Author: cschiwanza

AJ Jeggels spun a web around the Woodridge College batsmen, while Andrew Muir scored his second half-century in two days, as Graeme College romped to a six-wicket victory over their opponents on the Somerset Field at Graeme College on Saturday.

When they batted, Graeme College faced a low target of 96 runs in 50 overs after their bowlers had run through the Woodridge batting line-up, bowling them out for a paltry 95 in 25.4 overs. The hosts replied with 97/4 in 17.4 overs.

Graeme College made good use of the conditions after they won the toss and elected to field first. Ethan Bokbaard, who made his first XI debut this season, took the new ball and proved to be almost unplayable. The grade 11 seamer accounted for three of Woodridge’s top four batsmen for single figures within the first 10 overs of the match.

He dismissed Jayden Damons (8), Lukhanyo Ndulama (0), and Randy Syce (5) before they posed a threat. In his six overs, he captured 3/26. With the top order neutralised, it was time for Jeggels to work his magic. The off-spinner expertly dismantled Woodridge’s middle order and finished the match with the brilliant figures of 4/22 from seven overs.

Ethan Moothoo offered some resistance, but not even he could withstand the pressure from Graeme College, and he was dismissed after scoring a laboured 17 off 46 balls. Oliver Puttergill (13) and Daniel Darlow (12) were the only other Woodridge players to reach double figures.

Had Graeme College’s bowlers been more disciplined, they would have bundled out Woodridge for a score closer to 65. However, they conceded 30 extras, with Jason Damons and Muir the chief culprits. They contributed a combined 21 extras between them, 12 of them from Damons, while Muir had nine.

Muir made amends by creaming eight fours and two sixes on his way to an unbeaten 55 off 51 deliveries to secure victory for his side. A measure of the quality of the grade 10 player’s innings was the fact that he tallied only one four less than the entire Woodridge batting line-up combined, and he struck more sixes than the visitors, too.

Muir headed into the match on the back of a blistering unbeaten and match-winning half-century for Graeme in a Schools SA20 match on Friday. He transferred those run-scoring abilities to the 50-over game by taking control of a chase that appeared to be stalling.

The hosts were two wickets down, with three runs on the board, after 1.4 overs, when Muir arrived at the crease. Not too long after that, Graeme College was drowning on 13/3. Things stabilised, thanks to a 28-run partnership between Muir and Luphelo Mdyesha. From there, Muir took control of the match as he batted his side to victory, with Athandile Feni (9*) for company in the middle.

During their innings, Woodridge’s batsmen were never able to get comfortable. The score crept along at a snail’s pace, advancing at only 3.7 runs an over. In their run chase, Graeme College sailed along at 5.47 runs per over, which looked rather handsome compared to their opponent’s run rate.

The victory is a good confidence booster for coach Odwa Xonxa’s side, which heads for the Cape Schools Festival next week where they will have to be at their best as one of their first matches will be against Wynberg Boys’ High.

The coach feels his team is in a better position to compete this season, given that they have enjoyed good preparations, which included six weeks of net sessions. That’s something they didn’t have in previous seasons.

They also produced solid showings at the Pearson Festival where they won four out of four contests. Zuko Pontshi scored a brilliant century in one of those matches, while Corbin Tidbury, an u16 player, chalked up a couple of half-centuries.

“One of our goals for the season is to get some of our boys into the provincial side,” Xonxa shared. With the start his side has made to the season, that looks quite possible.

Summarised Scorecard

Woodridge College 95/10 (Ethan Moothoo 17, Oliver Puttergill 13, Daniel Darlow 12; AJ Jeggels 4/22, Ethan Bokbaard 3/26); Graeme College 97/4 (Andrew Muir 55*, Luphelo Mdyesha 17; Wayden Bishop 2/20, Keagan Collett 2/20)

Graeme College won by 6 wickets

St David’s Marist Inanda is shifting gears and focus as they look forward to limited overs cricket at the forthcoming Michaelmas Festival in late September.

The Jeff Levin-coached outfit began their preseason by recording back-to-back wins over St Andrew’s School and Bishops Diocesan College at the St David’s Fasken Time Cricket Festival.

“We’re fortunate enough to be invited to the Michaelmas Festival. It will help us get a few limited overs matches under our belt before we get into our main season,” Dave Nosworthy, the St David’s Director of Cricket, said. “It will give our side a little more experience. We’re going into this term with quite a young but exciting side.”

Nosworthy is looking forward to seeing what his side can do, not only at the Michaelmas Festival but through the season. The St David’s brand of cricket has evolved over the years. For a long time, the school resembled a medium pacer with limited skill who bowled a tight line. They did enough to compete, but they were not a big threat.

“We’ve grown our base and our depth to a position where we’re able to ensure that we’re taking games to the opposition, being as positive and aggressive as possible where the game allows it, all while ensuring that our cricket awareness levels are as good as anybody,” Nosworthy said, explaining how St David’s have evolved their game.

