Newby played three T20 matches for Western Province in 2015 but then decided he could not combine cricket and studies. He graduated with B.Com Economics and Finance early in 2018 and was immediately thereafter snapped up by the selectors.
He was a prolific scorer for the University of Cape Town and struck 104 and 80 against Primrose, and his form prompted the selectors to pick him at three.
In the 2018/2019 season, he has opened the innings with Kleinveldt.
Newby was nine when his parents immigrated to South Africa. His father was an accountant at the time and his mother an architect.
He was selected for Western Province U19 and then made the provincial headlines straight after school.
Asked if he was interested in the commercial or financial business field, Newby was prompt and said his short-term objective is to forge a career in cricket and to focus on the three- and four-day version of the game. “My aim is make the step up to the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras team,” he adds.
“I have made a decent start to my first-class career and we have won three while we were one wicket away from another game,” Newby said.
“Matthew is quite a solid batsman. We have got a gameplan to see off the new ball and to give the innings structure because of our techniques. We as openers have got our teams in match-winning situations. I have learned from Matthew. He is level-headed, has so much experience and boasts a good record in tough Western Province conditions,” Newby said.
In terms of his technique and style, Newby plays off the back and front foot and drives the ball to all parts of the game. “At the start of my innings I am as tight as possible and I get into gear later on in the innings,” he said.
Adams and the selection committee has picked Junaid Dawood, the fast bowler Michael Cohen (back from a finger injury) and Qaasim Adams for the Three-Day Provincial series match against South Western Districts at the Recreation Oval in Oudtshoorn starting on Thursday.
“It is crucial to follow the processes and to hunt in pairs. Justin Dill and Mpilo Njoloza have set up the innings well with the ball for us and Kleinveldt and Newby have done the same with the bat,” he said.
“There are a number of players in the WP team that can take the step up to the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras. The professional team has won four out of four, but it is important that the WP players keep their focus as they can be selected in case of injury to a Cobras player,” Adams said.
The WP squad is: Qaasim Adams, Givon Christian, Michael Cohen, Junaid Dawood, Isaac Dikgale, Justin Dill, Matthew Kleinveldt, Carlos Koyana, André Malan, Renaldo Meyer, Neo Mlumbi, Jack Newby, Mpilo Njoloza.