20 December 2023
The pre-tournament favourites, the Central Gauteng Lions, lived up to their billing by completing a clean run through their opposition at the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week in Makhanda on Wednesday. With the title on the line, they beat KwaZulu-Natal by 78 runs in the final.
KZN had the satisfaction of becoming the only team to dismiss the Lions during the event, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Batting first, the champions put up 176 all out.
It was a strong effort by the KZN bowlers, with only three batsmen making it into the twenties. Henricus Meyer top scored with 26, while Kwena Maphaka made 24 and two-time SA Schools’ selection, Richard Seletswane, 24 before he was run out by Evan Fouché.
At the top of the order, the very dangerous Lhuan-dre Pretorius was the unfortunate victim of a poor LBW decision and was out for 15.
Bayanda Majola, the first-change bowler, did very well, capturing 3 for 19 in seven overs, while Ntando Soni, KZN’s leading bowler during the week, claimed 2 for 32 in 9.2. Romashan Pillay contributed 2 for 30 in eight.
The Westville Boys’ High star was also the top scorer for KZN, and in the match, making 28 before he, crucially, was run out by Henricus Meyer.
Wickets fell regularly, and the KZN innings lasted only 29.5 overs before they were all out for 98.
Left-arm spinner Sipho Potsane spun a web around the KZN batsmen, sending down nine overs and snaring 2 for 8, including top five batsmen, Bandile Mbatha and Blake Simpson.
Cole Francis picked up 2 for 12 in 3.5 overs, and Tjaart Mentz led the way with 3 for 22 from six.
With six players selected for the 15-man South African squad for the 2024 ICC u19 Cricket World Cup, the Central Gauteng Lions’ success was not unexpected.
Third place playoff
In the playoff for third and fourth, KZN Inland faced the Titans. It was a tight contest between two well-matched sides.
The toss went the Titans’ way and they elected to bat first, putting up 184 all out. They struggled up front, but Modise Maloka, with an unbeaten 57 from 83 deliveries, and Tristan Luus, with 43 from 49, righted their innings.
Thabiso Ndlela (feature photo), expensive in Inland’s game against the Lions on Tuesday, was superb with the ball in Wednesday’s clash. He bowled his full complement of 10 overs and snapped up 3 for 21, including the wicket of the aggressive, fast-scoring Steve Stolk for 24 from 23 balls.
Natanzi Denenga was again among the wickets, claiming 2 for 30 in 6.4 overs, while Cameron Strudwick picked up two, also, although this time he was a little on the expensive side, going for 62 runs, after being extremely economical for most of the week.
Ross Boast, who did an excellent job with the new ball throughout the tournament, was limited to only two overs, but he still made an impact, dismissing opener Dumisani Motshwene for a single.
KZN Inland made 169 all out in reply. Caleb Thomas struck six fours in a 72-ball stay that produced 50 runs, while Ivan Lockem batted at almost a run a ball and hit seven boundaries in his contribution of 44 runs.
Opening bowler Hernus Marais, however, got in among the Inland top order and snatched 4 for 40 from his 10 overs.
His new ball partner, Tristan Luus, followed up his important innings with 2 for 22 from 7.1, while Mohammed Aslam tied the Inland batsmen in knots, snaring 2 for 4 in six. William Tshoke also bagged two sticks as KZN Inland came up 15 runs short of the Titans’ total.
Promotion/relegation
Free State showed there are levels to the game when they met Mpumalanga in a promotion/relegation contest, with Mpumalanga, who were unbeaten through the first four days, seeking another victory to move up from the Gold to the Platinum division. They came up well short, falling by 148 runs to the previously winless Free Staters.
Khanyisile Nondwangu paced the Free State innings with an aggressive knock of 83 from only 65 balls, which included seven fours and four sixes. Samo Lepheto weighed in with an unbeaten 35, Connor Nel was out for 35, and Jordan van den Berg made 30 as Free State tallied 263 for 9 in their 50 overs.
Jayden Meyer picked up 2 for 13 with the ball, while Dian Eicker took 2 for 44, and Davico Kruger 2 for 46.
In reply, Mpumalanga mustered only 115 all out, with Luke Poisson making 33, and Bruce Nel and Davico Kruger 22. Dakalo Leketa, an SA Colts’ selection in 2022, spun his way to 3 for 30 in 10, while Johnathan Muller, another SA Colts’ choice last year, knocked over 2 for 18 in his 10, and Samo Lepheto took 2 for 25 in 10.
It was a far closer contest in the other promotion/relegation showdown, with Eastern Province getting off the schneid with a 31-run win over North West.
EP batted first and put up 232 all out in 45.2 overs. Opener Nolan Di Paolo was their mainstay, top scoring with 60, while Jean Upman struck three fours and two sixes in his innings of 43 from 40 balls. Harry van Heerden lashed five fours and two sixes in his 37 from 30, and Sibusiso Mxube contributed 30.
