20 December 2023
Kearsney College‘s Hayden Bishop and Ntando Soni of Glenwood High have been named in the South African Schools cricket team. Bishop was the leading batsman for KwaZulu-Natal at the Khaya Majola Cricket Week, which concluded in Makhanda on Wedneday, while Soni was the team’s leading bowler.
KZN finished as runners-up in the tournament after going down to the Central Gauteng Lions in the final. Meanwhile, KZN Inland, who finished fourth after a narrow loss to the Titans on the last day, had three players included in the SA Colts‘ line-up.
Hilton College‘s Ross Boast and Ivan Lockem (feature photo) cracked the nod along with St Charles College paceman Thabiso Ndlela, who caught the eye in the final with a fine return of 3 for 21 against Lions.
Wynberg Boys’ High‘s Benni Hansen will captain the SA Schools side. Despite an average week from last year’s champions, Western Province, he shone for the side, batting very consistently throughout the tournament. He follows in the footsteps of Juan James, also from Wynberg, who captained the SA Schools side in 2022.
Meanwhile, St Stithians College had three players included in the 12-player squad: Richard Seletswane, who made SA Schools for a third year in succession, Kwena Maphaka, and Esosa Aihevba.
Paul Roos Gimnasium’s Riley Norton was selected, making him only the 15th player to earn SA Schools colours in rugby and cricket, and just the third forward to achieve the feat.
Easterns‘ Parth Patel, who captured 7 for 15, the best figures in the history of the Khaya Majola Week, in a win over Northern Cape, was also included in the squad.
Interestingly, nine players who will represent the SA u19 side at the ICC u19 Cricket World Cup, which takes place in South Africa and starts on 13 January, did not make the SA Schools or the SA Colts teams.
They included SA u19 captain David Teeger, Ntando Zuma of St Charles College and Westville’s Romashan Pillay, as well as Lhuan-dré Pretorius of St Stithians and Steve Stolk of Menlopark, who received SA20 contracts from the Paarl Rocks and Pretoria Capitals respectively.
North West opening batsman Muhammed Bulbalia will captain the SA Colts team. They face the SA Schools side at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Thursday.
SA Schools: Benni Hansen (Wynberg Boys’ High, WP – captain), Hayden Bishop (Kearsney College, KZN), Esosa Aihevba (St Stithians College, Gauteng), Tristan Luus (Waterkloof, Titans), Kwena Maphaka (St Stithians College, Gauteng), Dewan Marais (Marais Viljoen, Easterns), Riley Norton (Paul Roos Gimnasium, Boland), Parth Patel (St Benedict’s College, Easterns), Ludwich Shuld (Potchefstroom Volkskool, North West), Richard Seletswane (St Stithians College, Gauteng), Ntando Soni (Glenwood, KZN), Jorich van Schalkwyk (Affies, Titans).
SA Colts: Muhammed Bulbalia (Fields College, North West – captain), Ross Boast (Hilton College, KZN Inland), Raeeq Daniels (Rondebosch Boys’ High, WP), Riyaad Davids (SACS, WP), Luke Francis (St John’s College, Gauteng), Enathi Kitshini (Thembalethu, Garden Route Badgers), Simon Liversage (Diamantveld, Northern Cape), Ivan Lockem (Hilton College, KZN Inland), Sabelo Mabanga (Ephes Mamkela, Easterns), Hernus Marais (Waterkloof, Titans), Thabiso Ndlela (St Charles College, KZN Inland), Sipho Potsane (Jeppe, Gauteng).
Leave a Reply