Mr Vilas joined our cricket coaching team last year, working with our senior teams throughout the spring term. Currently, working with our girls, who have been playing cricket as their major summer sport for a decade now. He coaches both junior and senior teams during the week and leads the Boys’ 1st XI on weekends, supporting all teams on the 250+ cricket fixtures that will take place this season. As a former South African Test player—having played over 500 professional games internationally and captained several county and state teams—Dane brings not only a huge amount of experience, but also a real passion for the game, which is already inspiring students across Emanuel.
We caught up with Dane recently to hear more about his journey into cricket and coaching.
Dane’s Cricket Journey
Back home in South Africa, Dane went to a school that placed a strong emphasis on sport, balancing academics and co-curricular activities. It’s something he really appreciated—seeing it as a more well-rounded approach to education. There were loads of opportunities: great facilities, top coaching, and, importantly, lots of fun with friends. That balanced approach is something he now wants to pass on to pupils at Emanuel. The life lessons he learnt through cricket—resilience, patience, working as a team—he believes mirror everyday challenges, and he’s passionate about sharing those with young people here.
Dane began playing cricket at the age of nine and never imagined it would lead to a professional career. His primary focus was to enjoy the game. As he developed, each new level presented its own challenges. Along the way, he began to notice the many parallels between cricket and life itself.
“The thing I love and hate about cricket is that it’s so brutal. You come in after a week of training and get out first ball. This can happen in life.”
Cricket, Dane says, demands patience, resilience and teamwork. It teaches values that go far beyond the pitch. It’s easy to give up, but if you really want to succeed, you’ve got to put everything into it, build trust, and form strong, positive relationships with your teammates. Even though it’s quite an individual game in many ways – perfecting your bowl, your bat, your catch, but at the same time, you’re constantly relying on your team. A bad delivery can be saved by a brilliant catch.
“Any professional would tell you. It’s not about the trophies, and wins. It’s about the memories you have with your friends. The comradery built at a school level. These take you through life.”
Dane’s Coaching Journey
The transition to coaching came through personal experience – being a father and seeing his son’s growing love of the game, and how quickly he was picking it up, reignited Dane’s passion.
“Their progression is so rapid and it’s incredible to see. I realised why I loved playing cricket, the enjoyment, the satisfaction of them getting things, it is clicking.”
Dane wanted to support his son on his cricket journey and give to his son, and other kids the experience he had. That’s what he now brings to coaching at Emanuel. The aim is to help young players enjoy the game, improve, and get the kind of opportunities and support he was lucky to have.
Emanuel Cricket Coaches
Dane shares his thoughts on the current coaching team at Emanuel; Mr Lavery, our Director of Sport, and Mr White, Director of Cricket, also both have experience playing professional cricket. And, Mr Lavery has built a great team of coaches and teachers from a variety of backgrounds – professional athletes, coaches and experienced teachers.
Within the cricket set-up, each coach brings a different strength, which means we’re able to support pupils in more individual and targeted ways. So rather than running general sessions where everyone bats and bowls in a routine, there’s specific skill development in areas like wicketkeeping, bowling, batting, and more. This not only keeps students more engaged but helps them see the bigger picture of how their individual skills fit into the team.
Dane also works closely with the 1st XI boys on match days, by supporting their game awareness, strategy, and leadership. He’s particularly focused on mentoring captains, sharing his own experiences and giving them space to grow as leaders.
Emanuel Cricket: Looking Ahead
The growth of cricket at Emanuel has been brilliant so far. Reaching the top 100 schools for cricket is a big milestone, and now it’s about building on that success – developing more players, creating more depth, and encouraging even more involvement, especially within the girls’ teams. Above all, the aim is for every pupil to enjoy the game, grow through the experience, and carry the lessons of sport with them into all areas of life.
