Jeppe left-arm spinner Sipho Potsane, who turned 17 at the end of September, was included in the SA u19 team to contest the 2024 ICC u19 Cricket World Cup.
The Alexandra Cricket Club is celebrating one of its own after 17-year-old Sipho Potsane was recently included in the SA under-19 squad which will fly the national flag at the ICC u19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka from 13 January to 4 February.
After recognising Potsane’s talent and potential, Jeppe High School for Boys brought him into their ranks, and he has since blossomed.
His former coach, Dan Phaka, praised Potsane after he cracked the nod for the national team. “Sipho is one of the brightest cricketing prospects to come from the township and we are sure, if all goes well, he will soon make it to the Proteas,” he said.
A left-arm spinner and left-hand bat, Potsane toured Bangladesh with the SA under-19 team in July, playing in three of the five Youth ODIs.
In his first match, he dismissed Bangladesh captain Ahrar Amin for a duck, and picked up 2 for 42 in his 10 overs. The very next game, he snared 2 for 38 from his 10 and, once again, took the wicket of the Bangladesh skipper, this time for a single.
With the series tied at 2-2, the coaches demonstrated their confidence in Potsane by including him in the decider, which the hosts won by a narrow three-wicket margin.
Potsane is one of nine Jeppe boys named in Lions’ cricket teams to participate in inter-provincial tournaments during December.
He, Jaydon Brooker and Tshepo Stafa were named in the under-19 team, which will be in action in Makhanda from the 16th to the 20th of December.
Tino Mutekwa and Ryan Young were selected for the under-16 side, and Aiden Reyneke, Shreshth Kumar, Keegan Cockburn and Zizi Mkhize earned places in the under-15 team.
Wian Ruthven‘s ruthless century and Hernus Marais‘ fantastic five-wicket hall steered Waterkloof to a third consecutive Fain Noordvaal title on Saturday.
Having lost the toss, the Klofies were put in to bat first. Ruthven then took full advantage of what appeared to be batsmen-friendly conditions.
Looking assertive from the first ball, he soon hit his straps. He punished anything loose from the Marais Viljoen bowlers and raced to a memorable century, scoring 117 from only 94 deliveries at a destructive run rate of 124.
His innings included 12 fours and six sixes. Somewhat surprisingly, his opening partner, Divan Behrens, struggled for fluency.
Behrens, though, obstinately looked after his wicket and knocked the ball around to feed the strike to the in-form Ruthven. When he was finally dismissed for 22, the opening pair had already shared a stand of 145 runs.
The Alberton school’s bowlers stuck to their guns and were ultimately rewarded for their patience, with Juan Steyn bagging 3/64 and Tristan van Schalkwyk 2/44.
The consistent Marcus Bakker contributed 37, while a sharp cameo of 36 from 24 balls from the talented Franco Cronje, and a well-played 31 from Alexander Volschenk, towards the end, proved pivotal to Waterkloof tallying a big 301/9 in their 50 overs.
Unfortunately, for Marais Viljoen, their batsmen couldn’t replicate the Klofies’ success at the crease. Thanks to a wonderful display of fast bowling from the promising Hernus Marais, the underdogs were soon in deep trouble on 53/6.
Marais claimed a decisive 5/13 in six overs, which included an outstanding 29 dot balls.
Caiden Ramage fought valiantly for Marais Viljoen, making an impressive 35 from 42 balls, and he found good support from Juan Steyn, who counterattacked with a run-a-ball 28. Nathan Coleske did a solid job, too, making 27.
However, another two wickets from Jaydon Blom put the final nail in the coffin as Marais Viljoen stumbled to a platry 130 all out, leaving Waterkloof the winners by a mammoth margin of 171 runs.
The first-ever Noordvaal women’s final saw Noordheuwel come out on top against Potchefstroom Gimnasium.
Magdaleen Ernst led the way for the Norries, top scoring with a wonderful 68 from 46 balls, which helped her side to an imposing 183/9 from their 20 overs. The talented 15-year-old Deidre van Rensburg was the mainstay with the ball in hand for Gim, bagging three wickets for 33 runs.
