Fuzlin Levy-Hassen, a chartered accountant and former Formula Ford racing driver, took over as chair of the Western Province Veterans Cricket Association (WPVCA) in Cape Town in August of this year. In her first months in the role, the 55-year-old leader reported that the organisation had been stabilised and set a course for its recovery and growth.
The WPVCA is positioned as the largest veterans cricket association in the country. The current championship features 24 teams, with a number of clubs on the waiting list to join. The sheer scale of the league makes managing it a serious challenge, requiring both organisational talent and the ability to work with a large number of stakeholders.
Cricket is trending again, and bookmakers’ data bears this out
It is worth noting that cricket’s popularity has grown considerably in recent years, well beyond its traditional participating nations. Analysis of search queries shows a steady rise in interest in the sport, not only among fans but also within the sports betting industry. According to several major bookmakers, including Mostbet, Parimatch and Pin Up, cricket has been consistently growing its audience year on year. Statistics published by Pin Up representatives here record growing interest in betting on cricket tournaments at various levels, including veterans leagues.
This dynamic indirectly confirms that organisations like the WPVCA are not operating in a vacuum, but against a backdrop of global growth in attention to cricket. For an association seeking to expand, this represents an additional tailwind.
An internal reset and plans for the season
By “stabilisation,” what is meant above all is the establishment of day-to-day governance and the building of a functioning new executive committee. Levy-Hassen has effectively launched a reset process, the goal of which is to broaden participation and bring back veteran players who have long been absent from the game.
New initiatives will be announced as the season progresses. However, the new chair’s key principle is already clear: a personal presence on the ground.
“So far everything is going very well. There are many challenges, but we are moving forward. We are preparing a whole range of initiatives and will be revealing them as the season develops. I am someone who works on the ground, and I want to attend as many matches as possible so that I can see first-hand the issues that players face at specific venues,” said Levy-Hassen.
The first woman to lead a veterans cricket league
The new appointment is also notable in that Levy-Hassen has become the first woman to serve as chair of a veterans cricket league in South Africa. By her own account, she is also one of very few women holding leadership positions in cricket more broadly. For a region where the cricket community has traditionally been administered by men, this is a significant precedent that may influence perceptions of gender roles in sports administration.
A turnaround management specialist on the cricket field
Levy-Hassen runs her own accounting firm and is regularly engaged to develop turnaround management strategies for both large corporations and small and medium-sized businesses. It is precisely this experience of “restarting” organisations that makes her candidacy a logical fit for an association in need of restructuring and development.
She is no newcomer to the sporting world either. Prior to her appointment, Levy-Hassen had been involved in mentoring at several levels of cricket:
- within Cricket South Africa structures,
- at provincial and club level,
- in school programmes.
During her 17 years living in Gauteng, she served on a school governing body alongside Jono Leaf-Wright, who now holds the position of CEO of Lions Cricket. This episode illustrates both the depth of her involvement in the cricket community and the breadth of her professional connections.
Racing experience forged at Killarney
Levy-Hassen acquired her skills in split-second decision-making and composure under unstable conditions quite literally at speed. In 1989, as a member of her father Armien Levy’s racing team, she got behind the wheel of a Formula Ford car at the Killarney circuit in Cape Town. Three seasons of racing forged her character, although studying to become a chartered accountant at the University of Cape Town ultimately demanded her full attention.
Fuzlin’s father was a true pioneer of motorsport. In an era when racing remained closed to people of colour, he and a group of like-minded individuals founded the Cape Daredevils Motor Racing Club. The path to the circuit was opened by the legendary Jack Holloway of Cape Helldrivers, who helped secure the necessary permits. The first race start took place in December 1969. Today, the family team Armien Levy Motorsport continues its work with the involvement of the 77-year-old Armien, his sons Anwar and Ebrahim, and his grandson Reza.
Cricket as a family environment and source of motivation
The return of cricket to the centre of Levy-Hassen’s life came through family. Her husband Rafiq Hassen is a cricketer himself, and, in the chair’s own words, she was one of the few wives who never missed a single match. Her daughters grew up literally on the cricket field, and supporting the sport became a family norm.
It is precisely this experience of “living inside the game” that shapes the new leader’s management style. Levy-Hassen places her emphasis not on office-based administration, but on a constant presence among teams and players. Gathering feedback directly on the ground is tied to the main stated goal: to revitalise the league, broaden participation, and bring back the “heroes of years gone by” who have long faded into inactivity.