Nosworthy, who spent many years coaching in professional cricket, sourced competent support for Levin from that world. He brought in Grant Mokoena, a former SA u19 player, who enjoyed a career that spanned 18 years with the DP World Lions, the Multiply Titans, and the AET Auto Investments North West Dragons. Aya Myoli, another former first-class cricketer, is also part of the coaching staff, whose focus is bowling. Beyond the 1st XI, he also works with the U16, U15, and U14 outfits.

The trio, with the help of the rest of the St David’s cricket staff working with all the cricket teams, has been able to push the team forward in its transformation into a side and a school that plays smart-aggressive cricket. They hope to get the best out of this year’s crop, which is captained by Samrat Basu. The top-order batsman is also handy with the ball, a competent leg spinner with the ability to partner with the team’s frontline spinners, Ethan Greenstein and Morteza Manack.

“We have an all-round factor,” Nosworthy reckoned. “Our batting is very strong, and we bat deep and have got lots of bowling options. In the past, we struggled sometimes with that, but this year we have seam options, with different change-ups.”

Jason Rowles, who was selected for the SA Emerging u19 side that tours Zimbabwe in mid-to-late September, opens the batting with Armaan Manack, who had an outstanding year with the bat last year. Like his twin, Morteza, Armaan is a batting all-rounder. St David’s also has the wicketkeeping talents of Kamolemo Phiri. Phiri is the younger brother of Gomolemo Phiri, the dynamic middle-order batter who turned out for the Gauteng Lions at the previous Khaya Majola Week. Like his brother, Kamolemo is also dangerous with the bat.

With the ball, St David’s will have more than their all-rounders to rely upon. The all-rounders will be there to back up the frontline bowlers. They have the talents of a young and exciting fast bowler, Kyle Butler, whose serious pace makes one forget that he is only 16 years of age. He’ll be supported by Jared Beilings, Chris Emslie and Jared Stern.

St David’s also has Hayden Campbell, Khutso Sekgobela, and Robbie Mariano, who have all turned out for the Lions at u16 provincial level, to further enhance their batting lineup.

They will, though, be without the services of Matthew West, who captained the side earlier in the season, and who was a prolific run scorer. He’s currently attending Lions’ trials and together with Reece Reddy will miss the Michaelmas fixtures to focus on preparing for the matric exams.

In addition to their focus on batting and bowling, St David’s has worked on being a tight unit when in the field. They’re seeking ways to close down spaces, prevent singles, and reduce twos to singles. Besides challenging for the title in their league, this multi-pronged approach has St David’s geared up for a good go at the newly unveiled Schools SA20 tournament.

“It’s high pressure in terms of knockouts. You just get one or two chances to get it right when you only have three or four games to make it through to the Nationals,” Nosworthy reflected.

“It’s not a long competition, very much a knockout competition, but our team is quite well geared for T20 cricket, so hopefully we can stand up and be counted.”

St David’s Fixtures

Michaelmas Week

21 Sep v Kearsney
22 Sep v Michaelhouse
23 Sep v Northwood
24 Sep v Maritzburg College

2024 season

2 Oct v St Benedicts (h) T20
5 Oct v St Benedicts (a) 50
9 Oct v KES (a) JW*
11 Oct v TBA SA20
12 Oct v Northcliff (h) 50
16 Oct v St Stithians (h) JW
19 Oct v St John’s (h)  50
23 Oct v Queens (a) J W
30 Oct v Helpmekaar (h) JW
2 Nov v Pretoria Boys (h) 50

*JW denotes Johnny Waite Trophy

Jason Rowles, Dakalo Leketa, and Llewellyn Sutherland claimed the top individual honours when the St David’s Fasken Time Cricket Festival came to an end on Sunday. The trio was adjudged to be the player, bowler, and batsman of the festival, respectively.

Rowles was imperious with the bat, amassing 311 runs at an average of 77.75 across four innings while scoring a century and two half-centuries. The St David’s Marist Inanda star also excelled with the ball, bagging 15 wickets in 58 overs.

Leketa spun his way to three five-wicket hauls in four innings. He captured 23 wickets for 217 runs, including 7/28 in the second innings of St Andrew’s School‘s win over King Edward VII (KES).

Like Rowles, Maritzburg College opener Sutherland registered two fifties and a century, finishing the festival with 263 runs at an average of 65.75.

The trio embodied the values the festival seeks to impart to young cricketers, demonstrating consistency and application, which was what the conditions demanded.

“There have been instances where teams have been bowled out for nothing and players have not understood how to be patient and still want to play some one-day shots. So, I think there’s been a lot of lessons learned,” Dave Nosworthy, the St David’s Director of Cricket, said.

“Time cricket is a format that teaches guys to be able to bat for longer periods and bowlers to bowl into second and third spells, to know what it really feels like after four days of cricket.

