Clifton reveals playing kit, thanks sponsors

They looked resplendent in their practice kit and received equally eye-catching shirts, which featured the team’s sponsors, including their new headline sponsor, NMI Mercedes-Benz Umhlanga, who will also be the primary sponsor of the prestigious Clifton T20 Tournament, which takes place in a month’s time.

Director of Cricket, Brandon Scullard, told the gathering, which included players, parents, coaches, school staff, and sponsors: “The boys can be grateful to many people for the things that they have to look forward to this year – most importantly, their parents. but, tonight, we also want to thank the sponsors and partners.

“We are very grateful to our sponsors, NMI Mercedes-Benz Umhlanga, Edgars, Lonsdale, and Safe Door.

“Your sponsorship goes beyond the very good-looking clothes that the boys are wearing – the nice shirts that you’ll see tonight and the kit that they’ll get throughout the year. It uplifts the entire Clifton cricket programme.

“It gives our Clifton boys access to professional coaches. It gives them the best in training technology and equipment, match day hydration. It also gets a boy on a tour that he might otherwise not be able to make.

“It has helped to grow our Clifton T20 tournament to a national-level event that sits as a highlight on every schoolboy’s calendar.

“It upgrades facilities and it creates an environment that allows our boys to grow.”

Clifton’s new Executive Headmaster, Adam Rogers, thanked the sponsors for the confidence that they have placed in Clifton, and for aligning their brands with that of the school. “We don’t take that lightly,” he said.

He also thanked the boys’ parents for their support, especially because cricket is the most time-consuming of all the sports offered in schools.

“To the coaching staff, I know that cricket, in particular, is in very good hands. Thank you for the many hours of passion that you put into sport at Clifton. I am very grateful, and I have been impressed by what I have seen thus far.

“To the boys, I know cricket is a sport that is challenging – some boys look for a quick fix that gets them in and out of sport in an hour – but you put in endless hours, so we are very mindful of the many hours that you put into giving your talent to your school, and we are very proud of you.

“You certainly look the smartest cricket team that I have ever seen. I wish you well for the season. Thank for your hard work and dedication.”

After the official handover of the kits, Director of Cricket Scullard elaborated a little more on the importance and impact of having corporate sponsorships and on the value that Clifton offers to sponsors.

“You lean heavily on your networks and the corporates reaching out,” he explained, “and through the introduction of the Clifton T20 Tournament and the impact of SuperSport Schools, corporates are getting more visibility than they ever were previously. They can get back something from their sponsorships, but, ultimately, we are leaning on those corporates to help uplift us.”

Scullard said Clifton has worked hard to ensure that they’re offering corporate sponsors value through strong exposure. “Sometimes, they don’t need the world, they just need access to our network. As Clifton, we have a great network – from the College to the Prep school- and if we can ensure they’re making important connections to our network, it’s going to come back and assist them.”

The Clifton Director of Cricket and former Dolphins‘ fast bowler said the Clifton T20, launched in 2024, has played an important role in growing the game, not only at Clifton but in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

The event, which features 12 teams – the 10 leading KZN all-boys’ schools – Clifton, Durban High School (DHS), Glenwood, Kearsney College, Hilton College, Maritzburg College, Michaelhouse, Northwood, St Charles College, and Westville Boys’ High – as well as Pretoria powerhouse, Hoërskool Waterkloof and St John’s College (Harare), has captured the imagination and is broadcast live on DStv channel 216, SuperSport Schools, reaching a wide audience.

The popularity of school sport is reflected in the fact that channel 216 enjoys the third highest viewership among SuperSport’s wide array of options, and that offers sponsors good value.

While it has been a slam dunk success in its first two years, the Clifton T20 is set for even bigger and better things in 2026 (more to come about that soon), with primary schools set to make their bow, and those players will also enjoy the pleasure of playing in custom-made coloured kits and appearing on television.

Everything that Clifton receives from sponsors and all the money the school invests directly in the event makes it a no-profit venture, Scullard revealed.

The tournament has quickly become an important event for players and a tournament to which coaches have enthusiastically given their support.

Without sponsors, it wouldn’t happen.