She followed that up with a scintillating knock of 105 from 73 deliveries but, apart from Thlotlo Bogatso‘s 20 at the top of the order, none of the other Gimmie-batters had any answers to the high quality of the Noordheuwel bowling, and they came up 22 runs short of their required target.
Summarised scorecards
Waterkloof 301/9 (Wian Ruthven 117, Marcus Bakker 37, Franco Cronje 36, Alexander Volschenk 31, Divan Behrens 22, Beukes van den Berg 22; Juan Steyn 3/64, Tristan van Schalkwyk 2/44); Marais Viljoen 130/10 (Cayden Ramage 35, Juan Steyn 28, Nathan Coleske 27; Hernus Marais 5/13, Jaydon Blom 2/18). Waterkloof won by 171 runs.
Girls’ First XI
Noordheuwel 183/9 (Magdaleen Ernst 68, Kaylan Potgieter 26; Deidre van Rensburg 3/33); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 161/4 (Deidre van Rensburg 105, Thlotlo Bogatso 20; Magdaleen Ernst 2/22). Noordheuwel won by 22 runs.
Cape Town Spurs’ teenage striker Luke Baartman is turning heads with his stellar goal-scoring exploits.
Teenager Luke Baartman announced his arrival on the big stage on Wednesday night when he became the second youngest goal-scorer in the DStv Premiership with a 90th minute goal against Kaizer Chiefs.
Chiefs won the game 3-2, but that didn’t take the shine out of the young man’s night.
The 17-year-old striker, who has less than a handful of senior appearances to his name, is one of the most talked about young players in the country.
His arrival on the big stage is a boost for South African football, which is seeing a number of talented teenagers being given opportunities in the top-flight.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ Siyabonga Mabena, just 16, became the youngest goal-scorer in the league earlier this season.
Cape Town Spurs’ Technical Director Sean Connor lauded Luke Baartman for his brief appearance in the team’s 2-1 win over Orlando Pirates on 2 November.
Baartman, who has been the subject of significant discussion in recent weeks, ever since being brought in to train with the Spurs first team, has grabbed his chances with both hands.
Prior to his promotion, Baartman had enjoyed a stellar start to the DStv Diski Challenge season, finding the back of the net six times in just five matches.
Recently, the striker played a crucial role for the Spurs’ u18 team, scoring the deciding goal in his side’s 2-1 victory over Matroosfontein FC in the Coke Cup.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – NOVEMBER 03: Diedre van Rensburg during the South Africa U19 women’s national cricket team training camp at CSA Centre of Excellence on November 03, 2023 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
Cricket South Africa hosted its inaugural Betway SA20 u19 Women’s Camp at the Cricket South Africa Centre of Excellence in Tshwane from 3-6 November, with the camp designed to be a mentoring project to upskill and support emerging women’s cricket talent in South Africa.
Twenty-six young players were hand-picked to receive professional and mental conditioning coaching from some of the country’s top coaches, including Women’s National Academy head coach Dinesha Devnarain and Australian legend and double ICC Women’s World Cup winner, Julia Price.
Following a successful camp, a second intake has been scheduled for March 2024.
Betway SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith, said the camps are a significant strategic attempt to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket in South Africa.
“Off the back of the success of the first season of Betway SA20, the long-term vision is to launch a fully-fledged women’s event in the future,” Smith explained.
“It was an exceptional year for women’s cricket, with the first-ever Women’s U19 World Cup here in South Africa, the Proteas Women reaching the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and the start of the CSA Professional Domestic Women’s League.
“We felt we wanted to target this under-19 group to upskill them so that when we launch a Women’s League in a few years we have top class local talent to supplement the international players. We received great feedback from the players and coaches alike, and we can’t wait for the next camp, planned for next year.”
Price, who is no stranger to South Africa, shared Smith’s enthusiasm and was equally excited about the talent on display over the four days.
“It’s really exciting to see what’s coming up in the future of South African women’s cricket. I was lucky enough to be at the first-ever Women’s Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, so I got a little bit of an insight into what’s happening here in South Africa,” Price said.
