Register
Edit Account-Sign Out
My AccountSign Out
NationalWorldTV
BREAKING
21 hours ago Paul O’Grady’s final radio show to be rebroadcast on Easter Sunday
17 hours ago Gladiators legend dies aged 59 after cancer battle
19 hours ago Heathrow security staff start 10-day strike affecting Easter travels
19 hours ago Tributes pour as dad and son shot dead six-miles apart are named
20 hours ago Rotten meat in supermarkets report sparks national probe
20 hours ago Paul O’Grady’s husband shares the last picture they took together

Obus Pieenar unveiled as new CIYMS professional

CIYMS have unveiled South African all-rounder Obus Pienaar as their overseas professional for the 2019 season.

By The Newsroom
Published 15th Nov 2018, 14:33 BST
Updated 15th Nov 2018, 15:56 BST
Obus Pienaar with a special award presented y for his NCU recording-breaking innings of 244 against CIYMS in 2011. It broke the previous record held by his fellow countryman AB de Villiers when playing for Carrickfergus and it came in just 114 balls.
Obus Pienaar with a special award presented y for his NCU recording-breaking innings of 244 against CIYMS in 2011. It broke the previous record held by his fellow countryman AB de Villiers when playing for Carrickfergus and it came in just 114 balls.
Obus Pienaar with a special award presented y for his NCU recording-breaking innings of 244 against CIYMS in 2011. It broke the previous record held by his fellow countryman AB de Villiers when playing for Carrickfergus and it came in just 114 balls.

Pienaar, who played for Waringstown for two summers in 2011 and 2013, will succeed Matt McGillivray as pro for the reigning NCU Premier League champions.

It is a huge statement of intent by the Belmont club, who were famously on the receiving end of Pienaar’s record-breaking 244 for Waringstown at The Lawn in 2011. It is still the highest individual batting total made in the top flight.

Captain Nigel Jones said: “We are delighted that Obus has signed to be our professional, he is a special talent who will be an exciting addition for us next season.

Most Popular
Obus Pieenar in action for Waringstown. He has now signed for CIYMS
Obus Pieenar in action for Waringstown. He has now signed for CIYMS
Obus Pieenar in action for Waringstown. He has now signed for CIYMS

“He covers a lot of bases, he has played in our conditions before and he will be able to hit the ground running. We have everybody else back next season, so with Obus coming in for Matt, who wasn’t able to return, I’m confident we have a squad capable of challenging on all fronts.”

Pienaar, who is 28, will bat in the middle order and in recent years he has developed his left-arm spinners to the extent that he took 31 wickets at an average of 18 for Clontarf last season. He also plundered 659 runs in 2018 for the Dubliners.

“When we were looking at options it was hard to look past Obus once we knew he was available,” said Jones. “Let’s be honest, there will be some psychological scaring for some teams from the years he was here previously and that was part of our thinking in signing him.”

CI chairman Richard Heasley said a big part of Pieenar’s role next summer will be coaching as the club look to plan for the long-term future.

“We obviously wanted a good pro who will be a top player for the first eleven but also someone who is going to be a role model for the kids, and who is going to be heavily involved in coaching, and Obus ticks all those boxes. We have over 200 kids at Kwik cricket and teams at under-11, under-13 and under-15s and Obus will be doing a lot to bring on those young players. We have to think of the future.”

Pienaar will be working alongside James Cameron-Dow, the club’s new head of youth coaching, to develop the next generation of young players at CI, Heasley added.