“It is a practice in patience. Bowlers have time to work a batter, build some pressure, and wait for that bad stroke. Fielders spend time on their feet, a lot more than they are used to,” Nosworthy added.

The Fasken Time Cricket Festival fills a void in the school cricket calendar that was left after Cricket South Africa scrapped  u19 three-day contests due to budget constraints. It has been running for eight years and, with 14 teams participating, the 2024 event was the biggest one yet.

“It’s grown massively over the years, and this year we’ve had the most schools attend. There’s been a lot of demand over the years, and we’ve tried to keep it as small and as tight as possible. Obviously, fields play a role, as well,” Nosworthy explained.

The 2024 participants were Bishops Diocesan College, Clifton College, Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII School, the Lions Invitation XI, Maritzburg College, Hoërskool Nelspruit, Hoërskool Noordheuwel, St Andrew’s School, St Charles College, St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College, St Stithians College and Hoërskool Waterkloof.

The teams played on seven fields at three schools: the Temba Bavuma, La Valla, Gier, and Le Rosey ovals at St David’s, the Wayne Joubert and Dlamini ovals at St Stithians, and the Mitchell Oval at St John’s.

“Fasken has been superb as a sponsor in their support of young cricketers and leaders,” Nosworthy said.

The players also drew inspiration from the words of Temba Bavuma, a St David’s old boy and the captain of the South African Test cricket team.

He addressed the players at the festival’s opening breakfast where he shared his experiences in Test cricket and how the longer form of the game offered in the Fasken Time Cricket Festival, helped him to develop his game and use it as a launch pad for his professional career. Time cricket played an integral role in the development of players of Bavuma’s generation and others who donned the green and gold before him, including the likes of Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith.

“St. Davids is proud to be hosting this type of festival, one of only a few in the country,” Nosworthy said. “There aren’t many events that really focus on the longer version. Next year, we’ll probably get another seven or eight more schools asking to attend. There is a demand, and we need to try and facilitate it.”

Most of the inquiries about the expansion of the festival that Nosworthy and his team have fielded have come from former cricketers who have taken on roles at cricket-playing schools. They benefitted from longer formats in their youth and they recognise its value, not only in red-ball cricket but also as a means to help players develop a sound technique for white-ball cricket.

“They want this type of format because they know its importance in the growth and development of the players,” Nosworthy said.

Cricket South Africa has taken the first step in their 2026 U19 Cricket World Cup preparations by announcing a 15-member Emerging u19 squad to tour Zimbabwe from 15 to 30 September. The team will face the Zimbabwe u19 side while on tour.

The squad was selected from the top-performing players in the country at present. Gauteng’s Lions and Titans have four players in the side, KZN Inland has two, while their Coastal neighbours have three representatives. Western Province matches Gauteng with four players, while the Free State and North West have one player each.

“I am excited for this tour. We don’t normally have a lot of time to work with the u19 side. This time around, we have selected a team that we are going to work with over the next 18 months,” Malibongwe Maketa, the side’s coach shared.

However, he was quick to point out that while the squad features the top-performing players at the moment, it might look different in a year-and-a-half’s time.

“These guys have the advantage that they are now working with the high-performance team at CSA, but this doesn’t mean that they should rest on their laurels. Any player in this side can be overtaken by any player along the way,” he explained.

The selection committee picked five seamers, two spinners, two all-rounders, and six specialist batsmen. There was an emphasis on picking players with two-and-a-half skills:- batsmen who can bowl and are relatively good in the field, bowlers who can bat and can field, or batsmen who can keep wicket, and who might be able to provide a decent over or two with the ball.

“Cricket is evolving, the game is now being dominated by players with multiple skills, one primary and then a secondary skill that adds value,” Maketa said.

Three of the batsmen, Muhammed Bulbulia, Ben Hockly, and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka are all proficient with the gloves. Jason Rowles and Jorich van Schalkwyk are top-order batsmen whose bowling skills are above the level of part-timers. They will complement the team’s specialist spinners, Luke Kleinsmith and Dakalo Leketa.

“All the batters we have in the side can bat anywhere in the top four, and we are going to be flexible with them, trying them in different places. We know Adnaan (Lagadien) is a fantastic opener, but we want to equip him with the ability to bat anywhere in the top four,” Maketa explained.

Paul James and Daniel Bosman are the all-rounders in the lineup, and both can deliver 10 overs in a match if required. The pace bowling attack features JJ Basson, Dayalan Boyce, Ntando Soni, Bayanda Majola, and Rowen Rajah.

On tour, the players will be exposed to different conditions and tougher opposition than they are used to facing. The Zimbabwe u19 side is composed of players two years older than the South African contingent. They will be pushed to their limits, which will help Maketa and the rest of the coaching staff to identify the gaps in each player’s game. That will help them to further upskill the players.

