Albert van der Merwe
Born: 1 June 1979, Cape Town, South Africa - Occupation: Cricket Coach Club: The Hills
- Previous Clubs: Wellington CC, Potchefstroom University, Derriaghy CC
- Secondary School: Huguenot High School
- Representative Honours: Provincial Underage for Boland (age 13-19)
Cricketing Career
Who had the greatest influence on your career? My family for support and John Wills as a coach.
What is your ultimate cricketing aspiration? Playing against South Africa.
What is your most memorable cricketing moment? First cap for Ireland.
What was your worst cricketing moment? First ever club game in Ireland at Sandy Bay, Larne in April. Possibly the coldest day I've ever experienced.
What is your funniest cricketing moment? Matty Jennings at Derriaghy making a mess of his catch celebration. Meaning to throw the ball up in the air, he threw it over the railway line and held up play for 10 minutes.
Who is your best friend in Irish Cricket and why? Stuart Hegarty at Derriaghy and Will Dwyer at The Hills. Two guys who have really made me feel at home since I first arrived. .
Irish Cricket
Who is your favourite Irish cricketer (past and present), and why? Jeremy Bray. Became good mates in the last 3 seasons at The Hills and his attitude towards training shows why he had such a successful Irish career and best club stats in league history.
Which is your favourite Irish cricket ground, and why? The Vineyard at The Hills is always a great place to play. Decks are good and food is great.
Who is the best young Irish cricketer you have seen in recent times? Paul Stirling is as talented as it gets.
What do you think of overseas professionals in Irish club cricket? A must. I raises the standard and it brings fresh thoughts and ideas to a club, especially if they bring young talent through.
Do you think bowlers should be restricted in domestic cricket? Overs yes, but maybe one more bouncer per over.
What are your main complaints about Irish cricket? Not enough coverage to promote the game throughout the whole of the country.
How would you set about improving the standard of Irish cricket? Getting the different unions to all play the same format as ODI's. Two week break in season, where you have Interpro T20 bash.
How would you set about making Irish cricket more popular? Coloured clothing for all leagues.
International Cricket
Which Test team, if any, do you support, and why? The Australian way of the last two decades of pride, passion and mateship is something I admire.
Which overseas countries have you played cricket in? Holland, Jersey, Canada, India, England, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Which was your favourite, and why? Jersey, as its not a place I thought I would want to go and see.
Who is your favourite world cricketer, and why? Steve Waugh. They way he played the game.
Your Interests
- Which other sports do you play regularly? Golf
- What are your hobbies? History
- Who is your favourite musical artist? Counting Crows
- Who is your favourite author? Jeffrey Archer
- Which is your favourite film? The Departed
- What is your favourite newspaper? News of the World
- What is your favourite television programme? Friends
- What is your favourite web site? Youtube
- What is your favourite type of food? Steak and Chips
- Where is your favourite place to go on holiday? South Africa