Lunga May, Tumelo Makume and Thuto Matjoi each claimed two wickets for North West.
Muhammed Bulbulia, who has had a strong week with the bat, delivered again for North West, making 45, and Berno de Klerk set about the Eastern Province bowlers with vigour to tally 54 from only 36 deliveries, with four fours and four sixes, but further significant contributions were needed.
North West were all out for 201, as Hamza Khan took 3 for 34 in 10, Matthew Beamish 2 for 25 in 8.1, and Esa Gangat 2 for 54 in 10.
Other matches
In the meeting of two neighbours, Western Province cruised to an eight-wicket win over Boland, with Raeeq Daniels starring with the ball again for Province, with a return of 3 for 22 from 6.4 overs. Boland did themselves no favours by having four batsmen run out.
Northern Cape‘s Simon Liversage went big against the Garden Route Badgers, striking 159 in his side’s 259 for 8. Their second highest score was just 26. The Badgers managed only 147 for 8 in reply, leaving Northern Cape the winners by 111 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis Method.
Dewan Marais made 142 for Easterns as they romped to a big 131-run victory over the Eastern Cape Iinyathi, and Limpopo eased to a 77-run win over Kei, despite making only 110 all out themselves. Esam Mpafa excelled for Kei with a return of 6 for 36.
Scores
Central Gauteng Lions 176 (Henricus Meyer 26, Richard Seletswane 24, Kwena Mapakha 24; Buyanda Majola 3/19, Romashan Pillay 2/30, Ntando Soni 2/32); KwaZulu-Natal 98 (Romashan Pillay 28; Tjaart Mentz 3/22, Sipho Potsane 2/8, Cole Francis 2/12). Central Gauteng Lions won by 78 runs.
Titans 184 (Modise Maloka 57*, Tristan Luus 43, Steve Stolk 24; Thabiso Ndlela 3/21, Natanzi Denega 2/30, Cameron Strudwick 2/62); KwaZulu-Natal Inland 169 (Caleb Thomas 50, Ivan Lockem 44, Hernus Marais 4/40, Mohammad Aslam 2/4, Tristan Luus 2/22, William Tshoke 2/51). Titans won by 15 runs.
Boland 133 (Khaya Miselo 39, JJ van der Sandt 20; Raeeq Daniels 3/22); Western Province 136/2 (Joshua Wyngaard 57*, Paul James 43*, Kashief Joseph 20; Cormey van der Watt 1/15). Western Province won by eight wickets.
Eastern Province 232 (Nolan di Poalo 60, Jean Upman 43, Harry van Heerden 37, Sibusiso Mxube 30, Kian Cambier 20; Lung May 2/22, Thuto Matjoi 2/29, Tumelo Makume 2/43); North West 201 (Berno de Klerk 54, Muhammed Bulbalia 45, Marnu Cronjé 21; Hamza Khan 3/34, Matthew Beamish 2/25, Esa Gangat 2/54). Eastern Province won by 31 runs.
Free State 263/9 (Khanyisile Nondwangu 83, Connor Nel 35, Samokelo Lepheto 35*, Juan Viljoen 23; Jayden Meyer 2/13, Dian Eicker 2/44, Davico Kruger 2/46); Mpumalanga 115 (Luke Poisson 33, Davico Kruger 22, Bruce Nel 22; Dakalo Leketa 3/30, Juan Viljoen 2/0, Johnathan Muller 2/18, Samokelo Lepheto 2/25). Free State won by 148 runs.
Easterns 332/9 (Dewan Marais 142, Sheldon van Wyk 68, Tristan van Schalkwyk 37; Hlumelo Ntlola 2/58, Amahle Masiko 2/65, Ryan Denston 2/75); Border 210 (Ben van der Merwe 52, Chad Clark-Evans 42*, Extras 27, Amahle Masiko 20*; Tshegofatso Nthare 4/29, Parth Patel 2/46, Dean Hackner 2/48). Easterns won by 131 runs.
Northern Cape 257/8 (Simon Liversage 159, Yazeed Kajee 26*; Sibabalwe Msi 2/17, Charl-Francois Marais 2/29); Garden Route Badgers 147/8 (Stefan May 30, Charl-Francois Marais 22*, Corné Kennedy 22*; Monnapule Jansen 4/26, Yazeed Kajee 2/19). Northern Cape won by 111 runs (D/L-method).
Limpopo 110 (Ruben Vosloo 25; Esam Mpafa 6/36, Melusi Mqabashe 2/13); Kei 33 (Masoli Moremi 4/13, Nsuku Mathye 3/7). Limpopo won by 77 runs.
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