In the end, Gauteng simply had too much firepower for the Tuskers in the final of the annual Khaya Majola Cricket Week (for U19 teams) at Johan Volsteedt Oval in Bloemfontein.
Gauteng secured a convincing nine-wicket victory, ensuring that the union walked away with the honours for the sixth time in the past ten years.
Two of the champions’ South African U19 players, Jason Rowles (76*) and Armaan Manack (38*), guided their team over the final hurdle with an unbeaten 114-run partnership for the second wicket.
The two St David’s Marist learners from Johannesburg are expected to be key players for the national team at next year’s U19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Rowles was particularly destructive at the Johan Volsteedt Oval. He faced only 34 deliveries in his innings, smashing 14 boundaries, including four sixes over the ropes for the first time.
The Tuskers, who batted first, were in deep trouble at 68/6 after just 21.1 overs. SA U19 fast bowler Corné Botha removed three batsmen for only 24 runs.
Four of the matches on the final day ended without a result, as all games were interrupted several times after lunch due to weather.
The Titans’ opening batsman, Reuben van Zyl, finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 352 runs. He recorded two centuries during the week—110 against Western Province and 166 against Free State.
Van Zyl scored his runs at an average of 70.4 per innings.
This year again saw a large number of centuries in the City of Roses. In total, there were 12 centuries, while the record for the most centuries in a Khaya Majola Week was set in 2016 in this very city with 15.
The Garden Route Badgers defeated Limpopo by six wickets. The winning team’s Liviwe Bawulie (5/36) led the charge with only the second five-wicket haul of the tournament.
Easterns’ spinner Abdullah Tadwala was the most successful bowler, claiming 13 wickets at an average of 16.6 runs per dismissal.
Two other spinners, Enathi Kitshini (Garden Route Badgers) and Nathan Baird (Northern Cape), as well as seam bowler Taywin Adams (Boland), each took 12 wickets in the City of Roses.
Summarised Scorecards:
Tuskers 165 (Thandanani Zuma 44, Thandolwethu Zama 33, Extras 30, Samuel Hughes 21; Corné Botha 3/24, Wade McQuinn 2/17, Morteza Manack 2/20); Central Gauteng Lions 130/1 (Jason Rowles 76*, Armaan Manack 38*; Reece Wilson 1/26). Central Gauteng Lions won by nine wickets (DLS-method).
Western Province 216 (Michael Kruiskamp 76, Adnaan Lagadien 48, Joshua Prince 34, Daniel Cooke 20; Xander Venter 3/13, Mahommed Borabat 2/17); Titans 116/3 (Timothy Gordon 57*; Hlumelo Mgweba 2/10). No Result.
Boland 254 (Liam Basson 98, Francois Prins 32, Extras 32; Otto Krause 2/29, Cullen Kakora 2/38); Free State 114/7 (Christian Kind 41, FG Botha 30; Inam Bula 3/21, Aden Batt 2/31). Boland won by 51 runs (DLS-method).
Dolphins 240/8 (Josh van Biljon 92*, Ethan Cooper 30, Bandile Mbatha 29, Kyle White 28, Extras 21; Gomo Sibi 3/33, Jalen Mannikam 2/47); CSA Invitational XI 58/6 (JP Botha 20; Timothy Saulez 3/10, Dayalan Boyce 2/14). No Result.
Eastern Province 255/8 (Dawid Vermaak 64, Randy Syce 57, Myles Sansom 53, William Beamish 51; Olefa Padi 4/46, Carl Fryer 2/37); North West 98/8 (Christivan Coetzer 33; Lisekho Zinyane 3/25, Cayden Wilson 2/15). Eastern Province won by 105 runs (DLS-method).
Mpumalanga 139 (Umar Badat 40, Herman Potgieter 20; Stephan Vermaak 2/13, Kenan Shaw 2/20, Abdullah Tadwala 2/23, Kristian du Plessis 2/29); Easterns 107/3 (Xavier Coetzee 48, Jaden Govender 26; Gavin Genis 1/16). No Result.
Limpopo 97 (Rayyan Malji 35, Stephan Swanepoel 21; Liviwe Bawulie 5/36, Enathi Kitshini 2/6, Shirwin Plaaitjies 2/25); Garden Route Badgers 100/4 (Kurt Botha 35; Luka Heinlein 2/16. Garden Route Badgers won by six wickets.
Eastern Cape Iinyathi 230 (Awonke Mgini 94, Lukhanyo Hlathuka 37, Iminathi Jumba 28, Extras 26, Linda Ambesa 23; Kopano Mosenyane 4/16, Hanru Rademeyer 2/38, Nathan Baird 2/51); Northern Cape 128/4 (Garren Stonestreet 39, Faizaan Kajee 28, Noah Breyl 20*; Lihlumile Ncukana 4/35). No result.