Cricket Boland on Wednesday announced the appointment of Justin Ontong as the new head coach of the Gbets Rocks.
Ontong is a recognised leader with a wealth of leadership experience gained over many years as captain of Boland, the Cape Cobras, SA ‘A’, and the Proteas, whom he led to victory in a T20i against the West Indies in 2015.
He won numerous domestic titles as captain of the Cobras before he was appointed as fielding coach of the Proteas team at the end of 2017.
Throughout his career, the now 43-year-old Ontong, who was born and bred in Paarl, has built a solid reputation as an astute and knowledgeable cricket strategist. His background in cricket, which includes playing for the Proteas in all three formats, has made him a popular figure in the cricket fraternity - even in international cricket circles.
Ontong, who was a stylish middle order batsman and offspinner, is committed to the development of the immense local cricket talent pool in the Boland while he also possesses the know-how of what it takes to succeed at international level.
Cricket Boland is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Ontong as the new head coach of the GbetsRocks.#GbetRocks pic.twitter.com/nr80ouHuGE
— The Rocks (@Paarl_Rocks) June 14, 2023
‘’Having Justin Ontong on board as the head coach of the Rocks is an immense addition to our organisation.
We believe his tactical prowess and leadership skills will bring a renewed energy to the team. With Ontong’s guidance and the Rocks players’ dedication, we are confident that we will achieve our goals,’’ said James Fortuin, CEO of Cricket Boland.
Godwin von Willingh, president of Cricket Boland, commented: ‘’The appointment of Justin Ontong as the Rocks head coach is a clear indication of our desire to root the Rocks in our local community while recognising our role in a global and globalising cricket world.’’
Ontong was understandably happy with his appointment. He said: ‘’I am honoured to be given this opportunity to lead the Rocks team. I have worked with several different teams and understand what it takes to build a winning team.
My focus will be to ensure that all the players are working towards the same goal and remain motivated. I am excited about the prospects of this new journey with the Rocks, and I look forward to working with the team and fans.’’
The appointment of Justin Ontong as the new head coach of the Rocks is an exciting development that Cricket Boland and Rocks fans can look forward to. We invite all cricket enthusiasts to join us as we cheer the team on in the coming seasons.