Author: cschiwanza

The Eastern Storm and Boland are the only unbeaten teams left after Wednesday’s T20 matches at the CSA Girls u19 Week in Potchefstroom.

After shrugging off their opposition in the 50-over segment of the annual showpiece on the first two days, they carried their winning form into the T20s.

Mpumalanga, who struggled in the 50-over matches, proved that they were a powerhouse in the shorter format with back-to-back wins over the SWD Garden Route Badgers and the Northern Cape.

Easterns had a tough assignment on Wednesday morning at the Ibbies Oval when they squared up to the Lions, who worked their way to 109/6 in their 20 overs, courtesy of identical scores from Fay Cowling and Diara Ramlakan, who scored 38 runs each.

The Eastern Storm’s run chase was interrupted by rain. However, they were well ahead of the DLS par score when the heavens opened up, having charged to 63/1 in only 8.1 overs, which left them the convincing victors by nine wickets.

Captain Siphokuhle Masilela, then, led side against The Titans at the JB Marks Oval in the afternoon and opted to field first after winning the toss.

Simoné Lourens was up to the challenge, scoring a steady 50 from 42 deliveries to lead the Titans to 128/5. Mieke van Voorst, however, trumped Lourens’ effort with a half-century of her own – 64 not out off of 56 balls – to lead Easterns to 129/3 and a seven-wicket win.

Boland, who also breezed through their 50-over games, maintained their form with wins over The Dolphins and The Tuskers.

Melissa van der Merwe‘s side faced The Dolphins in their morning encounter. Behind Maria van der Vyver brisk 51 from 36 deliveries, which included five fours and two sixes, Boland tallied 130/8. When the rain came seven overs into The Dolphins’ reply, the Boland bowling attack had them on the ropes on 38/6, which led toa 17-run win on the DLS Method.

Van der Vyver continued her great form with a crucial 44 against the Tuskers as Boland put up 129/3 in 19 overs in their afternoon clash at NWU. Van der Merwe, then, took charge with the ball, with the Boland skipper capturing 4/12 in four overs to help restrict their KZN opposition to 99/6, which left the Capetonians the winners by 30 runs.

Mpumalanga showed that while the 50-over format was questionable, they are strong contenders in the T20s.

At NWU, Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout scored a wonderful 32-ball 42 to lead them to 106 before Neliswa Dlamini and Ashley Barnard put the screws on the SWD Garden Route Badgers to restrict them to 32/5 after nine overs in a rain interrupted contest. That left Mpumalanga with a 25-run victory.

Bezuidenhout then smashed an unbeaten 98 from 57 balls, blasting 10 fours and six sixes to lead Mpumalanga to 156/6 against the Northern Cape. Dlamini and Barnard were in form with the ball again and Northern Cape never got going. After 20 overs, they had been restricted to a meagre 41/6. That left Mpumalanga with an emphatic 124-run win.

MORNING RESULTS

Mpumalanga 106/10 (Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout 42, Queen Hlatshwayo 17*; Faithlynne Karelse 3/13, Caroldene Ewerts 3/22). SWD Garden Route Badgers 32/5 (Faithlynne Karelse 14, Jade West 4; Neliswa Dlamini 2/3, Ashley Barnard 2/8). Mpumalanga won by 25 runs (DLS).

Lions 109/6 (Fay Cowling 38, Diara Ramlakan 38; Mieke van Voorst 3/14, Ashliegh van Wyk 1/20). Eastern Storm 63/1 (Mpumelelo Mashiloane 28, Tamzyn Hartman 26*; Fay Cowling 1/13, Nosiphiwe Mashele 0/5). Eastern Storm won by nine wickets (DLS).

Titans 149/4 (Simoné Lourens 83, Jessica Staubli 42; Koketso Molefi 2/11, Kamogelo Kgaswane 1/19). North West 67/2 (Karabo Lemphane 29*, Karmen Marais 26*; Gabriella Sequiera 2/16, Kaylee Carr 0/4). Titans won by 30 runs (DLS).

Boland 130/8 (Maria van der Vyver 51, Daneli Boshoff 30; Ziya Mohanlall 3/23, Shreeya Subbiah 2/24). Dolphins 38/6 (Sinothando Matamela 10, Shreeya Subbiah 8; Janel Steenkamp 2/8, Maria van der Vyver 1/9). Boland won by 17 runs (DLS).

Free State 106/3 (Rethabile Nthoba 60*, Leoze Lottering 10; Ashline Titus 3/26, Chloe de Roubiax 0/5). Western Province 92/5 (Jemma Botha 29, Nuha Benjamin 29; Bokamoso Khalise 2/19, Boitumelo Mahlaba 1/3). Western Province won five wickets (DLS).

Eastern Province 98/8 (Danika Marais 17, Siseko Stamper 14; Murisi Rhikotso 3/8, Shelfa Mukhari 1/16). Limpopo Impalas 55/9 (Shelfa Mukhari 12, Baloyi Blondy 6; Musa Halana 3/6, Tara Nel 2/8). Eastern Province won by two runs (DLS).

Eastern Cape Iinyathi 63/3 (Onelisiwe Mxothwa 30*, Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 14*; Sihle Mamba 2/9, Jessica Candler 1/5). Tuskers 28/3 (Kiandri Bierbaum 13*, Mia van der Merwe 6; Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 1/15, Sinesipho Dondi 0/9). Tuskers won by seven wickets (DLS).

Kei 88/5 (Enkhosi Mditshwa 36*, Unako Nompandana 21; Chloe Nagel 1/4, Rethabile Motlhanke 1/11). Northern Cape 47/3 (Keziah Adams 18*, Chloe Nagel 13*; Thembakazi Gegesi 2/5, Nontokozo Mchiza 1/10). Kei won by 29 runs (DLS).

AFTERNOON RESULTS

Titans 128/5 (Simoné Lourens 50, Chanel Venter 29*; Jessica Scott 2/15, Mieke van Voorst 1/16). Eastern Storm 129/3 (Mieke van Voorst 64*, Tenique Williams 37*; Lerato Sibanyoni 2/12, Gabriella Etsebeth 1/12). Eastern Storm won by seven wickets.

Eastern Province 106/8 (Bianca Graham 26, Zara Bonnasse 20; Bokamoso Khahlise 3/12, Thando Nelane 1/12). Free State 110/3 (Leoze Lottering 41*, Rethabile Nthoba 25; Bianca Graham 1/6, Tara Nel 1/8). Free State won by seven wickets.

North West 129/3 (Deidré van Rensburg 63*, Tshegofatso Monyela 31; Leani Swanepoel 1/18, Mamly Raphela 1/30). Lions 132/5 (Diara Ramlakan 47, Fay Cowling 38; Thatho Kotokoane 2/19, Deidré van Rensburg 1/16). Lions won by five wickets.

Limpopo Impalas 92/5 (Tshepiso Dineo Motswi 31, Paballo Mogafe 17*; Ashline Titus 2/10, Jemma Botha 1/13). Western Province 93/2 (Imaan van Schalkwyk 44*, Danielleh Hugo 16*; Shelfa Mukhari 1/23, Rikhotso Murisi 1/30). Western Province won by eight wickets.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi 76/4 (Onelisiwe Mxothwa 27*, Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 17; Ziya Mohanlall 2/13, Shreeya Subbiah 1/4). Dolphins 77/1 (Shreeya Subbiah 34*, Sinothando Matamela 28*; Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 1/33, Sinesipho Dondi 0/9). Dolphins won by nine wickets.

Mpumalanga 165/6 (Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout 98*, Ntando Sithole 34; Rethabile Motlhanke 2/14, Onolo Mosabale 2/29). Northern Cape 41/6 (Olorato Lekhwi 12, Rethabile Motlhanke 10*; Neliswa Dlamini 2/3, Ashley Barnard 2/4). Mpumalanga won by 124 runs.

