SA gold miners add sparkle to cricket cup

South Africa’s gold industry has given the 2003 Cricket World Cup even more glitter. The country’s main gold producing companies — all members of the Chamber of Mines — donated 54 single ounce 24-carat gold medallions for the toss of each game in the World Cup and 54 solid gold watches for the man of the match award.

The third gift to the tournament is a trophy of almost one-and-a-half kilogrammes of 24-carat gold, that will handed to the man of the series. The trophy stands about 60 centimetres high and is made up of a bat, a ball and two sets of stumps with bails.

Members of the New Zealand, Pakistani and Australian team present at the unveiling ceremony yesterday were impressed with the awards. Australian captain Ricky Ponting says that the watches were truly magnificent. ‘I wouldn’t mind if our team collected some of them,” he said.

Bernard Swanepoel, Chairman of the Chamber of Mines Gold Producers’ Committee says the industry hopes that the watches and trophy will encourage players to excel in the games.

Swanepoel estimate that the total gold donation is worth more than $120 000 (over R1-million).

The man of the match trophy was manufacturd and designed locally. It was handcrafted by David Bolam, an internationally renowned Johannesburg goldsmith who shaped it from a design created by Gold Mametja, a young South African jewel designer.

‘In addition to the gold used in the construction of the trophy all its other components — specifically the wood which is jacaranda and imbuia — are home grown in South Africa,” Swanepoel said.

The man of the match watches in contrast was manufactured overseas by Pamp Suisse, a leading refinery and maker of top quality gold products based in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland. Each watch is worth about R10 000 each.

The toss medallions, minted by the South African Mint, are identical in dimension to the Kruger Rand and 52 of them feature an image of president Thabo Mbeki. The reverse side depicts the official World Cup logo, three small proteas and information about the match it is destined for.

The two exceptions, which will be used for the opening game and final, don’t feature Mbeki on the heads. Instead the opening game features a cricket player batting while the final match’s medallion depicts an image of the World Cup trophy.

The reason for the exceptions is to make it possible for South Africa to sell the medallions off as mementoes after the tournament. A medallion featuring an image of President Mbeki’s head may not be commercially marketed. The memento medallions will be available in gold and silver for the public to buy.

The original toss medallions will not be sold but the gold mining industry will donate them to the local organising committee of Cricket World Cup 2003.

Swanepoel had a hint for captains Waqar Younis and Ricky Ponting at the function. ‘The one side of the coin is heavier than the other,” he said. ‘I don’t know if that might help you with the toss.”