CAPE TOWN. – The defending champions of the Khaya Majola week (for players under 19), the Central Gauteng Lions, saw their chances of retaining the title suffer a major setback on Monday, the opening day of the tournament.
The Free State defeated them by 22 runs Bishops‘ Frank Reid oval.
The winning side scored 195 runs, mainly thanks to their opening batsman Christian kind (90), which was well supported by Dakalo Leketa (48). Together the pair added a crucial 80 runs for the fifth wicket.
Gauteng rallied in response. Corne Botha (46), Armaan Manak (37), and Richard Seletswane (25) were the only batsmen to put up strong resistance.
For the Free State, Darion Rabie (24/3), Otto Krause (14/2), and Meijer Pretorius (17/2) caused the most damage.
Another early favorite to win the title also suffered a setback on the opening day The Titans went down Boland with 24 runs.
Boland batted first and scored 219 all out, with JJ van der Sandt (59), Chad Ayford (45), and Jevohndre Jacobs (44) that make the largest contributions. Charl Prinsloo excelled with the ball, dismissing four Boland batsmen for just 24 runs.
Even Divan de Villiers (70) and Lethabo Pahlamohlaka (33) shared a 100-run partnership for the Titans’ fifth wicket, it was not enough to get their team over the line as they were dismissed for 195.
Leolan Davids (4/30) undermined the Titans’ batting effort with his four-wicket haul.
The hosts, Western Provincestarted their week on a winning note by beating the Tuskers by six wickets. Last year’s South African School captain, Beni Hansen (58), led the way with the bat.
He and Siyabonga revenge (57) created a partnership of 104 runs for the third wicket.
The Dolphins‘ Bandile Mbatha (5/16) claimed the only five-wicket haul of the first day in his team’s tight win over Eastern Province.
EP was limited to just 107 total, but they almost managed to pull off a surprise. However, the captain of the Dolphins, Ross Coetzee (39*), kept a cool head and guided his team to victory.
Oriental recorded a nail-biting one-point victory over the Garden Route Badgers. The Easterns’ SA Schools player Parth Patel was one of the standout players of the game with a versatile performance that included 24 runs with the bat and a bowling return of 2/16.
The Eastern Cape Iinyathi have the most experienced side in the tournament and this was reflected in the comfortable defeat Northern Cape with nine wickets. Ryan Denston (15/4) and Canton Hartnick (3/18) made life difficult for the losing team’s batsmen, who were restricted to 120 all out.
Summary scorecards (limited surpluses)
Tuskers 196/8 (Cian Fortmann 50, Marcell Wellmann 30, Sphamandla Dzanibe 27*; Daniel Nadasan 26, Charles Swart 22; Raeeq Daniels 3/38, Timothy Short 2/37, Mbulelo Dube 2/48); Western Province 197/4 (Benni Hansen 58, Siyabonga Venge 57, Daniel Bosman 24*, Kaschief Joseph 22). Western Province won by six wickets.
Free State 195/10 (Christian Kind 90, Dakalo Leketa 48; Jason Rowles 3/40, Ruan Strauss 2/22, Cole Francis 2/41); Central Gauteng Lions 173/10 (Corné Botha 46, Armaan Manack 37, Richard Seletswane 25, Kamogelo Phiri 22; Darion Rabie 24/3, Otto Krause 14/2, Meyer Pretorius 17/2, Hendru de Wet 2/29). Vrijstaat won by 22 runs.
Boland 219/10 (JJ van der Sandt 59, Chad Ayford 45, Jevohndré Jacobs 44, Stefan Conradie 23; Charl Prinsloo 24/4, Divan de Villiers 3/36); Titans 195/10 (Divan de Villiers 70, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka 33, Marcus Bakker 22, Tshepang Laka 29; Leolan Davids 4/30, Sibulele Makeleni 2/48). Boland won by 24 runs.
Eastern Province 107/10 (Xander Elkington 50; Bandile Mbatha 5/16, Sandiswa Yeni 3/22); Dolphins 108/8 (Ross Coetzee 39*, Shahzaad Perumal 20; Esa Gangat 3/18, Cayden Wilson 3/25). Dolphins won by two wickets.
North Cape 120/10 (Extras 39; Ryan Denston 4/15, Canton Hartnick 3/18, Hlumelo Ntola 2/54); Eastern Cape Inyathi 121/1 (Adam Rogers 43*, Jacques van der Merwe 31*, Bevanoe Mayhtam 28; Raul Williams 1/15). Eastern Cape Iinyathi won by nine wickets.
Mpumalanga 231/7 (Extras 60, Nathan Duncan 46, Jayden Meyer 39, Bruce Nel 24, John Duncan 22; Coetzee du Preez 2/28); Limpopo Impalas 227/9 (Lukas van der Merwe 62, Extras 51, Maaz Mabummad 44*, Hanno van Zyl 38; Vaughn van Zyl 2/30, Sibonelo Skhosana 2/37, Curtleigh Koetzee 2/44). Mpumalanga won by six points.
East 166/9 (Jaden Govender 44, Sabelo Mabanga 38, Xavier Coetzee 25, Parth Patel 24; Liviwe Bawuli 22/3, Jesse Lewis 24/3, Trent Huisamen 36/3); Garden Route Badgers 165/10 (Extras 38, Kurt Botha 28, Keano Coerecius 27, Joof Enslin 23, Trent Huisamen 23; Parth Patel 2/16, Wian Pieters 2/29). Easterns won by one wicket.
CSA Invitational XI 202/8 (Paul Matlala 40, Vihan Pretorius 39*, Extras 30, Ruben Groenewald 25, Nkosana Sibiya 22; Nathan Rossouw 2/25, Brendin Mathyse 2/32, Marneau Dreyer 2/49); Northwest 69/8 (Caiden Seleka 28; Dayalan Boyce 3/16, Ryall Julies 2/7, Paul Matlala /12). CSA Invitational XI won by 132 runs.
Hannes Nienaber reported on school rugby in South Africa for eleven years for Volksblad, Beeld and Rapport. He also created the largest school rugby website in South Africa – School of Rugby – in 2007. This eventually morphed into Supersport Schools Plus. He still milks cows occasionally.
Hannes Nienaber
ssschoolsplus.co.za
