Berry Versfeld
Encyclopedia
Berry John Versfeld was a first class South African cricketer who played for Natal
and for the South African Universities XI and who was nominated Cricketer of the Year by the South African Cricket Annual - 1966
Versfeld was educated at Estcourt High School
and at the University of Natal
.
Versfeld's first class debut was for Natal against the touring New Zealand team in November 1961, aged 18. He represented both Natal and the combined South African Universities team that season, scoring 206 runs at an average of 25.75. The 1962/3 season was a lean season for Versfeld and in the next three seasons he was selected to represent the South African Universities XI each year. He also made one appearance for Natal during this period. In December 1965, with his university studies behind him, he became a regular player for Natal until the end of the 1969/70 season, taking over the captaincy of the team from Jackie McGlew
during the 1967/8 season. He retained the captaincy until the start of the 1969/70 season.
Versfeld also played baseball and in 1966 was offered a spot on a Pittsburgh Pirates
minor league farm team, but he turned the opportunity down in order to concentrate on cricket in South Africa. After he completed his first class cricket career, he continued his education at Harvard, graduating with an MBA and he settled in the United States.
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
and for the South African Universities XI and who was nominated Cricketer of the Year by the South African Cricket Annual - 1966
Versfeld was educated at Estcourt High School
Estcourt High School
-History:Estcourt High School was founded in 1924 from the upper forms of the Estcourt Government School when it was split into two.- Estcourt Government School :...
and at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
.
Versfeld's first class debut was for Natal against the touring New Zealand team in November 1961, aged 18. He represented both Natal and the combined South African Universities team that season, scoring 206 runs at an average of 25.75. The 1962/3 season was a lean season for Versfeld and in the next three seasons he was selected to represent the South African Universities XI each year. He also made one appearance for Natal during this period. In December 1965, with his university studies behind him, he became a regular player for Natal until the end of the 1969/70 season, taking over the captaincy of the team from Jackie McGlew
Jackie McGlew
Derrick John "Jackie" McGlew, born on 11 March 1929, Pietermaritzburg and died at Pretoria on 8 June 1998 was a cricketer who played for Natal and South Africa...
during the 1967/8 season. He retained the captaincy until the start of the 1969/70 season.
Versfeld also played baseball and in 1966 was offered a spot on a Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
minor league farm team, but he turned the opportunity down in order to concentrate on cricket in South Africa. After he completed his first class cricket career, he continued his education at Harvard, graduating with an MBA and he settled in the United States.