Sunday 8 January was an auspicious occasion for the Hermanus Cricket Club (HCC), as cricketers and spectators from near and far came to celebrate the 70th Graaff Day Cricket Tournament.
It is named after the late Sir de Villiers Graaff, who organised the first tournament in 1953. At that stage he was a member of the then Volksraad (council) and head of the Hottentots-Holland voting district.
Graaff would form a team of well-known figures and parliamentarians who would compete against the HCC team. Some of the well-known figures who played include SA cricket captain Peter van der Merwe and Clive van Ryneveld, another well-known cricketer and rugby player.
This tradition of inviting famous people has been followed by Sir De Villiers’ son Johan. The former professor co-founded Sport Skills for Life Skills, an NGO focused on primarily assisting young sportsmen and women from mostly marginalised communities gain access to further education.
Graaff is extremely proud of the fact that the tradition started all those years ago by his father, who had a holiday home in Hermanus, lives on. Graaff and his brother both played in the tournament in their youth. This tradition is now carried on by his brother’s son and grandson.
Mark Brumer, former chair of the HCC and an honorary life member, says the importance of the annual Graaff Day tournament is underrated.
“It’s the pinnacle of our season, not in terms of competition but for the opportunity it presents to show what the club is about and what it means to the town,” he said.
Graaff said although the format and other aspects have changed, people return every year to enjoy the day with friends they have made over the years. “This is the perfect way to bring people from different parts together,” he said.
The team invited by Graaff this year consists of alumni of the Sport Skills for Life Skills project.
The day started with a Golden Oldies T10 match, followed by speeches and lunch before the main match between the Sports Skills alumni team and HCC cricketers.
