Pretoria – The Titans will face the Highveld Lions and the Cape Cobras in pre-season domestic cricket matches in Mamelodi township, outside Pretoria, the Tshwane franchise confirmed on Tuesday.
The inaugural Momentum eKasi Challenge between the Titans and the Lions, scheduled to be played annually for the next four years at alternating townships in Pretoria and Johannesburg, would be held on August 23.
The friendly match against the Cobras would be played the following week.
“Cricket SA has identified five strategic pillars, which are: sustainability, transformation, development, brand promotion and excellence,” Titans Cricket chief executive Jacques Faul said in a statement.
“We as the Titans undertook to take these approaches further. We will, in association with the Lions, take the game to one of our biggest domestic audiences: Mamelodi.
“This event will actually go far beyond cricket, as it will create a carnival community atmosphere, where the community will take part in the hosting of these spectacular events.”
Lions Cricket chief executive Cassim Docrat said they were committed to ensuring that cricket continued to grow throughout all communities.
“The partnership with our usual rivals across the Jukskei makes sense whilst bearing this in mind,” Docrat said.
“Initiatives like these will ensure that the game prospers in the years to come.”
In preparation for the pre-season matches, the entire Titans team and volunteers from the Mighty Hearts, Momentum staff volunteers programme would fully refurbish the clubhouse at the Mamelodi cricket grounds on Mandela Day on Thursday.
The cricket grounds in Soshanguve, another township outside Pretoria, would be upgraded on August 2. – Sapa