Boland 129/3 (Maria van der Vyver 44, Faith Williams 41*; Jessica Candler 1/4, Asanda Zondi 1/6). Tuskers 99/6 (Jessica Candler 29, Asanda Zondi 24*; Melissa van der Merwe 4/12, Daneli Boshoff 1/15). Boland won by 30 runs.

Kei 80/4 (Enkosi Mditshwa 43, Zikho Ketho 14*; Kamrodene Swartz 1/4, Faithlynne Karelse 1/4). SWD Garden Route Badgers 80/4 (Mi-Jeanne Botha 45, Tiche Frans 13; Yamkela Mnqabasha 1/12, Nontokozo Mchiza 1/13).

Super Over: Kei 2/2 (Enkosi Mditshwa 1, Chumani Majambe 0*; Tiche Frans 1/2). SWD Garden Route Badgers 8/1 (Mi-Jeanne Botha 6, Tiche Frans 1; Yamkela Mnqabasha 1/7). SWD Garden Route Badgers won via the Super Over.

Mieke van Voorst scored an outstanding century to help the Eastern Storm secure a comfortable 47-run win over Free State on Tuesday at the CSA Girls u19 Week in Potchefstroom.

Her 126 came from 121 balls and was the first century of the tournament.

With the win, the Eastern Storm remained unbeaten, along with Eastern Province, North West, Boland, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi, and The Dolphins.

The Tuskers and The Lions recorded their first wins on day two.

Leeyandre Bentley, the captain of the Eastern Storm, won the toss and chose to bat first at the Ibbies Oval. With Van Voorst leading the charge, the Storm thundered their way to 273 all out from 48.2 overs.

Their bowlers, then, worked well together and restricted Free State to 123/5 from 24 overs. When rain forced the players from the field, the Eastern Storm claimed a 47-run win by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method.

Van Voorst, who arrived at the crease in the second over, occupied the crease for 39.5 overs, all the while controlling the Eastern Storm innings despite wickets going down at the other end of the pitch. After her dismissal in the 42nd over, Easterns added another 30 runs in 6.5 overs before being bowled out.

Simone Mouton stood her ground with an unbeaten 40 from 52 balls for Free State. She and Leoze Lottering, who scored 38, shared a 61-run partnership in 12.5 overs, but it wasn’t fast enough, and the DLS Method tilted the result firmly in favour of the Eastern Storm. 

Ziyanda Xulu and Ziya Mohanlall formed an outstanding tag team, taking all 10 wickets, to set up The Dolphins for a comfortable seven-wicket win over Mpumalanga on the Potch Gimnasium A Field.

Dolphins’ captain, Mia Vermaak, unleashed the duo on the Mpumalanga batting lineup after winning the toss and choosing to field first. Xulu quickly made inroads, dismissing the top three in the Mpumalanga batting order before Mohanlall accounted for the next four. In the end, Mpumalanga tallied 130 all out in 34 overs.

Xulu captured 5/32 in 10 overs, while Mohanlall’s return was a neat 5/21 from nine. While most of the batters had no answer to the challenges posed by Xulu and Mohanlall, Ashley Barnard stood firm and compiled a solid 62 from 95 balls. Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout was the only other Mpumalanga batter to reach double figures, chipping in with a brisk 14 from 11 balls.

In reply, Shreeya Subbiah laid a solid platform for The Dolphins’ run chase with 53 from 86 deliveries. Sinothando Matamela contributed a handy 30 off 35 deliveries and shared an 80-run second-wicket partnership with Subbiah before the skipper, Vermaak, steered them to 134/3 and victory with an unbeaten 17 off 29 balls.

The Lions and Western Province, two of the traditional powerhouses, locked horns on the NWU Oval in a much-anticipated contest. Both sides had dropped points on day one, suffering losses, and they came into the tie eager to get their title challenges back on track.

Jae-Leigh Filander, the Western Province captain, won the toss and chose to bowl first. The Lions delivered a solid response, with four players making scores in the thirties as they totalled 234 all out.

Diara Ramlakan led the way with a patient 38 from 57 balls, while Fay Cowling contributed a brisk 24-ball 36. Jodie Burne matched her, also scoring 36, but from 54 deliveries, and Nosiphiwe Mashele made 31 from 44. The Lions were also boosted by 42 extras.

When Western Province batted, Leani Swanepoel and Fay Cowling ensured they were quickly forced onto the back foot by removing the top three batters in the order for single-digit scores.

Danielleh Hugo, who scored a patient unbeaten 27 from 50 balls, was the only Western Province batter to exit single figures, and her effort helped her side to 79/5 in 21.1 overs.

When DLS was needed to resolve the outcome of the contest, however, The Lions were firmly on top, and they claimed a 62-run win.

It was one-way traffic in the clash between the SWD Garden Route Badgers and Boland on the NWU Jool 1 Field. Daneli Boshoff knocked over 5/5 as the Badgers were routed for only 44. It took Boland just over eight overs to chase down that total without the loss of a wicket. Curro Durbanville‘s Boshoff led the way once more, finishing with 22 not out.

On the Mooivallei Oval, Kei didn’t fare much better against The Tuskers. They were skittled for just 48, chasing 139 for victory.

Kirsten Kaltwasser scored a circumspect 43 not out from 85 balls for the Tuskers, who batted first, and Jessica Candler weighed in with 30, while Thembakazi Gegesi shone for Kei, picking up 5/30.

Unfortunately for her, the Kei batters were nowhere near as proficient. Only Olwethu Njani reached double figures, and she barely made it, scoring 10, while Megan Webb claimed 3/13, Sihle Mamba 2/4, and Ayanda Mhlongo 2/5 as The Tuskers eased to a 90-run victory.

The tightest contest of the day was hosted at the Witrand Oval where the home side, North West, snatched a two-run win over the Limpopo Impalas.

Diedré van Rensburg‘s 34 led the way for North West in their 119 all out after they were put in to bat, while Respect Mabasa snapped up 4/11 in nine miserly overs for the Impalas.

In reply, Limpopo was bowled out for 117. Refilwe Mashego, batting tenth in the order, produced the match’s highest score of 41, and shared a tenth-wicket partnership of 49 with Murisi Rikhotso, whose contribution was six not out. Karabo Lemphane, however, halted the Impalas’ bid for an unlikely victory – they had been on 68/9 – when she bowled Mashego.

Eastern Province (EP) had their way with The Titans on the JB Marks Oval, winning by a comfortable 50 runs.
Ashlee Buhr, with 32, and Zara Bonnasse, with 27, were the spearheads of their batting effort, which realised 120 all out. Nokubonga Mpanza was one of the main reasons that EP didn’t go big, capturing 5/18 in five overs.

The target was modest, but The Titans didn’t come close to it, with their innings lasting just 27.5 overs and ending on 70 all out. Three players reached double figures, but 14 extras were their highest score. EP captain Cayleigh Wankel put the skids under The Titans’ response, dialling up the pressure with her return of 5/26 from 10 overs.

Eastern Province’s neighbours, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi won a tight low-scoring game against Northern Cape at NWU.

Northern Cape opted to bat after winning the toss but, apart from 38 by Keziah Adams, they struggled at the crease and were bowled out for 101 in only 26 overs. Lwando Kese, with 3/8, and Oneliswe Mxothwa, with 2/5, removed five batters cheaply.