“The fact that they’ve got this talent camp happening is allowing the girls to really show their skill sets. To have a group of past players, male and female, coaching them and being able to be seen in this pathway allows them to aspire to be whatever they want to be in the future.”
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – NOVEMBER 03: Jae-Leigh Filander during the South Africa U19 women’s national cricket team training camp at CSA Centre of Excellence on November 03, 2023 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
South Africa U19 wicketkeeper-batter, Karabo Meso, was one the stars of the ICC U19 World Cup, and now, having benefitted from being exposed to high-quality coaching at the camp, the 16-year-old is thrilled about all the potential opportunities in the future.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn from some of the best local and international coaches,” Meso said.
“Learning from South Africans and Australians is a good combination. You are able to get the best of both worlds.
“If we were to have a Women’s T20 League it would help to promote women’s cricket and it would be a great opportunity for us youngsters coming up and something exciting to work towards.”
Michaelhouse was delightfully decked out in dashes of pink for the annual PinkDrive end-of-season clash against their old rivals, Hilton College, in basketball, water polo and cricket. The Roy Gathorne Oval, especially, was attractively decorated with pink in support of the cancer-fighting non-profit organisation.
SuperSport Schools also came to the party, pulling in some top commentators, including Brett Proctor and Jon Kent, to offer insight into the contest out in the middle.
The outfield was heavy, which made boundaries hard to come by, so the modest run-scoring should probably be viewed with some leniency.
After Ross Boast won the toss, he decided that Hilton should bat first. They were made to graft hard by a disciplined Michaelhouse bowling attack. Run scoring was not easy, but the first seven players in the order managed to make it into double-figures.
The only thing that brought them to a proper halt was a pause in play at 11:11 to remember those who had given their lives in service of South Africa on Remembrance Day.
Ivan Lockem was the key performer for the visitors, top scoring with 69 runs from 91 balls, which included five boundaries, some of which he manufactured with his trademark inside-out drives over cover, thus taking the heavy field out of the reckoning.
Captain Ross Boast contributed a brave 37 from 39 deliveries, smashing one six. He struggled in the heat and felt unwell. Later, in a big setback for the visitors, he managed only three overs as their main strike bowler before having to leave the field and take a lie-down.
Left-arm spinner Cameron Strudwick bowled magnificently for Michaelhouse, sending down 10 overs, five of which were maidens, and picking up 2 for 13, with his victims being both openers, Ben Hockly and Charles Swart, for 13 and 21 respectively.
The seamers, Michael Thornton and Ross Moller lent good support, with Thornton capturing 2 for 38 in nine, and Moller returning 2 for 36 in seven.
Hilton managed to bat out their 50 overs, just, finishing on 204 for 9.
Michaelhouse enjoyed a good start to their reply, with the opening pair of Seb Hofmeyr and Ethan Muir putting on 57 for the first wicket before Hofmeyr fell to Murray Loughor-Clark, bowled for 27.
Dylan Hewlett weighed in with 10 before he, too, was bowled, with the leg-spinner, Nic Chantler, doing the trick to reduce House to 78 for 2 in the 20th over.
Then, two balls later, Hilton made a massive breakthrough, with Michaelhouse’s outstanding captain Murray Baker, the most consistent top order batsman in KZN during the fourth term, caught by Jared Kitto off of Chantler for a duck. His dismissal changed the complexion of the match.
Nic Chantler removed three Michaelhouse batsmen and captured the prized wicket of Murray Baker to set Hilton on the path to victory.
Seven runs later, opening batsman Ethan Muir, followed Baker back to the pavilion after falling LBW to Murray Loughor-Clark for a well-played 43 from 65 balls, three of which were sent to the boundary.
Luke Payne and Murray Hall-Jones then did some good repair work, sharing a stand of 37 before Payne was out for 12 after pulling a long-hop from Charles Swart straight to Ivan Lockem at mid-wicket. Swart, though, wasn’t done, and he did a superb job as the seventh bowler utilised by Hilton on the day.