“We want to equip these guys with the skills to make decisions under pressure and this is the first step in that direction. We don’t want to be coaching them during the 2026 World Cup as we did with the last cohort,” Maketa said.

This is the first time that Cricket South Africa has identified u19 players early and the high-performance coaches are confident that with more time to work with the players, there will be an increased chance of the junior Proteas claiming the world title in 2026. The tournament will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Emerging U19 Squad

JJ Basson, Dayalan Boyce, Daniel Bosman, Muhammed Bulbulia, Ben Hockly, Paul James, Luke Kleinsmith, Adnaan Lagadien, Dakalo Leketa, Bayanda Majola, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka, Rowen Rajah, Jason Rowles, Ntando Soni, Jorich van Schalkwyk.

The St John’s 1st XI fought valiantly and walked away from their two-day match against Waterkloof with a draw in their Fasken Time Cricket Festival fixture played on the Mitchell Oval at St John’s on Sunday afternoon.

Marcus Bakker (85) top-scored for Waterkloof in their first innings as they chalked up 272/10. In reply, Nkosana Sibiya scored a fine 61 off 95 to help St John’s reach 183/10. Waterkloof, then, piled on 255/5 in their second knock, thanks to a fluent unbeaten 114 off 143 from Johan Feuth.

The Pretoria boys needed 10 wickets for victory, while St John’s needed an improbable 344 in their second innings to win. Given that substantial victory target, the home side’s approach was that they should stay alive until the end of play rather than risk it all on an improbable run chase.

The St John’s batsmen did deep and despite none of them registering a milestone in their second innings they achieved their objective. Kago Masote (45) and Malan du Plessis (39) were St John’s top scorers as they finished on 177/8.

Marcus Bakker rescued Waterkloof from a dicey situation in their first innings. When he arrived in the middle, Waterkloof was on 52/1 and three overs later, they were down to 73/4. They needed level heads to soak up the pressure and rebuild after a middle-order collapse. Fortunately for the Klofies, they had Bakker and Alexander Volschenk. The Namibian U19 captain registered a half-ton of his own, striking two sixes and three fours on his way to 57 off 67 deliveries.

Waterkloof’s batting lineup picked up from where they left off when they subjected the Lions Invitation XI to a six-wicket defeat in their first match. In that encounter, coach Cobus Pienaar deployed a top six that featured Darius Maritz, Anru Nel, Stefan Stoltz, Rico van der Walt, Riley Miller, and Johan Feuth.

Against St John’s, Pienaar retained Miller only as he wheeled out Waterkloof’s most experienced top six, which included the talents of Wian Ruthven (42), Divan Behrens (13), Bakker, Beukes van den Berg (0), and Volschenk. Rico van der Walt, who came in at seven, scored a valuable 44.

Alec Loveland was the most successful bowler for St John’s. The medium pacer toiled tirelessly, sending down 20 overs, almost twice as many overs as Cole Francis’s 11, which was the second-most. Loveland’s industry was rewarded as he bagged four wickets for 92 runs. However, it was Malan du Plessis who had the best strike rate. He claimed 3/27 in 10 overs.

The last thing St John’s wanted was to lose three wickets for 48 runs in the first 15 overs of their reply, but that is what they did. Matters went from bad to worse as they went on to lose three more wickets before they had chalked up 100 runs on the scoreboard.

The lone bright spark in their innings was Nkosana Sibiya, who arrived at the crease when St John’s was 48/3. During his stay, he shared the crease with four different partners, on his way to a well-played 61 off 95. When he was out after grafting hard for his half-century, St John’s was on 159/7.

Jayden Blom led the Waterkloof bowling attack with three wickets for 29 runs in 11 overs, while Ruthven and Ruan Ferrara grabbed a brace each. Ruthven conceded 33 runs in 10 overs, while Ferrara gave up one run less in nine.

The innings of the contest came on the second day of action when Johan Feuth played an outstanding knock. Around him, no other Waterkloof batsmen reached 40 runs. His century lifted ‘Kloof to an insurmountable total. They had to set their sights on capturing 10 wickets to record victory.

That mission appeared to be on course when Jaco Van Der Watt struck in the first over. Then, Rico van der Walt provided another breakthrough in the fourth over. However, determined resistance from Kago Masote (45), Malan du Plessis (39),  and Cole Francis (26) helped the hosts to drag out the encounter and secured them a draw.

Van der Watt finished the innings with three wickets for 27 runs, while Van der Walt and GJ de Swart picked up two wickets each.