The Iinyathi‘s reply was measured. It took them 31.4 overs, but they eventually won by three wickets, with Ziyakhanya Mtshawulana‘s 22 and 21 from Onelisiwe Mxothwa their key innings. Jennifer Tshaka was the Northern Cape’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 3/31

RESULTS

 Eastern Storm 273/10 (Mieke van Voorst 121, Ashleigh van Wyk 27, Leeyandre Bentley 23; Lebogang Thoabala 3/39, Thando Nelane 2/52, Kaela-Marie Keyser 2/34). Free State 123/5 (Simone Mouton 40, Leoze Lottering 38, Shanique Janse van Rensburg 12; Ashleigh van Wyk 2/20, Zainah Davids 1/10, Jazmine Pitt 1/8). Eastern Storm won by 47 runs (DLS Method).

Mpumalanga 130/10 (Ashley Barnard 62, Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout 14; Ziya Mohanlall 5/21, Ziyanda Xulu 5/32). Dolphins 134/3 (Shreeya Subbiah 53, Sinothando Matamela 30, Mia Vermaak 17*; Ashley Barnard 2/29, Nombulelo Ngwenya 1/21). Dolphins won by seven wickets.

Lions 234/10 (Diara Ramlakan 38, Fay Cowling 36, Jodie Burne 35; Nuha Benjamin 2/17, Cara Bester 2/50, Jemma Botha 2/41). Western Province 79/5 (Daniellah Hugo 27, Nuha Benjamin 8, Erin Scrooby 6; Leani Swanepoel 2/15, Fay Cowling 2/6, Mamly Raphela 1/8). Lions won by 62 runs (DLS Method).

SWD Garden Route Badgers 44/10 (Faithlynne 15, Tiche Frans 5; Daneli Boshoff 5/5, Beantra Daniels 2/9, Melissa van der Merwe 1/5, Janel Steenkamp 1/5). Boland 45/0 (Daneli Boshoff 22*, Wanda-Mari Ham 16*; Mi-Jeanne Botha 0/8, Tiche Frans 0/10). Boland won by 10 wickets.

Tuskers 138/10 (Kirsten Kaltwasser 43*, Jessica Candler 30; Thembakazi Gegesi 5/30, Enkosi Mdithswa 3/21). Kei 48/10 (Olwethu Njani 10, Unako Nompandana 6; Megan Webb 3/13, Sihle Mamba 2/4, Ayanda Mhlongo 2/5). Tuskers won by 90 runs.

North West 119/10 (Diedre van Rensburg 34, Jasmine Nel 18, Thato Kotokoane 11; Respect Mabasa 4/11, Murisi Rikhotso 3/36, Tshepiso Dineo Motswi 2/30). Limpopo Impalas 117/10 (Refilwe Mashego 41, Carli Botha 14; Kamogelo Kgaswane 3/27, Tshegofatso Monyela 3/23, Thato Kotokoane 2/28). North West won by 2 runs.

Eastern Province 120/10 (Ashlee Buhr 32, Zara Bonnasse 27, Cayleigh Wanckel 14; Nokubonga Mpanza 5/18, Kaylee Carr 3/24, Gabriella Sequiera 2/29). Titans 70/10 (Gabriella Sequiera 13, Lerato Sibanyoni 13, Jessica Staubli 12; Cayleigh Wanckel 5/26, Musa Halana 2/11, Tara Nel 2/14). Eastern Province won by 50 runs.

Northern Cape 101/10 (Keziah Adams 38, Olorato Lekhwi 13; Lwando Kese 3/8, Onelisiwe Mxothwa 2/4, Amyoli Mgebe 2/20). Eastern Cape Iinyathi 102/7 (Ziyakhanya Mtshawulana 22, Onelisiwe Mxothwa 21; Jennifer Tshaka 3/31, Mapule Morakile 1/4). Eastern Cape Iinyathi won by three wickets.

The Titans and Eastern Province produced upsets when they defeated perennial favourites, Western Province and The Lions respectively, on Monday, the first day of the CSA Girls u19 Week, in Potchefstroom.

Boland, The Dolphins, North West, The Eastern Storm, The Eastern Cape Iinyathi, and Mpumalanga were the other winners.

The Titans opened their account with a four-wicket win over the perennial powerhouse, Western Province.

The toss went Chanel Venter’s way, and the Titans’ captain elected to field first. Her side made her judgement call look good by making good use of the conditions at the Ibbies Oval to bundle Western Province out for 111.

The ladies from northern Gauteng, then, needed 31 overs to reach 112/6 and claim victory.

Lerato Sibanyoni was the Titans’ chief destroyer, with a haul 4/14 runs from five overs. She crippled the Province innings with a double strike in the 16th over, which reduced the batting side from 57/3 to 62/5. She was, also, well supported by Nicole Sebelebele and Sienna Moodley, who took a brace of wickets each.

Opener, Jessica Staubli, anchored the Titans’ chase with a patient unbeaten 33 from 85 balls and she shared a fruitful 33-run second-wicket partnership with Simoné Lourens, which set the foundation for their victory.

At the Witrand Oval, Eastern Province (EP) claimed four points when they defeated one of the favourites to lift the title, The Lions.

Sent in to bat, Eastern Province battled hard, with Cayleigh Wanckel‘s team advancing in fits and starts until they had totalled 157 all out. That proved to be sufficient as they dismissed The Lions for 143 in reply.

Middle order batter, Ashlee Buhr, led Eastern Province effort at the crease with an unbeaten 30 from 78 balls, and her 62-run eighth wicket stand with Tara Nel turned out to be the match’s defining partnership. Nel, the second last batter in the EP line-up, proved to be much better than her batting position suggested, weighing in with a valuable 59-ball 36.

The Lions did themselves no favours with an untidy effort in the field, giving away 50 extras. Eastern Province was also guilty of errant bowling. They conceded 31 extras.

They, however, also had the talented Bianca Graham in their attack. She captured 4/4 in 2.3 overs to lift them to an inspiring 14-run win.

Leani Swanepoel top-scored for The Lions with 39 from 46 balls, while Fay Cowling chipped in with a brisk 33-ball 30. Unfortunately, for The Lions, the remainder of their batters didn’t produce much.

North West and the Free State had the privilege of competing at the JB Marks Oval, the region’s leading cricket ground, and they did not disappoint, delivering the highest scoring contest on a day littered with low scores.

Free State won the toss and asked North West to bat first. The hosts took on that challenge with aplomb, powering their way to 217 all out before bowling out Free State for 156 to clinch a 61-run win.

Diedré van Rensburg led the charge for North West with an outstanding 56 from 70 balls. Karambo Lemphane also chipped in with a half century, scoring 52 from 79 deliveries as the duo shared a match-winning 121-run second-wicket partnership, which was the highest stand across all matches on Monday.

Simone Mouton tallied 51 off 64 balls for the Free State, but Loeze Lottering was the only batter who offered Mouton substantial support. She scored a 41 off 78 deliveries, but everyone else scored 15 runs or less.

The Dolphins were the day’s most convincing winners on the NWU Jool 1 Field. They skittled Kei for only 61 and then cruised to a nine-wicket win in only 12 overs, with Shreeya Sibbiah scoring 24.

Maria van der Vyver returned the spectacular figures of seven overs, five maidens, and 4/3, while Taylor Moses knocked over 3/15 in six to spur Boland to a five-wicket win over the Northern Cape, who mustered only 89 all out.

Behind Daneli Boshoff‘s 42, it took Boland 17.1 overs to achieve victory on Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s A Field.

In another all-Cape clash, on the Mooivallei Oval, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi handed the SWD Garden Route Badgers a 28-run defeat.

Batting first, the Iinyathi put up 128/8. In reply, Mi-Jeanne Botha more than doubled the next highest score in the game, with 41 not out, but support for her was sparse, and Sinesipho Dondi, with 3/9, and Unakho Gwala, with 3/10, put the skids under the SWD reply, which ended at 96 all out.