When Hall-Jones was bowled by Liyema Nela for 32 in the 35th over, with the total on 136, Hilton were clearly in the ascendancy. From there, the end came quickly.
It was accelerated by a spectacular catch, taken by Ben Hockly off the bowling of Swart. Cameron Strudwick attempted to turn a ball to the leg. It looped up and looked as if it had enough on it to elude Hockly at short mid-wicket. Hockly, though, leapt high into the air, timing his jump perfectly, and snatched the ball out of the sky, at full stretch, with his right hand. That stunning bit of fielding reduced Michaelhouse to 137 for 7.
Two runs later, they were eight wickets down when the usually reliable and stubborn Nathan Hoatson was bowled by Nela for five.
Michael Thornton resisted with 11 from 11, but Tom Mitchell became another victim of the Hockly and Swart combination as Michaelhouse were bowled out for 159 after 40 overs, leaving Hilton the winners by 45 runs.
Swart starred with 3 for 26 in seven, while Chantler also sent three men packing, giving up 33 runs from his eight overs. Nela and Loughor-Clark bagged a brace each from the six overs they both bowled, with Nela’s costing 26 runs and Loughor-Clark’s 22.
It was, in the end, a convincing victory, but it was hard-fought throughout. Ivan Lockem’s top score in the match of 69 proved crucial, while Charles Swart’s three-wicket haul was a somewhat surprising but extremely telling contribution with the ball.
Summarised scorecard
Hilton College 204/9 (Ivan Lockem 69, Ross Boast 37, Cameron Strudwick 2/13, Ross Moller 2/36, Michael Thorton 2/38); Michaelhouse 159/10 (Ethan Muir 43, Murray Hall-Jones 32, Seb Hofmeyr 27, Charles Swart 3/26, Nic Chantler 3/33, Murray Loughor-Clark 2/22, Liyema Nela 2/26)
St Andrew’s College clinched a 68-run victory over Pearson in their own backyard on Saturday, thanks to a spectacular batting performance by William Beamish.
College posted a formidable total of 310/7, powered by a standout performance from Beamish, who scored an impressive 124 runs off only 117 deliveries. The stalwart opener for the team from Makhanda blasted 14 fours and four sixes during his century.
The hosts finally stemmed the flow of runs when Jordan Collier pouched a misjudged shot by Beamish from a delivery by Sulaymaan Gangat but, by that point, the visitors had already powered their way to 247-3 with 10 overs still to bat.
Murray Wilson made a strong impact, contributing a further 62 as St Andrew’s breached the 300-mark. The only matriculant in their team, Matthew Poole, made sure his final performance in the first side was worth remembering, making 41, with six boundaries.
Despite the scale of the challenge that faced them, Pearson showed promise as they set about the run chase, with Esa Gangat spearheading their batting efforts. He had taken three wickets in the St Andrew’s innings, but it was the bat in hand that he truly impressed.
Scoring 75 at nearly a-run-a-ball, Gangat provided a cornerstone for Pearson to launch a fightback. Around him, though, batsmen came and went.
College’s leading bowler, Laurie Apps, who had already taken three wickets in the match, finally brought Esa’s innings to an end when he caught him off a delivery by Beamish.
Even after losing their top scorer with more than 10 overs to play and left with only a single wicket standing on 187/9, Pearson showed great determination and made St Andrew’s work hard for the win.
Demonstrating stubborn grit, Breydan Andrews and Thomas van Antwerp saw Pearson through to 242 before they were parted. The tailenders smashed nine boundaries between them in nine overs, and Andrews finished unbeaten with 39 from 40 deliveries.
Ultimately, it was not enough though, as St Andrew’s secured the victory with about three overs left in the game.
Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.
Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.
Summarised scorecard
St Andrew’s College 310/7 (William Beamish 124, Murray Wilson 62, Matthew Poole 41, Extras 35; Esa Gangat 3/57, Jordan Collier 2/27); Pearson 242 (Esa Gangat 75, Breydan Andrews 39, Jude Septoo 27, Jayden Groenewald 25; Laurie Apps 3/46, William Beamish 2/25, Alastair de Kock 2/57). St Andrew’s College won by 68 runs.