Summarised Scorecards

Waterkloof first innings: 272/10 (Wian Ruthven 42, Marcus Bakker 85, Alexander Volschenk 57, Rico Van Der Walt 44; Kago Masote 2/20, Malan Du Plessis 3/27, Alec Loveland 4/92); St John’s first innings: 183/10 (Nkosana B Sibiya 61, Cole Francis 34; Jayden Blom 3/29, Wian Ruthven 2/33, Ruan Ferrara 2/32); Waterkloof second innings: 255/5 (Johan Feuth 114, Marcus Bakker 37; Alec Loveland 2/40, Cole Francis 1/28); St John’s second innings: 177/8 (Kago Masote 45, Malan Du Plessis 39; Jaco Van Der Watt 3/27, Rico Van Der Walt 2/40, GJ De Swart 2/35)

Match drawn

Marcus Bakker registered an even-tempered half-ton on Geir Oval at St David’s Marist Inanda on Saturday as he inspired the Waterkloof 1st XI to a first-innings total of 272/10, which ensured a 93-run lead after day one of their Fasken Time Cricket Festival match against St John’s.

At stumps, coach Cobus Pienaar’s side had restricted St John’s to 179/9 in reply.

Bakker creamed 10 fours on his way to a brilliant 80 off 120 in a knock that not only rescued Waterkloof from a sticky wicket but also set his side on the path to victory. When he arrived at the middle, Waterkloof needed level heads that could soak up the pressure and rebuild after a middle-order collapse. Fortunately for the Klofies, they had Bakker and Alexander Volschenk.

Volschenk, the Namibian u19 captain, cracked a half-century of his own. He struck two sixes and three fours on his way to 57 off 67 deliveries.

Waterkloof’s batting lineup picked up from where they left off when they subjected the Lions Invitation XI to a six-wicket defeat in their first outing of the festival. In that encounter, Pienaar deployed a top six that featured Darius Maritz, Anru Nel, Stefan Stoltz, Rico van der Walt, Riley Miller, and Johan Feuth.

Against St John’s, Pienaar only retained Miller as he wheeled out Waterkloof’s most experienced top six, featuring the talents of Wian Ruthven, Divan Behrens, Bakker, Beukes van den Berg, and Volschenk.

Ruthven, who began the year with a masterful ton in a 2024 Titans League match, which spurred Waterkloof to a victory over Centurion, missed out on another milestone when he was dismissed by Cole Francis for a well-made 42 off 37 balls. At the time of his dismissal, Ruthven had laid a decent foundation for the Klofies. However, St John’s dragged themselves back into the contest by engineering a Waterkloof collapse between the 16th and 19th overs, as the Pretoria school lost three wickets while adding only three runs.

Waterkloof wrestled back control of the innings when Bakker and Volschenk joined forces to construct a 133-run fifth-wicket partnership over the next 24.2 overs. Rico van der Walt also batted well with the lower order for his 44 off 37.

Alec Loveland was the most successful bowler for St John’s. The medium pacer toiled tirelessly, sending down 20 overs, almost twice as many overs as Cole Francis, who bowled the second-most overs, with 11. Loveland was rewarded for his work. He bagged four wickets for 92 runs. However, it was Malan du Plessis who had the best strike rate, capturing three wickets for 27 runs in 10 overs.

Chasing 272, the last thing St John’s wanted was to lose three wickets for 48 runs in the first 15 overs, but that’s what happened. Matters went from bad to worse as they lost another three wickets before they had chalked up 100 runs on the scoreboard.

The only bright spark in their innings was Nkosana Sibiya, who arrived at the crease when St John’s was 48/3. Batting with four different partners, he crafted a well-played 61 off 95. His industrious knock left St John’s on 159/7 at the time of his dismissal.

Jayden Blom led the Waterkloof bowling attack with three wickets for 29 runs in 11 overs, while Ruthven and Ruan Ferrara grabbed a brace of wickets each. Ruthven conceded 33 runs in 10 overs, while Ferrara conceded one run less in nine.

Summarised Scorecards:

Waterkloof first innings: 272/10 (Wian Ruthven 42, Marcus Bakker 85, Alexander Volschenk 57, Rico Van Der Walt 44; Kago Masote 2/20, Malan Du Plessis 3/27, Alec Loveland 4/92); St John’s first innings: 179/9 (Nkosana B Sibiya 61, Cole Francis 34; Jayden Blom 3/29, Wian Ruthven 2/33, Ruan Ferrara 2/32)

Jason Rowles and Armaan Manack decimated the Bishops Diocesan College bowling attack as they led the St David’s 1st XI to an imperious nine-wicket victory in their Fasken Time Cricket Festival match on the La Valla Oval at St David’s Marist Inanda on Sunday.

Bishops batted first on day one and put up a total of 258. Their bowlers did well enough to restrict St Davids to 210/6 in their reply. The Capetonians, then, added 232/7 in their second innings to establish a 280-run lead.

Rowles and Manack made the required score for victory, 281 runs, look like child’s play as they put together a sensational 274-run second innings’ opening stand. St David’s finished the match with a flourish, a four, which took them to 283/1.

Rowles and Manack’s partnership was the highest opening stand of the tournament. Rowles’ knock was also a perfect celebration of his selection for the SA Emerging U19 side that will tour Zimbabwe from 15 to 30 September. He smashed 18 fours and a single six on his way to an imperious 154 from 158 deliveries. His partner, Manack, scored an unbeaten 120 off 132, which featured 10 fours and a single six.