Jessica Candler contributed an unbeaten 33 to The Tuskers’ 100 all out against Mpumalanga, for whom Nombulelo Ngwenya claimed 5/18.

Cris-Mari Bezuidenhout then struck seven fours and three sixes in her unbeaten 71 from 58 balls, which was more than nine times the next highest score by a Mpumalanga batter. That proved to be enough to see them to a three-wicket win.

In the lowest-scoring match of the day, The Eastern Storm successfully defended a modest 66 all out to win by 18 runs against the Limpopo Impalas.

Mieke van Voorst‘s 30 in the Storm’s innings was the highest score of the match, while miserly returns of 3/5 from Kananelo Mokoena and 3/9 from Leeyandre Bentley helped Easterns pull off hard-fought win.

A mouthwatering clash awaits on Tuesday between two of Monday’s losers, Western Province and The Lions, at North West University. Both sides will be aiming for a statement-making win.

The Titans will cross swords with Eastern Province in a contest that is likely to a closely contested affair.

RESULTS

Western Province 111/10 (Chloe de Roubiax 24*, Danielleh Hugo 18; Lerato Sibanyoni 4/14, Sienna Moodley 2/13, Nicole Sebelebele 2/16). Titans 112/6 (Jessica Staubli 33*, Simone Lourens 20, Kayla Sebelebele 16; Nuha Benjamin 2/23, Danielleh Hugo 1/7). Titans won by four wickets.

Eastern Province 157/10 (Tara Nel 36, Ashlee Buhr 30*; Mamly Raphela 4/10, Tana Burne 2/28). Lions 143/10 (Leani Swanepoel 39*, Fay Cowling 30; Bianca Graham 4/4, Musa Halana 2/9, Cayleigh Wankel 2/45). Eastern Province won by 14 runs.

Kei 61/10 (Oluhle Ndongeni 8, Qhawe Tenjwa 7*; Zukiswa Msiya 2/11, Sphiwesihle Mhlongo 2/10, Shreeya Subbiah 2/10). Dolphins 62/1 (Shreeya Subbiah 24, Entle Mhalipi 18*, Sinothando Matamela 11*; Thembakazi Gegesi 0/13, Nontokozo Mchiza 0/12). Dolphins won by nine wickets.

Northern Cape 89/10 (Mathapelo Ntsayagae 26, Olorato Lekhwi 12; Maria van der Vyver 4/3, Taylum Moses 3/15, Akum Mbira 2/24). Boland 90/5 (Daneli Boshoff 42, Faith Williams 14*; Rethabile Mothlanke 2/23, Onolo Mosabale 1/11, Rethabile Botha 1/26). Boland won by five wickets.

North West 217/10 (Diedré van Rensburg 56, Karabo Lemphane 52; Thando Nelane 3/34, Lebohang Rakoeane 2/31, Bokamoso Motshabi 2/32). Free State 157/10 (Simone Mouton 51, Leoze Lottering 41; Lerato Kotokoane 3/25, Kamogelo Kgaswane 3/30, Diedre van Rensburg 2/33). North West won by 61 runs.

Eastern Storm 66/10 (Mieke van Voorst 30, Mpumelelo Mashiloane 10; Respect Mabasa 3/17, Tshepiso Dineo Motswi 2/9). Limpopo Impalas 48/10 (Ripfumelo Faith Nkuna 18, Tshepiso Dineo Motswi 7; Kananelo Mokoena 3/5, Leeyandre Bentley 3/9, Ashleigh van Wyk 2/12). Eastern Storm won by 18 runs.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi 128/8 (Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 20*, Luli Ali 20; Rusha van Weiling 3/14, Tiche Frans 2/18). SWD Garden Route Badgers 96/10 (Mi-Jeanne Botha 41*, Rusha van Wieling 10; Sinesipho Dondi 3/9, Unakho Gwala 3/10, Malakhiwe Somhlahlo 2/9). Eastern Cape Iinyathi won by 28 runs.

Tuskers 100/10 (Jessica Candler 33*, Sindiswa Xaba 22; Nombulelo Ngwenya 5/18, Ashley Barnard 2/3). Mpumalanga 102/7 (Chris-mari Bezuidenhout 71*, Snothando Letswele 8; Asanda Zondi 4/33, Megan Webb 1/17). Mpumalanga won by three wickets.

Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) unveiled a talented 15-member SA Schools squad at the end of the SWPSA Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.

Central Gauteng A proved themselves to be an indomitable force as they rolled to a fourth successive IPT trophy, defeating Western Province A in a thrilling final at St David’s Marist Inanda.

The champions claimed six spots in the national squad, while Western Province was rewarded with three representatives, which was matched by KwaZulu-Natal. The Eastern Cape produced three SA Schools players – two from Nelson Mandela Bay and one from Buffalo City.

Isabella Imbriolo, who produced an outstanding campaign and fittingly scored the last goal of the competition, was named the Player of the Tournament, which made her a slam dunk choice for SA Schools.

Her teammates, Jenna Blaauw, who received the Best Utility award, and Cadha Mosehla, who took home the Best Forward accolade, also made the national selectors’ jobs easy.

They were joined in the SA Schools’ squad by Amy Stubbs, Caitlin Scrimgeour, and Lucy Davis, who were also vital cogs in the victorious Gauteng side.

Julia Luckhoff captained Western Province A with aplomb in their run to the final. She was rock solid in defence and was awarded the Best Defender gong for her tireless work at the back. She, also, was an easy choice for the national squad.

Province’s Bella Murray, who represented South Africa at the World Aquatics Women’s u20 Water Polo Championships in Salvador, Brazil, in August, and Kirsten Böttger, were selected, too.

Nelson Mandela Bay’s Lucy Nagel and Kimberly Kabiri also cracked the nod. Kabiri wowed spectators with her exceptional goalkeeping skills, which kept her side in contests that they might have otherwise lost by wide margins. She received the Best Goalkeeper award for her efforts.

KwaZulu-Natal narrowly missed out on a medal, losing to Central Gauteng B on penalties in the third-place playoff. They, nonetheless, put together a strong campaign, in large part because of the contributions of Hannah Savage, Inge Southey, and Inez Letschert, who all made the SA Schools’ squad.

Kara Batting, the only player from Buffalo City, rounded off the 15-player squad. The Hudson Park learner has been a standout performer for her province since the u16 level, collecting an impressive list of awards over the years as she has continued to improve her game.

SA Schools Squad

Kimberly Kabiri (Nelson Mandela Bay), Lucy Davis (Central Gauteng), Hannah Savage (KwaZulu-Natal), Inge Southey (KwaZulu-Natal), Inez Letschert (KwaZulu-Natal), Julia Luckhoff (Western Province), Jenna Blaauw (Central Gauteng), Isabella Imbriolo (Central Gauteng), Bella Murray (Western Province), Kirsten Böttger (Western Province), Lucy Nagel (Nelson Mandela Bay), Kara Batting (Buffalo City), Cadha Mosehla (Central Gauteng), Caitlin Scrimgeour (Central Gauteng), Amy Stubbs (Central Gauteng).

Central Gauteng A put together a scintillating performance and defeated Western Province 10-7 on Wednesday to win a fourth successive girls’ u19 title at the Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), which celebrated its 50th edition in Johannesburg this year.

“The girls really trusted each other and trusted the game plan, and they never gave up. Never, ever, no matter what. And that’s what I’ve tried to teach them from a young age. So, I just feel relieved,” Kelsey Thomson, the Gauteng A coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the final, which was played in the Jubilee Pool at St David’s Marist Inanda.

