FLOWER FOUNTAIN. – Titansopening hitter Ruben van Zyl is in red-hot shape.
Van Zyl hit his second consecutive century of the Khaya Majola cricket week with a brilliant 166 against Free State on the Johan Volsteedt oval on Thursday.
His innings is the third highest score in the history of the tournament. The record is owned by Free State‘S Rilee Rossouwwho struck a whirlwind 182 against Boulder in 2006.
Rossouw, who went on to play 36 one-day internationals for South Africa, played most of his school cricket at the same Johan Volsteedt Oval.
Van Zyl shared an opening partnership of 81 runs with Tshepang Laka (14) before combining with Mohammed Rasool (67*) in an impressive 172-run stand for the second wicket to take control of the match.
The Titans won the match by eight wickets, booking a semi-final appearance Gauteng.
Van Zyl’s innings lasted 114 deliveries and included 18 fours and eight sixes.
Free State wouldn’t have been too displeased after posting 261/5 in their 50 overs, thanks to a half-century from Aiden Dodd (78), Christian kind (76) and FG Botha (55).
Defending champions Western Province remain undefeated after their two-wicket victory Boland. They will be confronted with the Tuskers in the other semi-final.
The Tuskers slipped into the semi-final through the back door with their three-wicket win Eastern Province increasing their net run rate to 0.164.
That victory, coupled with the Dolphins‘Six-wicket defeat to Gauteng meant the Dolphins, Tuskers and Eastern Province all finished level on four log points. The Tuskers advanced to the semi-finals with a better net run rate.
Dolphin batter Seth Simpson‘s century (102) was not enough to secure a win for his side. Gautengs Armaan Manak (103) led his team and shared a 137-run second-wicket partnership with Ombesa Matsha (75).
Summary scorecards:
Boland 183/9 (Francois Prins 48, Extras 39, Luca Plekker 33; Joshua Prince 3/41, Unathi Magoloza 2/13, Timothy Short 2/23, Michail Tarentaal 2/45); Western Province 184/8 (Qaeed Shaik 82, Daniel Cooke 29, Michail Tarentaal 27; Taywin Cole 3/42, Mila Silamsi 2/18). Western Province won by two wickets.
Free State 261/5 (Aiden Dodd 78, Christian Kind 76, FG Botha 55; Xander Venter 31/2); Titans 263/2 (Reuben van Zyl 166, Mohammad Rasool 67*; Bokang Mohasa 2/29). Titans won by eight wickets.
Dolphins 258/6 (Seth Simpson 102, Ismaeel Omar 50, Kyle White 31, Bayanda Majola 28; Wade McQuinn 2/34, JJ Basson 2/40); Central Gauteng Lions 262/4 (Armaan Manack 103, Ombesa Matsha 75, Troy Gordon 45*). Central Gauteng Lions won by six wickets.
Eastern Province 182 (Cayden Wilson 67, Daveric Petersen 33, Yaaseen Khazi 21; Reece Wilson 4/23, Kaiyuran Naidoo 3/21); Tuskers 183/7 (Thandolwethu Zama 46, Ethan Muir 30, Extras 30, Ben Hockley 22; Sulaymaan Gangat 3/33, Dawid Vermaak 2/43). Tuskers won by three wickets.
CSA Invitational XI 247/9 (Riley Miller 69, Noah Heath 48, Bulumko Magatya 25, Jalen Mannikam 23, Taine Havemann 22; Prins Marumagae 3/56, Jahndré Coetzee 2/39, Olefa Padi 2/59); Northwest 122 (Louis van Wyk 46; Jalen Mannikam 3/28, Corbin Tidbury 2/12, Armin Snyman 2/34). CSA Invitational XI won by 125 runs.
Eastern Iinyathi 159 (Extras 35, Linda Ambesa 27; Mahlodi Sekuba 4/39, Timothy Baker 3/15, Stephan Swanepoel 2/45); Limpopo 160/4 (Jannes van Zyl 61*, Luka Heinlein 40*, Stephan Swanepoel 25; Landile Gidi 2/29). Limpopo won by six wickets.
Oriental 187 (Jaden Govender 70, Aiden Shaw 26, Clayton Horlick 25; Josh Karelse 3/32, Keano Coerecius 3/50, Shirwin Plaaitjies 2/21, Liviwe Bawulie 2/41); Garden Route Dassen 169 (Joof Enslin 51, Igcobe Khitshini 24, Kurt Botha 23; Paul Matlala 2/28, Kristian du Plessis 2/29, Abdullah Tadwala 2/29). Easterns won by 18 runs.
Mpumalanga 218 (Janco Breyl 58, Extras 40, Herman Potgieter 39, Umar Badat 31, Zeeshan Ebrahim 25; Nathan Baird 4/57, Faizaan Kajee 2/25); North Cape 145 (Hanru Rademeyer 37, Nathan Baird 34*; Gavin Genis 3/14, Leam van Zyl 2/11, Xavier Visagie 2/26). Mpumalanga won by 73 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