Alex Vintcent took a consolation wicket for Bishops when he dismissed Rowles in the 48th over. However, it was too little too late. By then, the hosts needed only seven runs to win.

On day one, Rowles showcased his all-round abilities, bagging the wickets of top order batsmen Harry Morgan (47) and Litha Mbiko (8), to help restrict Bishops to 258/9. The Capetonians’ innings was built around Waco Bassick’s 62 off 122 deliveries. Besides Bassick and Morgan, Thaafier Japhta (40) was the only other Bishops’ batsman to reach 40.

Rowles was the second-most successful bowler of the innings behind Samrat Basu, who took three wickets for 69 runs in 19 overs. Ethan Greenstein, Morteza Manack, and Christopher Emslie chipped in with a wicket each.

Rowles and Manack provided a glimpse of their abilities as a duo with a 113-run opening partnership in the host’s reply. Both registered half-centuries. Rowles cantered along for a run-a-ball 68, while Manack tallied 60 from 86 deliveries.

After they were dismissed, the St David’s innings collapsed in a giant heap. Only Basu (39) lent solid support but everyone else failed to get going.

Japhta carried on from where he had left off in the Bishops’ first innings by recording a half-century in their second dig, while Bassick showed off his consistency with the bat as he chalked an unbeaten 39.

Rowles led the home side’s bowling attack, claiming three wickets for 54 runs in 21 overs, and the consistent Morteza Manack bagged a brace for 53 runs, while Hayden Campbell and Jared Stern took a wicket each.

The St David’s performance in their first innings seemed to drive home the point that Rowles and Manack had to do more than score half-tons if they wanted their side to win. They dominated from the start, with both going on to record centuries, to ensure that victory was achieved in style.

Summarised Scorecards

Bishops first innings 258/9 (Harry Morgan 47, Waco Bassick 62, Thaafier Japhta 40; Samrat Basu 3/69, Jason Rowles 2/12, Ethan Greenstein 1/10); St David’s first innings 210/6 (Jason Rowles 68, Armaan Manack 60, Samrat Basu 39; Michael Kruiskamp 2/47, Luke De Klerk 1/26, Benjamin Koenig 1/11); Bishops second innings 21/0 (Thaafier Japhta 50, Waco Bassick 39; Jason Rowles 3/54, Mortaza Manack 2/53); St David’s second innings: 283/1 (Jason Rowles 154, Armaan Manack 120; Alex Vintcent 1/13)

St David’s won by nine wickets

Cayden Sunker put in a brilliant all-round performance to help the St Stithians 1st XI register a dominant innings-and-115-run victory over Hoërskool Nelspruit in their Fasken Time Cricket match that finished on Sunday on the Jamieson 1 Cricket Oval at Saints.

With the bat, Sunker tore down Nelspruit’s bowling attack on his way to an unbeaten 99, which ensured that St Stithians needed to bat only once in the game. Then, he bagged three wickets for 26 runs across both of Nelspruit’s innings.

The Johannesburg side scored a mammoth 372/7 in their first innings and then captured 20 wickets, restricting Nelspruit to 63/10 in their first knock and then 194/10 in their second.

Sunker stroked 12 fours and two sixes on his way to 99 not out from 112 balls as he helped St Stithians romp to a commanding first-innings lead of over 300 runs in reply to Nelspruit’s low score. The number seven batsman is a dependable bowler for Saints, often taking vital wickets. However, on day one of their tie against Nelspruit, he let his bat make a case for his all-round abilities.

His outstanding 106-run sixth-wicket partnership with Aiden van der Westhuizen took the game beyond Nelspruit’s reach. Van der Westhuizen was in scintillating form, clubbing four fours and nine sixes, on his way to 88 off 65. When he arrived at the crease, Saints held a slender lead of 43 runs over Nelspruit.

That lead was in large part thanks to a 74-run opening stand between Rushil Bhulla (46) and Liam Mudenda (41). Ombesa Matsha (39) and Tendai Kadyamadare (23*) made decent lower-order contributions as they lifted Saints to an intimidating total.

St Stithians’ outstanding batting performance came on the back of a brilliant bowling display that saw their attack skittle Nelspruit’s batsmen for a meagre 63 runs. None of their bowlers came close to conceding more than four runs an over. Their most expensive bowler just happened to be their most successful. Kadyamadare bagged three wickets for 13 runs in four overs.

Akhil Challa took 2/8 in three overs, while Sunker, Bhulla, Oliver Wilson, Tajendra Naidu, and Thomas Collins claimed a single wicket each.

Vaughn van Zyl (22) and Janco Breyl (29) were the only Nelspruit batsmen to reach double figures in the Mpumalanga’s side first innings. Nelspruit performed better in their second innings, tallying 194. That total was built on the back of belligerent half-centuries from Nathan Duncan (63) and Waldemar Graham (50).