Central Gauteng’s impressive performances were reflected in the awarding of three of the five individual awards to their players. Cadha Mosehla was named the Best Forward, Jenna Blaauw received the Best Utility award, and Isabella Imbriolo was named the Player of the Tournament.

Julia Luckhoff, of Western Province A, was named the Best Defender, and Kimberly Kabiri, from Nelson Mandela Bay, won the Best Goalkeeper award.

The three-time champions went into the final aware that Western Province A was going to present a different and stiffer challenge compared to the others that they had faced leading up to the title game.

They had faced the same side in the finals of 2022, 2023, and 2024, winning each time. On Wednesday, a similar tale unfolded.

The hosts took an early lead in the first chukka. However, it didn’t last long. Province A equalised and thus began a back-and-forth battle as the sides wrestled for supremacy. At the end of the quarter, Western Province A led 3-2.

After the restart, Central Gauteng A played with more urgency. They laid siege to the Province A goal but were frustrated by the visitors, who showed that they were as good in defence as they were in attack.

Unfortunately for coach Connor Whiting’s charges, the pressure eventually told, and Central Gauteng A struck twice to take a 4-3 lead into the halftime break.

The home side maintained their two-goal cushion in the third chukka by seizing on their opportunities and making them count. Then, when they were leading 7-5, the Province A goalkeeper was excluded for an infringement on Cadha Mosehla, and Gauteng turned that advantage into a goal to go 8-5 up.

“So, all of the extra-man opportunities that we worked on and played and trained for, I didn’t even have to tell them. They just did it naturally and scored us the goals that we needed, vital goals in the third chukka,” Thomson revealed.

Western Province A didn’t resign themselves to defeat and launched a fierce fightback. However, they were stopped by the Gauteng defence, including by some fine saves by the goalkeeper, Lucy Davis, in the last line of defence.

Mosehla could have put the match beyond Province’s reach early in the fourth chukka, but she was timed out before taking a penalty. The visitors took heart from that fortunate break and put the hosts under pressure, which led to a couple of errors before Thomson called a timeout with three minutes remaining on the clock.

“The talk was just to focus our full attention for the last few minutes onto defence and be patient and calm on attack. If it’s not a 100 percent opportunity, then it’s not the right time,” Thomson shared.

Western Province A called a timeout of their own with a minute and 36 seconds remaining in the contest. They removed their keeper and went all out on attack, but Central Gauteng A stood firm and Isabella Imbriolo took the air out of Province’s challenge with a late goal to make it 10-7 with a minute left before the final whistle.

RESULTS

7th: Nelson Mandela Bay 9: Lucy Nagel (2), Megan Sheard (2), Jessica Stevens (2), Mia Jenner (1), Lucy Rutherfoord (1), Olivia Attwell (1). Zimbabwe 2: Natasha Chaniwa (1), Jodi Bawden (1).

5th: Western Province B 15: Samantha Miller (5), Olivia Figaji (3), Jemma Pearse (2), Samantha Nimb (2), Sophie Maurel (2), Abigail Weatherall (1). Buffalo City 14: Kara Batting (4), Holley Jacoby (4), Janey-Heather Wood (2), Erin Batting (1), Caitlyn Mthembu (1), Jenna Botha (1), Caroline Kretzmann (1).

3rd: Central Gauteng B (2) 10: Isabella Duffy (4), Rylee Rogers (3), Mia Duffy (1), Kathryn Thorburn (1), Annabelle Morton (1). KwaZulu-Natal (0) 10: Keira Sim (2), Farrann Elliot (2), Inge Southey (2), Hannah Savage (1), Lara Mervis (1), Inez Letschert (1), Josie Houston (1).

Final: Central Gauteng A 10: Cadha Mosehla (2), Isabella Imbriolo (2), Jenna Blaauw (2), Amy Stubbs (2), Julia Joseph (1), Caitlin Scrimgeour (1). Western Province A 7: Bella Murray (2), Emma Stevens (2), Summer-Lee Wain (1), Holly Strydom (1), Kirsten Böttger (1).

Central Gauteng A and Western Province A will meet in the final of the u19 girls’ division of the 50th Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) at St David’s Marist Inanda on Wednesday morning.

The contest is scheduled to start at 11:55.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The defending champions, Central Gauteng A, are on the hunt for a fourth straight title, while WP A are determined to end that run and claim their moment at the summit.

Province A beat KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) 11-7 to book their spot in the title game, while Central Gauteng A defeated Central Gauteng B 13-3 to secure their berth.

Central Gauteng A and Western Province A have been on a collision course from the first day of the competition. They topped their respective pools in the group stage without losing a match and are the only unbeaten sides in the competition. Between them, the two powerhouses have scored 179 goals in a combined 11 games.

Coach Connor Whiting’s Western Province girls have generally shrugged off challenges from competitors, but KZN wasn’t about to give them a free pass. Coach Cameron Wiid’s outfit treated Province A to their toughest first chukka of the tournament at the Wahoo Aquatic Centre.

Province A took a slender 5-3 lead into the break after the completion of the quarter, but the brief interval gave them enough time to regroup, and they returned to the pool with a fortified defence.

“I’m a very defence-focused coach. I think if you have a strong defence, you can control the game on defence, control the momentum. It’s easy to win a game if you don’t concede a goal. So, that’s the main focus,” Whiting told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Julia Luckhoff, the Province A captain, plays at centre back, alongside Summer-Lee Wain. Whiting credited the duo for his side’s sound defence.

“They’ve been great at communicating. They’re the ones that are the most vocal in defence,” Whiting explained.

The pair stepped up their game and marshalled Province’s stout defensive effort, which denied KZN room to advance close to their goal, forcing KZN to try their luck from range. Their efforts brought scant reward. The ladies from the Western Cape added three more goals and took a commanding 8-3 lead to the halftime break.

“I think that the goal is just to show as much energy on attack [as we can] and force teams to have to make a decision on defence. We’ve got quite a nice bench, so we can roll the subs quite quickly and can play with this high tempo,” Whiting reckoned.

WP A added four more goals over the next two chukkas to secure a comfortable victory and with it a place in the final.

Later in the day, Central Gauteng A overcame their compatriots, Central Gauteng B, in the semifinals. Central Gauteng A coach Kelsey Thomson’s charges took control from the first chukka, ending it with a 5-1 advantage. They continued to build on it.

Instead of developing a complacent attitude and slowing down because they had a comfortable lead, Central Gauteng kept pushing hard, as if they were trailing. That was the same approach they had adopted in their quarterfinal tie against Zimbabwe, whom they thrashed 28-1.

“I keep reminding them that they’ve done such a good job and that they haven’t even reached their pinnacle yet, and I think that helps them just give that a little bit of extra edge,” Thomson revealed.

Central Gauteng B has been one of the most exciting sides at the IPT, scoring the third-most goals in the competition, and they showed that they weren’t satisfied with living in Central Gauteng A’s shadow. Unfortunately for them, they found Central Gauteng A’s defence a tough nut to crack.

“Our non-negotiable as a team is that we always have six defenders back. So, whether the other team is going to have six players attacking or not, we come with six defenders back, because it has to be a full defence every time. And that’s where we are able to then help each other wherever we can in the water.

“We stick to defence as our first priority no matter what, in any game,” Thomson said.

After halftime, Central Gauteng B added only two more goals as Central Gauteng A claimed a 13-3 win.

The defending champions have scored the second-most goals in the event. Yet, they don’t have a player among the top five goal scorers in the competition. That’s because the team mentality is that anyone and everyone can score, and that’s what happened when they thumped Zimbabwe earlier in the day. Then, in the semifinal, eight players appeared on the scoresheet.

