6 November 2024
Selections for the KZN Inland u19 Khaya Majola Week squad, which were revealed recently, have been evenly spread around, with St Charles College providing four players, Hilton College and Maritzburg College three each, and Michaelhouse two. Siphosethu Ngcobo, from Ikusaselihle High, is the outlier.
The Saints‘ quartet includes captain Marcel Wellmann, opening batsman Cian Fortmann, middle-order batsman Kwanele Nqayi, and fast bowler, Rowen Rajah.
Wellmann and Fortmann, especially, have enjoyed outstanding years, with the left-handers delivering top performances with both bat and ball. The skipper also led St Charles to victory in the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League for a third year in succession.
Fortmann, meanwhile, topped 1 000 runs in the calendar year, including a spectacular unbeaten 153 from only 76 deliveries in a win over Hilton College at the Clifton Centenary T20 Tournament. He bowled little in 2023 but became a frequent wicket-taker this year.
Nqayi is a solid batsman, while Rajah brings excitement to the mix with his pace. His performance and promise were recognised when he earned selection for the SA Emerging u19 team that scored a series whitewash in Zimbabwe, and he will, surely, go onto bigger things in grade 12 next year.
Hilton College provides two batsmen and a bowler to KZN Inland squad. Opening batsman Ben Hockly, who joined Rajah in the SA u19 Emerging side, and Charles Swart, the scorer of centuries against Paul Roos Gimnasium and Kearsney College this term, have been included along with left-arm paceman, Netanzi Denenga.
Denenga has the distinction of being the only returning player from last year’s team, which finished fourth at the Khaya Majola Week. From that team, Hilton College’s Ross Boast and Ivan Lockem and St Charles College seamer Thabiso Ndlela were selected for the SA Colts team.
Maritzburg College also provides three players to the Inland side, led by Chad Mason (feature photo, bowling), who might have considered himself somewhat unlucky not to have made the team last year. This time around, he was a slam dunk selection.
Mason performed with outstanding consistency throughout the year, comfortably eclipsing 1 000 runs in the calendar year while also bagging plenty of wickets with his accurate leg-spin bowling to lead College in that category, too.
Sphamandla Dzanibe, along with the aforementioned Rowen Rajah and Ben Hockly, was a member of the KZN Inland u16 team in 2023. That squad also featured the third College player selected for the Khaya Majola team, opening batsman Daniel Nadasan.
Dzanibe offers a left-arm seam option and a useful bat, too, while Nadasan is a steady producer at the top of the order. He works hard to limit risk and, as a result, is a solid accumulator of runs as opposed to someone who takes it to the bowlers.
Two more players in the Khaya Majola squad featured in the KZN Inland u16 team last year, Siphosethu Ngcobo, of Ikusaselihle High, and Radhesh Jhilmeet, of Michaelhouse.
Props to Ngcobo on his selection. Making the side from outside of the four schools that are the traditional feeders of the provincial sides is no mean feat.
Jhilmeet is another bowling option who generates some pace, and he has the ability to serve as a strike bowler.
He’s joined in the provincial side by ‘House opening bowler, Ross Moller, who, while not the quickest, is nippy enough and bowls with admirable control. He’s hard to get away and regularly delivers wickets at a miserly expense.
KZN INLAND KHAYA MAJOLA SQUAD
Natenzi Denenga (Hilton College), Sphamandla Dzanibe (Maritzburg College), Cian Fortmann (St Charles College), Ben Hockly (Hilton College), Radhesh Jhilmeet (Michaelhouse), Chad Mason (Maritzburg College), Ross Moller (Michaelhouse), Daniel Nadasan (Maritzburg College), Siphosethu Ngcobo (Ikusaselihle High), Kwanele Nqayi (St Charles College), Rowen Rajah (St Charles College), Charles Swart (Hilton College), Marcel Wellmann (St Charles College)
Non-travelling reserves
Sechaba Gude (Hilton College), Llewellyn Sutherland (Maritzburg College), Ethan van Heerden (Hilton College)
Management
Head coach: David Griffiths (Hilton College)
Assistant coach: Lwandiswa Zuma (Michaelhouse)
Manager: Suvedh Ramprith (Drakensview)
KZN INLAND U16 SQUAD
Ben Wilson (Hilton College), Thandolwethu Zama (St Charles College), Akhil Barath (Maritzburg College), Obakeng Motsepa (Hilton College), Ryan Clarke (St Charles College), Tian van Niekerk (Maritzburg College), Reece Willson (Maritzburg College), Liam O’Dwyer (Michaelhouse), Avela Barnes (Maritzburg College), Kieran Naidoo (St Charles College), Thandanani Zuma (Michaelhouse), Sechaba Gude (Hilton College), Connor Vogt (St Charles College)
Non-travelling reserves
Graydon Leslie (Michaelhouse), Barack Munawa (Hilton College)
Management
Head coach: Lucky Dladla (St Charles College)
Assistant coach: Travis Pieters (Hilton College)
Manager: Qiniso Zondi (Weston Agricultural College)
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