17 October 2024
The Dolphins squad for the Khaya Majola Week, which will be played in Cape Town from 16-20 December, is loaded with pace bowling options, which would surely be the envy of any other provincial team.
The quicks include Ntando Soni (SA Schools’ and SA u19 Emerging), Bayanda Majola (SA u19 Emerging), Nqobani Mokoena (SA u19) and Sandiswa Yeni (feature photo). Bandile Mbatha, a skilful medium-pacer, playing for the Dolphins’ Khaya Majola team for a second year in succession, adds another useful seam option, along with DHS left-armer, Semal Pillay.
Westville Boys’ High, who excelled at the recent Westvaal North-South T20 in Pretoria, provides four players to the 13-man squad. They include opening batsman Nicandro Kistna, one of a number of school captains in the lineup, batsmen Max Robertson and Kaeden McAllister, and left-arm spinner, Roxton Payne, who is a more than useful batsman, too.
The aforementioned Ntando Soni and Bandile Mbatha are the Glenwood reps. Soni was recently named the Player of the Series at the conclusion of the five-match limited-overs series between SA u19 Emerging and Zimbabwe. He was the outstanding paceman at last year’s Khaya Majola Week, which resulted in his selection for SA Schools, and a five-wicket haul for the SA Schools side against SA Schools A.
If it’s all-out pace one is after, then Bayanda Majola stands back for no one. He has serious gas. The DHS speedster is joined in the squad by his school captain Semal Pillay, a technically solid left-handed batsman. Majola and Pillay, along with a trio of Dolphins’ u17 players – Josh van Biljon, Ismaeel Omar and Ethan Cooper – have helped School to a very good year.
If it’s batting one is looking at, though, Ross Coetzee, the captain of Kearsney College, is right at the top of the pile and compares favourably to any batsman in South Africa. This past weekend, he scored a century in his 100th match for the Kearsney 1st XI to lead them to an impressive win over Hilton College.
Coetzee and Cameron Veenstra shared a partnership of 210 in that victory. Veenstra, also a superb fielder, is the most notable omission from the Dolphins’ squad, but that has nothing to do with the selectors. He has signed a contract with The Sharks and, as a result of that, decided not to make himself available for the Khaya Majola team.
Sandiswa Yeni is the second player from Kearsney in the team. He’s no slouch in the pace department and has been a regular wicket-taker in a strong year for the boys from Botha’s Hill.
Northwood also provides two players, including Nqobani Mokoena, who supplements his fast bowling with good batting. He has the ability to score runs at a rapid rate. Knights’ top-order batsman Mfanafuthi Shange also cracked the nod.
Clifton College provides their captain Shahzaad Perumal to the provincial side. He’s a left-handed batsman and bowler and he’s playing well. Last weekend, he scored a century to lead Clifton to a win over Glenwood, and he added a couple of wickets with his accurate orthodox spin.
If there’s something in the wickets in Cape Town for the fast bowlers, the Dolphins are going to enjoy their time there. Regardless of the conditions, however, they have the all-round game and skills to excel no matter what the pitches they play on.
DOLPHINS SQUADS
Khaya Majola u18 Squad
Bandile Mbatha (Glenwood), Ross Coetzee (Kearsney), Nicandro Kistna (Westville), Nqobani Mokoena (Northwood), Ntando Soni (Glenwood), Bayanda Majola (DHS), Semal Pillay (DHS), Roxton Payne (Westville), Max Robertson (Westville), Mfanafuthi Shange (Northwood), Shahzaad Perumal (Clifton), Sandiswa Yeni (Kearsney), Kaeden McAllister (Kearsney)
Head coach: Sam Mofokeng
Assistant coach: Christo Esau
Assistant coach: Richard Wissing
Manager: Thomas Jackson
Dolphins u17 Squad
Dayalan Boyce (Westville), Tim Saulez (Clifton), Kyle White (Northwood), Ismaeel Omar (DHS), Joshua van Biljon (DHS), Ethan Cooper (DHS), Seth Simpson (Westville), Karabo Ntsieng (Glenwood), Krian Jugoo (Glenwood), Sbani Qwabe (Mtapho High), Asanda Mthembu (Umlazi Comtech), Jordan Matthews (Northwood), Tuswa Phetha (Northwood)
Head coach: Brandon Scullard
Assistant coach: Mthokozisi Shezi
Manager: Cayle Marillier
Dolphins u16 Squad
Kreesan Pillai (Glenwood), David de Bruyn (Northwood), Taine Havemann (DHS), Kyle McGough (Westville), Tristin Delvin (Wstville), Shiraz Perumal (Clifton), Bonga Maphanga (Kearsney), Aiden Baudach (Westville), Sqalo Mbatha (Umlazi Hub), Fanele Mpisane (Umlazi Hub), Misbah Nair (Westville), Keegan de Jager (Kearsney), Litha Gonya (Kearsney)
Head coach: Darryl Govender
Assistant coach: Gavin Reddy
Assistant coach: Wayne Scott
Assistant coach: Sithabiso Zungu
Dolphins u15 Green Squad
Jordan Doig (Westville), Gary Verbaan (Kearsney), Kagiso Mokoena (Westville), Asher Hollister (Kearsney), Asibongwe Mbili (Ink Hub), Muhammad Asmall (Clifton), Nicholas Slater (Northwood), Sabelo Buthulezi (Umlazi Hub), Joshua Engelbrecht (Westville), Reeshavin Moodley (Westville), Caleb Naicker (Clifton), Moabi Moeng (DHS), Max Nicholson (Northwood)
Head coach: Jody Saayman
Assistant coach: Bheki Nyathikazi
Manager: Alex van der Merwe
Dolphins u15 Blue Squad
Kai Cotton (Westville), Sulaiman Jadwat (DHS), Rivan Moodley (Clifton), Aron Blackburn (Kearsney), Luc Boyall (Northwood), Segolobe Moloto (Glenwood), Josh Mills (Northwood), Elgenio Oerson (Glenwood), Esihle Gasa (Glenwood), Matthew Gorrie (Kearsney), Mila Sijadu (Westville), Keegan Reeves (Northwood), Muhammad Malik (Clifton)
Head coach: Cameron Gordon
Assistant coach: Caleb Pillay
Manager: Wandile Mlangeni
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