“There’s been so much teamwork all over, all kinds of opportunities: centre-forward goals, centre-back goals, extra-man goals, drive goals. I want to see the teamwork, and that’s what the girls have brought. Sometimes the pass is more important than the goal,” Thomson declared.

RESULTS

Semifinals

Western Province A 11: Julia Luckhoff (4), Summer-Lee Wain (2), Bella Murray (2), Sofia Walker (1), Kirsten Böttger (1), Emma Stevens (1). KwaZulu-Natal 7 Farrann Eliot (2), Gemma Mallherbe (2), Isabella Stephenson (1), Inez Letschert (1), Madison Beetge (1).

Central Gauteng A 13 Cadha Mosehla (3), Julia Joseph (2), Taylor Billet (2), Caitlin Scrimgeour (2), Jenna Blaauw (1), Tori Tanner-Ellis (1), Isabella Imbriolo (1), Amy Stubbs (1). Central Gauteng B 3 Rylee Rogers (2), Mia Duffy (1).

Other matches

Western Province A 13 Sophie Vickers (3), Holly Strydom (2), Bella Murray (2), Sarah Palframan (1), Julia Luckhoff (1), Sofia Walker (1), Kirsten Böttger (1), Emma Stevens (1), Charlotte Wiltshire (1). Western Province B 2: Lauren Helm (1), Samantha Miller (1).

Central Gauteng A 28 Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Emily Carle (3), Julia Joseph (3), Gabriella Morrell (3), Emma Pelicot (2), Jenna Blaauw (2), Cadha Mosehla (2), Taylor Billet (2), Isabella Imbriolo (2), Amy Stubbs (2), Tori Tanner-Ellis (1), Anastasia Hambakis (1), Ziyanda Tshabalala (1). Zimbabwe 1 Katie Gripper (1).

KwaZulu-Natal 7 Inge Southey (2), Farrann Eliot (1), Hannah Savage (1), Gemma Malherbe (1), Josie Houston (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 6 Olivia Attwell (2), Mia Jenner (1), Casey Williamson (1), Lucy Nagel (1), Alexandra Ovendale (1).

Central Gauteng B 9 Esmé du Plessis (2), Mia Duffy (2), Anna Springer (2), Rylee Rogers (1), Annabelle Morton (1), Isabella Duffy (1). Buffalo City 7 Kara Batting (3), Meka Loots (1), Megan Phillips (1), Quinn Carr (1), Erin Batting (1).

Buffalo City 10: Caitlin Mthembu (2), Janey-Heather Wood (2), Caroline Kretzmann (2), Erin Batting (1), Quinn Carr (1), Jenna Botha (1), Meka Loots (1). Zimbabwe 1 Natasha Chaniwa (1).

Western Province B 6: Samantha Miller (3), Olivia Figaji (2), Nina Wides (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 5: Alexandra Ovendale (1), Lucy Nagel (1), Megan Sheard (1), Jessica Stevens (1), Mia Jenner (1).

Western Province B 11: Tess Anderson (3), Samantha Miller (2), Jemma Pearse (2), Sophie Maurel (2), Lauren Helm (1), Abigail Weatherall (1). Northerns 0.

Monday’s matches in the u19 girls’ division of the 50th Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) produced thrilling encounters that kept fans and spectators on the edge of their seats.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Not even four hours of heavy rain was enough to dampen the quality of the competition.

The first half of the matches were played at St Stithians College but, with lightning in the air, the remainder were completed at the Wahoo Aquatic Complex, in Sunninghill.

The afternoon tie between Central Gauteng B and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) spanned more than five hours. The heavens opened up when they were in the fourth chukka and did not let up until later in the day, thus forcing the teams to take a break.

The disruption left everyone following the contest on tenterhooks, keen to see how that tightly contested affair would end.

Coach Siyabonga Guzana‘s Central Gauteng B side produced a masterclass in defence to deny KZN’s attempts to sneak ahead. When KZN made incisions, they found themselves face to face with Gauteng B’s superb goalkeepers, Kuhle Buthelezi and Meegan Zomero, who denied KZN goals on multiple occasions.

When the enforced break occurred, Central Gauteng B was leading 10-7. They went on to secure an 11-9 win.

“From the very first whistle, the girls were fired up and determined. Their energy never dipped, and they followed our game plan for the full match, even with the weather delays,” Guzana said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way they came together and fought as a team.”

That win was the first of two victories for Central Gauteng B on Monday. They also beat Zimbabwe 15-4 in the final fixture of the day, which left them in second place in Group B.

Earlier in the day, the tournament favourites, Central Gauteng A, were given a stern examination by Nelson Mandela Bay. Coach Delaine Mentoor’s charges surprised the local side by racing into a 3-0 lead in the first half.

“We didn’t expect this one to be tight,” Mentoor admitted to SuperSport Schools Plus, “but we knew that if we stuck to our game plan, things would fall into place, and they did.

“They beat their opponents by 20 goals, so we knew that defence was key.”

Nelson Mandela Bay, who had edged out their Eastern Cape rivals, Buffalo City, 9-8 on Sunday, stayed true to their style and frustrated Central Gauteng A.

During their halftime team talk, Central Gauteng A’s coach, Kelsey Thomson, told her charges that “they were creating the opportunities in the water, but they have to want to finish them”.

She also reiterated the need for full dedication to defence and encouraged her players to trust their instincts on attack. The defending champions played with renewed confidence and determination in the second half, which enabled them to overturn the 0-3 deficit and register a 6-4 win.

“They were chuffed that they were able to adapt to a pressure situation, and it spoke a lot about all the teamwork it took to come back to the lead,” Thomson commented.

The win meant that Central Gauteng A maintained a clean record in the group stage, going three for three.

Despite their hard-fought loss to the hosts, Nelson Mandela Bay had overachieved, and they carried confidence from that fixture into their match against Western Province B. In another thrilling encounter, Mentoor’s ladies triumphed 11-9, which secured them a second-place finish in Group A.

The day witnessed a single blow-out. Western Province A, who are in scintillating form, posted the biggest win of the tournament by firing 28 unanswered goals past Northerns.

Coach Connor Whiting’s charges, like Central Gauteng A, remain unbeaten in the competition, with their record standing at four wins from four outings.

They will face their compatriots, Western Province B, in the first of the cross-pool matches on Tuesday morning at 08:15. Central Gauteng A, who finished at the summit of Pool A, will cross swords with Zimbabwe immediately afterwards.

RESULTS

Southern Gauteng A 6: Emma Pelicot (3), Emily Carle (1), Cadha Mosehla (1), Caitlin Scrimgeour (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 4: Alexandra Ovendale (1), Mia Jenner (1), Lucy Rutherfoord (1), Olivia Attwell (1).

Western Province A 28: Bella Murray (5), Kirsten Böttger (5), Holly Strydom (4), Julia Luckhoff (4), Kelly Cadiz (3), Emma Stevens (2), Charlotte Wiltshire (2), Jade Jarvis (1), Summer-Lee Wain (1), Sarah Palframan (1). Northerns 0.

Buffalo City 12 (3): Janey-Heather Wood (3), Erin Batting (2), Megan Phillips (2), Kara Batting (2), Caroline Kretzmann (1), Meka Loots (1), Quinn Carr (1). Western Province B 12 (2): Olivia Figaji (4), Jemma Pearse (3), Samantha Miller (2), Lauren Helm (1), Holly Binneman (1), Tess Anderson (1).

Central Gauteng B 11: Isabella Duffy (4), Ambrin McEwan (2), Mia Duffy (1), Iminathi Njokwana (1), Annabelle Morton (1), Ané du Plessis (1). KwaZulu-Natal 9 Inge Southey (4), Inez Letschert (3), Hannah Savage (2).