The pair’s performances needed to be supported by further innings of substance from the rest of the batting lineup, which did not happen. Van Zyl was the third-highest contributor to Nelspruit’s cause and no one else reached 15 runs.

As they did in Nelspruit’s first innings, the St Stithians’ bowlers performed as a unit to demolish their opposition. Challa, Wilson, and Sunker claimed two wickets each, while Hanslo, Collins, and Bayly also removed a batsman each.

Summarised scorecards

Nelspruit first innings: 63/10 (Vaughn Van Zyl 22, Janco Breyl 29 ; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/13, Akhil Challa 2/8, Tajendra Naidu 1/3, Thomas Collins 1/0); St Stithians first innings: 372/7 (Cayden Sunker 99, Aiden Van Der Westhuizen 88, Rushil Bhulla 46, Liam Mudenda 41; Gherdu Van Eeden 2/52, Duan Smal 2/93, Rico Nel 2/52); Nelspruit second innings: 194/10 (Nathan Duncan 63, Waldemar Graham 50; Cayden Sunker 2/18, Oliver Wilson 2/27, Akhil Challa 2/25)

St Stithians won by an innings and 115 runs

Cayden Sunker tore down the Nelspruit 1st XI bowling attack on his way to an unbeaten 99 that ensured that St Stithians 1st XI carried a 290-run lead into day two of their Fasken Time Cricket Festival match. The Johannesburg side was ruthless with both bat and ball as they dominated the action on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Waco Bassick’s evenly paced half-century helped Bishops 1st XI establish a healthy lead at the end of day one of their contest against St Davids Marist 1st XI. The Cape Town side carries a 69-run lead into day two.

Sunker’s 99 off 112 balls as he helped St Stithians romp to a first innings total of 372/7 in reply to Nelspruit’s first innings score of 63/10. The number seven batter is often a dependable bowler for Saints, always taking vital wickets. However, on day one of their tie against Nelspruit, he let his bat make a case for his all-round abilities.

Sunker shared an outstanding 106-run sixth-wicket partnership with Aiden van der Westhuizen that took the game beyond Nelspruit’s reach. Van der Westhuizen was in scintillating form as he clubbed four fours and nine sixes on his way to 88 off 65. When he arrived at the crease, Saints had a slender lead of 43 over Nelspruit.

The lead was in large part thanks to the 74-run opening stand between Rushil Bhulla (46) and Liam Mudenda (41). Nicholas Bayly (5) and Tahseen Hanslo (10), who came in the wake of Bhulla and Mudenda’s dismissals failed to get going.

Ombesa Matsha (39) and Tendai Kadyamadare (23*) made decent lower-order contributions.

St Stithians’ outstanding batting performance came on the back of a brilliant bowling display that saw their attack bundle Nelspruit’s batters for a mere 63 runs. None of their bowlers conceded at an economy over four runs an over. Their most expensive bowler just happened to be their most successful. Kadyamadare bagged three wickets for 13 runs in four overs.

Akhil Challa took two wickets for eight runs in three overs, while Sunker, Bhulla, Oliver Wilson, Tajendra Naidu and Thomas Collins claimed a single wicket each.

Vaughn van Zyl (22) and Janco Breyl (29) were the only Nelspruit batters to reach double figures.

Just before the close of day, Nelspruit walked out to begin their second innings. And before they could get into gear, Sunker struck to leave them on 19/1. Nathan Duncan (9) and Jayden Meyer (10) were at the crease.

In the other match, Bishops found themselves in trouble in the fifth over, when they lost the wicket of Camron Mcbeth. The opener was still trying to get his eye in when he was sent packing by Christopher Emslie. His erstwhile partner, Harry Morgan steadied the ship with a well-played 47 off 34.

The star of Bishops’ innings was Bassick, with whom Morgan shared a 42-run second-wicket partnership. Bassick scored a patient 62 off 122 to set his side on course to a first innings total of 289/9.

Mogamat Raa’ld Arendse (23) and Alex Vintcent (26) had starts, while Thaafier Japhta scored an unbeaten 40 off 54.

Samrat Basu led the St Davids bowling attack with three wickets for 69 runs in 19 overs and Jason Rowles pitched in with two wickets for 12 runs in six overs.

When speaking to Supersport Schools Plus, the South Africa Emerging U19 side coach Malibongwe Maketa mentioned that the selectors were placing an emphasis on players with serviceable secondary skills. Rowles’ secondary skill is his bowling. He is a batter by trade, and he showed up with the bat during the St Davids innings. He scored a run-a-ball 68 during his 113-run opening stand with Armaan Manack.

Basu came in and constructed a 47-run second-wicket partnership with Manack before the wheels came off for St Davids, who stumbled their way to 210 for six.

