all-rounder’s career lasted almost two decades, with the bulk of it spent with the Dafabet Warriors before moving to the Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
Smuts, who is winding down his career, has enjoyed a fantastic year. Representing Italy, he participated in the ICC T20 World Cup for the first time and won three titles on the T20 franchise circuit.
“Grey High has a rich history of cricket going back to the Pollock brothers. I want to play a part in ensuring that we remain one of the best cricket schools in the country,” Smuts said.
“Success will not be a thing that I will achieve alone. It will be a collective effort that I can only add to. It will take everyone, myself, other coaches, and the players,” he added.
The former international cricketer is not blind to the fact that not every youngster who plays cricket at school has ambitions for a career in the sport. He aims to make the sport as enjoyable as possible for the players. His quest is to help them create great memories on and off the field.
He also wants to impart the life lessons he has picked up as a professional cricketer, and he hopes the learners will be able to take those into the world after their time at Grey High is done.
For those hoping to pursue the sport as a career, Smuts will share as much knowledge as he can to prepare them for the future.
“I have first-hand experience. I started my professional career immediately after school and managed to sustain it for 20 years,” Smuts said.
The all-rounder will officially start his job in January next year. However, he is no stranger to the players, most of whom he has already met.
Smuts used the Grey High facilities during his preparations for the World Cup. Back then, he didn’t know that he would be appointed the first team coach, but that didn’t stop him from helping the learners whenever he could. Now, he will do so in an official capacity.
“I am happy that I will be contributing to Eastern Cape cricket,” he said.
Smuts is not the first in his family to take up coaching. His brother, Kelly, is the first team coach at Kingswood College.
Will Smuts be looking forward to testing his tactical acumen against his sibling when the two schools cross swords?
Definitely. This is an exciting time for cricket in the Eastern Cape.