Western Province A 15: Holly Strydom (4), Kirsten Böttger (3), Kelly Cadiz (2), Summer-Lee Wain (1), Sophie Vickers (1), Sarah Palframan (1), Julia Luckhoff (1), Emma Stevens (1), Charlotte Wiltshire (1). Zimbabwe 5: Taya Gray (2), Amelie Mtongwiza (2), Iliyah Afzal (1).

Nelson Mandela Bay 11L Jessica Stevens (2), Olivia Attwell (2), Mia Jenner (1), Anna Olivier (1), Casey Williamson (1), Megan Sheard (1), Elizabeth Horn (1), Alexandra Ovendale (1), Jessi Whitebooi (1). Western Province B 9: Samantha Miller (2), Jemma Pearse (2), Olivia Figaji (1), Samantha Nimb (1), Lauren Helm (1), Tess Anderson (1), Nina Wides (1).

KwaZulu-Natal 25: Hannah Savage (4), Gemma Malherbe (4), Farran Eliot (3), Inez Letschert (3), Josie Houston (3), Bailey Bartlett (2), Lara Mervis (2), Isabella Stephenson (1), Keira Sim (1), Erin Mayoss (1), Inge Southey (1). Northerns 4: Emma Davis (2), Gabriella Grobbelaar (1), Danél Schoeman (1).

Central Gauteng B 15: Rylee Rogers (3), Annabelle Morton (3), Esmé du Plessis (2), Mia Duffy (2), Isabella Duffy (2), Iminathi Njokwana (1), Anna Springer (1), Ané du Plessis (1). Zimbabwe 4: Natasha Chaniwa (2), Katie Gripper (1), Jodie Bawden (1).

Central Gauteng A and Western Province A shot to the top of Pool A and Pool B respectively on Sunday, the first day of the u19 Girls’ Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) at St Stithians College.

Catch the girls’ u19 action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The host province, Central Gauteng A, is hunting for a fourth consecutive IPT title, and they made their intentions clear with dominant wins over Buffalo City and Western Province B.

“The girls are locked in and are dedicated to the tournament. We have the drive to do it again, but winning a fourth title in a row is not our focus at the moment. We have it at the back of our heads, but you have to take the right steps to get there, so we are taking it chukka by chukka,” Kelsey Thomson, the Central Gauteng A head coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

True to Thomson’s words, Gauteng A dominated each of the eight chukkas they contested.

The defending champions opened their account with a rampaging 20-4 win over Buffalo City in which Emma Pelicot and Anastasia Hambakis ran riot with four goals apiece, while Julia Joseph added three more.

Thomson’s charges were even more ruthless in their second match, thumping Western Province B 20-2. Amy Stubbs led the way with four goals, while Carle and Blaauw recorded hat-tricks, and Pelicot, Joseph, Mosehla, and Scrimgeour chipped in two goals each. Hambakis and Isabella Imbriolo rounded off the scorers with a goal each.

Samantha Miller and Jemma Pearse replied for Western Province B.

Western Province A began with fixtures that their coach, Connor Whiting, cited as two of their toughest. They went up against Central Gauteng B and KwaZulu-Natal and won both to take the lead in Pool B with the maximum six points.

Bella Murray spearheaded the charge for Province with a hat-trick in their 12-6 win over Gauteng B, while Kirsten Böttger and Julia Luckhoff added a brace each.

“Playing at altitude, especially the first game, is always difficult. So, I am happy with the way the girls played in the first two games,” Whiting said.

Their match against KZN was much closer. Coach Cameron Wiid‘s ladies gave Province a good run for their money before eventually falling to a 10-13 defeat.

Bella Murray continued with her hot hand, this time scoring four times, while Luckhoff chipped in with a hat-trick and Böttger added a brace.

Inge Southey, Erin Mayoss, and Inez Letschert scored a brace each in reply for KZN.

“KZN is always a tough side to play against. I am happy with how we were controlling the game, controlling the momentum, and how we stayed composed,” Whiting reckoned.

Like all teams competing at the IPT, Province has one eye on the trophy. However, Whiting is impressing upon his charges the importance of sticking to their structures and focusing on playing great water polo, while having as much fun as possible.

Gauteng A will be aiming to make it three wins in three outings when they face Nelson Mandela Bay in the first match on Monday morning. Western Province tackles Northerns immediately afterwards.

RESULTS

Central Gauteng A 20: Emma Pelicot (4), Anastasia Hambakis (4), Julia Joseph (3), Tori Tanner-Ellis (2), Caitlin Scrimgeour (1), Amy Stubbs (1), Gabriella Morell (1), Taylor Billet (1), Cadha Mosehla (1), Jenna Blaauw (1), Emily Carle (1). Buffalo City 4: Kara Batting (1), Janey-Heather Wood (1), Quinn Carr (1), Erin Batting (1).

Western Province A 12: Bella Murray (3), Kirsten Böttger (2), Julia Luckhoff (2), Summer-Lee Wain (1), Sophie Vickers (1), Holly Strydom (1), Sofia Walker (1), Jade Jarvis (1). Central Gauteng B 6: Esmé du Plessis (2), Rylee Rogers (2), Kathryn Thorburn (1), Isabella Duffy (1).

KwaZulu-Natal 17: Hannah Savage (5), Inge Southey (3), Inez Letschert (3), Farram Eliot (2), Josie Houston (2), Erin Mayoss (1), Isabella Stephenson (1). Zimbabwe 5: Taya Gray (4), Natasha Chaniwa (1).

Nelson Mandela Bay 9: Olivia Attwell (4), Alexandra Ovendale (2), Jessi Whitebooi (1), Elizabeth Horn (1), Lucy Rutherfoord (1). Buffalo City 8: Kara Batting 4, Meka Loots 2, Caroline Kretzmann, Jenna Botha).

Central Gauteng B 28: Esmé du Plessis (5), Mia Duffy (4), Iminathi Njokwana (4), Danielle Sassenberg (4), Isabella Duffy (4), Emily Townshend (3), Anna Springer (1), Annabelle Morton (1), Ambrin McEwan (1), Kathryn Thorburn (1). Northerns 3: Danél Schoeman (2), Gabrielle Hobson (1).

Central Gauteng A 20: Amy Stubbs (4), Emily Carle (3), Jenna Blaauw (3), Emma Pelicot (2), Julia Joseph (2), Cadha Mosehla (2), Caitlin Scrimgeour (2), Anastasia Hambakis (1), Isabella Imbriolo (1). Western Province B 2: Samantha Miller (1), Jenna Pearse (1).

Western Province A 13: Bella Murray (4), Julia Luckhoff (3), Kirsten Böttger (2), Sofia Walker (1), Holly Strydom (1), Emma Stevens (1), Kelly Cadiz (1). KwaZulu-Natal 10: Inge Southey (2), Erin Mayoss (2), Inez Letschert (2), Isabella Stephenson (1), Farrann Elliot (1), Hannah Savage (1), Lara Mervis (1).

Zimbabwe 14: Taya Gray (3), Natasha Chaniwa (3), Kelly Samuels (2), Tori Dawe (2), Loyiso Mahobele (1), Rayne Nichole (1), Katie Gripper (1), Jodi Bowden (1). Northerns 1: (Jani Potgieter (1).

Raffael Abrahams produced a moment of brilliance to help Southern Gauteng secure a thrilling 1-0 win over KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A in the final of the SASHOC u18 Girls’ Indoor Hockey IPT at Thomas More College on Thursday morning.

The much-anticipated final, which brought together the only unbeaten teams after three days of action, was tension-packed from the first whistle to the last.

Southerns and Coastals A, also, had the best defences at the showpiece, conceding a combined 15 goals on their way to the final.

