Steeped in cricketing tradition, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi hail from a region that spans East London, Queenstown and the heart of the Border province.

This is a union whose legacy cannot be told without the name Makhaya Ntini – the first Black African to play Test cricket for South Africa, and a symbol of resilience, excellence and transformation. His rise from Mdingi village to international stardom remains a defining chapter in Eastern Cape cricket history, inspiring generations of players from the province. Now competing in Division Two, the Iinyathi are focused on rebuilding and grassroots development.

Their 2024/25 season showed encouraging signs, with competitive performances in the CSA One-Day Cup and steady growth in the longer formats.

Based at Buffalo Park in East London and coached by Tumelo Bodibe, the squad includes record-breaking batter Shane Dadswell and also features exciting talents such as Lihle Sizani and Michael Copeland.