Rudolph to join Goodyear Eagles

The Board of Directors of Easterns Titans have announced that it has resolved to release Jacques Rudolph to the Goodyear Eagles before the start of the 2005-06 domestic season.

"The on-going negotiations regarding Jacques Rudolph and the possibility of him being released to the Eagles at the end of December 2005 have been somewhat protracted," Brandon Foot, chairman of the Eastern Titans, was quoted in a media release as saying. "Jacques is a very special person in the Nashua Titans Cricket family. He is a home-grown youngster of whom we are very proud and with whom we have walked through times of difficulty and success. We wish Jacques everything of the best and sincerely hope that he returns to the Titans fold in the not too distant future."

Richard Pybus, the new coach of the Nashua Titans, recommended that Rudolph be released before the start of the season because he intended to coach the Titans in a very specific way and he did not think it would be in the team's interest if his methods were imparted to a player who was joining a rival team. "It is felt that it will be in best interests of the Titans and Jacques Rudolph, if Jacques be allowed to start the season with the Eagles. We will be very sorry to lose Jacques, but we wish him well and hope that he soon regains his rightful place in the South African side," he said. "In releasing Jacques, it will afford the Titans the opportunity to allow our top order batters to fight for positions without having to disrupt the team at Christmas when Jacques would be leaving us."

Tony Irish, the CEO of the SACA, who has negotiated on Rudolph's behalf during the transfer said that it was a good decision to move before the season started. Rudolph said that he was looking forward to the upcoming season with the Eagles. "I've really enjoyed my cricket at the Titans and have been given lots of support there," he said. My wife, Elna, and I are however looking forward to our new life in Bloemfontein and to my cricket with the Eagles."

The Northerns Cricket Union has elected two committees to represent Northerns Cricket and Titans Cricket at the amateur and professional levels respectively. The committees were elected during the annual general meeting on August 22.

Titans Cricket Executive Committee: Jesse Chellan (President), Roy Coetser, Hero Ramogale, Gys Rautenbach, Vincent Sinovich, Amarlal Soma

Northerns Cricket Executive Committee: Pietie Steffens (President), Dicks Tlou (Vice President), Wouter Burger, Afrika Dido, Billy Nkwinika, John Wright