Six of those goals came in their 3-3 draw in the group stage. Southerns’ defence was breached just eight times in their lead-up to the final, while Coastals A conceded only seven goals.

For their part, KZN Coastal A erected an almost impenetrable wall at the back. Almost, but not quite…

Southerns responded by being patient in their build-up play. Their breakthrough came courtesy of an inspired moment from Abrahams.

She pressed Coastals A defender, Jamie da Silva, robbed her with a sharp tackle to her left, then pulled the ball inside onto her strong stick before racing towards the top of the circle. There, she quickly snapped off a shot to the right of goalkeeper, Enyenhle Nzama, to give Southerns the lead.

It was Abrahams’ third goal of the tournament, but, by far, her most important one.

She, also, scored a brace in Southerns’ 4-0 win over Northerns. She hadn’t featured on the scoresheet since that opening match, but she picked a good time to change that.

Goalkeeper Charlie Dalling was outstanding for Southerns. She stonewalled KZN Coastal time after time and pulled off a save of a penalty stroke late in the contest to preserve her side’s slender lead. When the final whistle sounded, she was swamped by her teammates.

Southerns registered 28 goals in their campaign, with their captain, Amber Fairon, the leading goalscorer in the tournament, striking eight times. Her Southerns’ teammate, Ciara van der Walt, recorded the second-most goals, with six.

Four players – Brigit Arndt (Northerns), Gabi Howarth (KZN Coastal A), Mackenzy Layden (KZN Coastal B), and Anna Schulze (KZN Inland B) – were next best, with five goals apiece.

Coastals A recorded the second-most goals with 26, while their compatriots, KZN Coastal B, were third on the list, with 17.

Northerns was the only other team that reached double figures, with 11. KZN Inland A and KZN Inland B scored eight and five goals respectively.

In the u16 section, Northerns A’s unbeaten run of five wins and a draw earned them top honours. KZN Inland A finished in second place with four wins, a draw, and a single loss, while KZN Coastal A placed third with three wins, two draws and a loss to their name.

RESULTS

U18

Final – Southern Gauteng 1 (Raffael Abrahams). KZN Coastal A 0.

3/4 place – KZN Coastal B 1 (Mackenzy Layden). KZN Inland A 0.

5/6 place – Northerns 4 (Brigit Arndt 3, Jana Seebach). KZN Inland B 2 (Anna Schulze 2).

U16

KZN Coastal B 3 (Becca Short, Isabella Jansen, Rachel McDonald). KZN Inland B 1 (Tyler Kyle).

Southern Gauteng A 3 (Jamie Howard, Kutlo Morule, Lebogang Ngobese). Northerns B 0.

KZN Coastal A 2 (Olivia Lord 2). KZN Inland A 0.

U14

Northerns A 5 (Sarah Gouws 3, Pheladi Ngoasheng, Basetsana Mangaba). Northerns B 0.

KZN Coastal B 3 (Errin Pretorius 2, Charlotte Patterson). KZN Inland B 1 (Hannah Wessels).

KZN Coastal A KZN Inland A TBC

Powerhouses, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A and Southern Gauteng, will lock horns in the final of the SASHOC u18 Girls’ Indoor Hockey IPT at Thomas More College, in Kloof, on Thursday.

Coastal A beat KZN Inland A to book their spot in the title game, while Southerns defeated KZN Coastal B to secure their berth.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Coastals A and Southerns are the only unbeaten sides in the tournament and since the first day of the event, Monday, they have been on a collision course.

In the group stage, they had a dress rehearsal for the final and played out a thrilling 3-3 draw. On Thursday, sharing the points will not do. There will have to be a winner and a champion crowned.

KZN Coastal A has impressed on their way to the final, winning five of their six matches and drawing with Southerns, who equalised in the last 10 seconds of their clash.

On Wednesday, the local side completed a double over their provincial rivals, KZN Inland A. They met their neighbours in their last pool match and beat them 3-1. Codie Bestbier, Ella Bowyer, and Jenna-Leigh Freese found the back of the net for Coastals, while Emma Williams pulled one back for Inland A.

Then, they traded blows five hours later, in the semi-finals, and Inland A, having taken lessons from their earlier loss, returned a better outfit. They were more compact and defended well. However, KZN Coastal A found a way past the resolute Inland A defence with only three minutes left in the contest when Bowyer beat Siyamethemba Khumalo, in goal for Inland A, to usher Coastals A into the final.

Southerns heads into the title decider with a record of four wins and two draws from their six matches. They shared points with Coastals A on Tuesday, and also drew 4-4 earlier that day against their semifinal opponents, KZN Coastal B.

They headed into their semifinal clash eager not to make the same mistakes they made in their previous draw against Coastals B and kept a good structure to keep the local lasses at bay and off the scoresheet.

Southerns went in front in the fifth minute through Addison van der Byl, and a 24th minute strike from Chloe Potgieter put the game beyond Coastals B. Van der Byl and Potgieter were also on the scoresheet when Southerns routed KZN Inland B 8-0 earlier in the day.

However, the stars of that match were Ciara van der Walt, who bagged a hat-trick, and Amber Fairon, who contributed a brace. Nicole Chikweshe also netted.

The final, between KZN Coastal A and Southern Gauteng, starts at 10:30.

KZN Coastal B and KZN Inland A meet for the bronze medal at 09:15. On the opening day of the competition, KZN Coastal B scored a convincing 5-1 win over Inland A. They’ll be expecting a tougher workout the second time around.

RESULTS

U18

Southern Gauteng 8 (Ciara van der Walt 3, Amber Fairon 2, Addison van der Byl, Nicole Chikweshe, Chloe Potgieter). KZN Inland B 0.

KZN Coastal B 2 (Jennifer Egolum, Alulutho Sikhosana). Northerns 0.

KZN Coastal A 3 (Codie Bestbier, Ella Bowyer, Jenna-Leigh Freese). KZN Inland A 1 (Emma Williams).

KZN Coastal A 1 (Ella Bowyer). KZN Inland A 0.

Southern Gauteng 2 (Addison van der Byl, Chloe Potgieter). KZN Coastal B 0.

U16

KZN Coastal A 3 (Olivia Lord, Emily Simpkins, Charley-Rose Boyall). Southern Gauteng A 3 (Lucy Wells 2, Jamie Howard).

Northerns A 4 (Daniella Grobbelaar 2, Eliane Haycock 2). KZN Coastal B 1 (Bella Roberts).

KZN Inland A 3 (McKenzie du Bourg 2, Rebbeca Hellberg). KZN Inland B 0.

Northerns A 3 (Lenique Vogel 3). KZN Coastal A 1 (Charley-Rose Boyall).

KZN Inland A 5 (McKenzie du Bourg 3, Paige Williams, Rebecca Hellberg). Southern Gauteng A 1 (Giovanna Abrahams).

KZN Inland B 1 (Lucy Fyvie). Northerns B 0.

U14

KZN Coastal A 5 (Jessica Savage 4, Kimberly Johnson). Northerns A 1 (Liesel de Witt).

KZN Coastal B 2 (Chloe Reeves 2). Southern Gauteng 1 (Taylem Casanoves).

KZN Inland A 1 (Chelsey Cameron). KZN Inland B 1 (Cherlaigne Sucks)

KZN Coastal A 3 (Kimberly Johnson, Shriya Nadrajah, Peighton Short). Southern Gauteng 2 (Ashley Kuhn 2).

Northerns A 2 (Pheladi Ngoasheng, Sarah Gouws). KZN Inland A 1 (Chelsey Cameron).

Northerns B 2 (Janke-Marie Pienaar, Kayla Kotze). KZN Inland B 1 (Emlyn May).