Michael Kruiskamp led the Bishops bowling attack with two wickets for 47 runs in nine overs. Bassick, Luke de Klerk, Benjamin Koenig and Julian Pilkington took a wicket each.

At the close of day one, Bishops was on 21/0. They had Morgan (19*) and Mcbeth (0) at the crease.

Summarised scorecards:

St Stithians vs Nelspruit

Nelspruit first innings: 63/10 (Vaughn Van Zyl 22, Janco Breyl 29 ; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/13, Akhil Challa 2/8, Tajendra Naidu 1/3, Thomas Collins 1/0)

St Stithians first innings: 372/7 (Cayden Sunker 99, Aiden Van Der Westhuizen 88, Rushil Bhulla 46, Liam Mudenda 41; Gherdu Van Eeden 2/52, Duan Smal 2/93, Rico Nel 2/52)

Nelspruit second innings: 19/1 (Nathan Duncan 9*, Jayden Meyer 10*; Cayden Sunker 1/6)

Bishops vs St Davids

Bishops first innings: 258/9 (Harry Morgan 47, Waco Bassick 62, Thaafier Japhta 40; Samrat Basu 3/69, Jason Rowles 2/12, Ethan Greenstein 1/10).

St Davids first innings: 210/6 (Jason Rowles 68, Armaan Manack 60, Samrat Basu 39; Michael Kruiskamp 2/47, Luke De Klerk 1/26, Benjamin Koenig 1/11)

Bishops second innings: 21/0 (Harry Morgan 19, Cameron Mcbeth 0; Kyle Butler 0/16, Christopher Emslie 0/5)

The Waterkloof 1st XI produced a complete team performance as they registered a seven-wicket win over the Lions Invitation XI in their Fasken Time Cricket Festival match on Geir Oval at St David’s Marist Inanda on Friday.

Cobus Pienaar’s side exerted themselves on the game early through Jaco van der Watt, who made a breakthrough in the 11th over. From then on, Waterkloof took wickets at regular intervals, thus denying the Lions any momentum in their innings.

Kyle Davies stuck around until the 34th over on his way to top-scoring for the Lions with 54 off 104. The other batsmen in the top six reached double figures but no one did enough to get close to 50. The highest among them was Kyle Swanepoel, with 30 off 45.

When they batted, Pienaar’s charges were relentless. They shrugged off the loss of two wickets in the space of nine deliveries for only two runs, thanks to Kurt Losch’s double strike in the fifth and seventh overs. Darius Maritz (72) and Rico van der Walt (69) mounted a 135-run partnership that balanced the innings. Van der Walt’s dismissal, then, brought Waterkloof’s third half-centurion to the crease, Riley Miller, who scored a brilliant 71 off 85.

The rest of the Waterkloof batting order crumbled in the face of Reaal Hariram’s medium pacers. He ran through the Waterkloof middle- and lower-order on his way to figures of five wickets for 29 in 12 overs.

In the Lions’ second innings, Davis seemingly had to do it all alone again and the Northcliff learner almost managed it. He registered his second half-century of the match, 50 off 79, in an innings where only one other batsman passed 40 runs. Katlego Sekopane arrived at the crease after Davis’s dismissal and watched three different partners come and go as he tallied 45 off 56.

Jayden Blom, Van der Watt, and Richard Crous took seven wickets between them as the Klofies restricted the Lions to 199.

When Waterkloof’s opening pair was unable to build a substantial partnership at the start of the second innings, they needed someone to hold their innings together if they were going to prevail. That person was Stefan Stolz, who scored a wonderful 57 off 91 deliveries. He was partnered by five different partners during his stay in the middle. After his dismissal, Crous, Ruan Ferrera, and Luan Ferreira scored a combined 43 runs to see Waterkloof over the finishing line.

Anrich Liebenberg was the most successful of the Lions’ bowlers, with four wickets for 66 runs from 19.2 overs. Unfortunately for him, his efforts were in vain as Waterkloof reached 161 to claim victory.

Summarised scores

Lions Invitational XI first innings 228/10 (Kyle Davies 56, Bafana Mtunzi 24, Kyle Swanepoel 30, Keagan van Wyk 20, Katleho Sekopane 20; Ruan Ferreira 3/25, Johan Feuth 3/60); Waterkloof first innings 270/9 (Darius Maritz 73, Riley Miller 71, Rico van der Walt 69, Riley Miller 65*; Reaal Hariram 5/29, Kurt Losch 3/36); Lions Invitational XI second innings 199/10 (Kyle Davies 50, Katelho Sekopane 45, Bafana Mtunzi 38, Jaydon Blom 3/19, Jaco van der Walt 2/11, Ricardo Crous 2/21); Waterkloof second innings 161/8 (Stefan Stoltz 57, Ricardo Crous 25*, Darius Maritz 20, Anrich Liebenberg 4/66, Kamogelo Matji 2/21)

Waterkloof won by 7 wickets