In a gripping clash in Makhanda, Graeme College triumphed over their neighbouring rivals, Kingswood College, securing a six-wicket victory, thanks to a stellar bowling performance by Aphiwe Mnyanda.
His onslaught began right from the first delivery of the match, with which Mnyanda captured the crucial opening wicket.
His relentless assault continued unabated, putting Kingswood under immense pressure early on at a precarious 13/3.
After briefly yielding the spotlight to Kevin Geldenhuys, who chipped in with two crucial wickets, Mnyanda resumed his wicket-taking success, finishing the day with the exceptional figures of 6/24.
Michael van Staden offered some resistance for Kingswood with a hard-fought 25 runs, but they had to settle for a modest 121 all out, losing their last wicket in the 35th over.
Luphelo Mdyesha then anchored the Graeme College reply with a measured knock of 39 as they chased down the 122 runs required for victory in less than half of their allotted overs, and with six wickets in hand.
Josh Loon bowled well, snaring two wickets for 21 runs, but the Kingswood bowlers were defending a modest total, which was simply not enough for them to contain their opponents.
Marcus Williams and Mnyanda played well in constructing a partnership that took them over the line, with Mnyanda, fittingly, sealing the win with a boundary after an outstanding individual contribution.
It was a good day at the office for Graeme College. They managed a clean sweep of all the A team games, and their second team was also victorious.
Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.
Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.
Summarised scorecard
Kingswood College 121 (Extras 31, Michael van Staden 25; Aphiwe Mnyanda 6/24, Kevin Geldenhuys 2/31); Graeme College 122/4 (Luphelo Mdyesha 39; Josh Loon 2/21). Graeme College won by six wickets.
Boland Landbou brought their season to a winning end on Friday with a victory by seven wickets over Curro Durbanville in a spirited 35-overs-a-side battle on the Stiaan van Zyl Oval.
After Curro Durbanville won the toss and decided to bat, Marius du Plessis spearheaded the attack for Boland Landbou, taking the first three wickets of the game while conceding only 35 runs.
Reece Bald scored a solid 40 runs for the visitors before Lohann Louw ended his threat by palming a catch off a delivery by Kobus Conradie.
That was Conradie’s second wicket of the day, and he was also involved in a run out at the end of the innings for another highlight to remember his seventh cap by.
His older brother, the Boland Landbou 1st XI captain, Stefan Conradie, playing in his 70th match for the team, was responsible for the other wicket.
Ben la Grange also celebrated the 70-cap milestone, but it was his last match for the school. He was the only grade 12 player in the Boland Landbou line-up.
Chasing 169 to win, Stefan Conradie then led the charge for his team at the crease, putting on an opening stand of 108 with Jan-Albert van Niekerk to get Boland onto the front foot early on.
With a captain’s knock of 63 from 73 deliveries, including 10 boundaries, Conradie showed why he was named in the Boland u19 team this year.
Van Niekerk, meanwhile, bludgeoned three sixes as he raced to 47.
The Durbanville bowlers were exceptionally well-disciplined as they attempted to contain the hosts. In 31 overs, they conceded only four extras.
Du Plessis and Francois Prins, however, played confidently in the middle, knowing they had the luxury of wickets in hand, and with four overs to spare they overhauled Curro’s total.
Du Plessis contributed 27 off 20 deliveries without losing his wicket and smashed four boundaries to drive his team over the line, while Prins finished with an unbeaten 19.
Prins has been selected for the Boland u16 team this year and already looks like an exciting young prospect with a bright future.
For Curro Durbanville, Matthew Scobble was a standout performer. First, he produced a resilient innings of 26 not out, batting at the tail-end for the visitors, before he took the two crucial wickets of the Boland openers to get his team back in the game after the hosts’ initial onslaught.
In the end, despite a valiant fight from Curro, Boland Landbou ended their year on a high note, with a performance that bodes well for the young team who will, for the most part, be playing together again next season.
Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.
Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.
Summarized scorecard:
Curro Durbanville 168/7 (Reece Bald 40, Dean Huesmann 30, Matthew Scobble 26*, Vaughn Flanigan 21; Marius du Plessis 3/35, Kobus Conradie 2/19); Boland Landbou 169/3 (Stefan Conradie 63, Jan-Albert van Niekerk 47, Marius du Plessis 27*; Matthew Scobble 2/46). Boland Landbou won by seven wickets.
Head coach of South Africa’s u17 girls’ hockey team, Omari Pienaar-Geyer says her side is relishing the opportunity to contest this year’s Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia, which is a little over a week away from its start.
The second edition of the tournament will see the SA u17 boys’ and girls’ sides jetting off to Southeast Asia, with both intent on causing upsets and bringing the respective titles back to Mzansi.
Geyer’s side possesses a wealth of experience, including four girls who represented South Africa at u18 level following the inter-provincial Tournament hosted in Bloemfontein this year.
In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools, the Waterkloof coach outlined the challenges she and her management team faced when selecting the team, which included considering a wide pool of players from all around South Africa.
“It’s always difficult when you have 42 players (18 u16s, 18 u17s, and six u18As) who are eligible and only 18 can make the team,” she said.
“It’s also tricky when you have to leave players out, but we love the fact that we have a pool of strong players and that we have a competitive environment.
“When the convenor and selectors sat down and discussed ideas…the selection was pretty similar, and we easily combined the team.”
In their pool fixtures, South Africa will face a stiff challenge, with matches against Malaysia (A and B teams), India, Australia, and Japan.
The team that tops the pool will face the second placed team from the other pool for a spot in the final, while the other nations will face each other according to their log standings to complete the final rankings.
The South Africans head into the tournament with little preparation together as a unit. The players had to prepare as best they could at their respective schools.
Geyer, however, believes the South African side will be in top shape come their opening fixture against Japan.
“Preparations can’t be described as perfect or the ideal,” said Geyer.
“We’ve been training on the same conditioning programme for five weeks, and we’ve had some centralised Astro sessions in our regions.
“We will embrace the situation and use the opportunity given, regardless of the circumstances we are in, not being able to train together, etc.”
The tournament is a massive opportunity for the players, coaches, and management involved. Good performances by the two national u17 teams, perhaps even winning a title, could persuade the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) and its sponsors to invest more in the sport.
However, for Geyer and her team, the opportunity is about realising dreams. She says it’s every girl’s dream to represent her country at the highest level, and she is happy to see this group do that.
“We would like to cause an upset or two, but our main goals will be relevant to the team and where we are as a unit.
“We also want to represent every single girl who has a dream to represent her country.”
South Africa will kick off their campaign against Japan on Sunday, 19 November, at 15:00.
BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 20: David Teeger of SA Emerging during the CSA One Day Cup, Division 2 final match between ITEC Knights and SA Emerging at Mangaung Oval on October 20, 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Charle Lombard/Gallo Images)
JOHANNESBURG.- Cricket South Africa has today named a provisional 18-player South Africa Under-19s (SA u19s) squad for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 to be held in Sri Lanka from 13 January – 04 February.
The finalized 15-player list and three non-travelling reserves will be announced in December.
Lions batter David Teeger will captain the side, which includes five players new to the SA u19s setup; Esosa Aihevba (Lions), Adam Cannata (Titans), Nqobani Mokoena (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Juan Steyn (Easterns) and Steve Stolk (Titans).
Teeger was part of the squad that toured Bangladesh in July for a five-match Youth ODI series and finished as the top run-scorer with 205 runs at an average of 41.
In preparation for the World Cup, the players will continue to train in their provinces before the squad gathers for a week-long camp in Durban from 09 – 15 December.
The players will then go on to compete in the Khaya Majola Week in Makhanda from 16 – 20 December.
The World Cup squad will travel to Sri Lanka on 26 December where they will participate in a training camp and warm-up matches ahead of the start of the tournament.
Commenting on the squad, SA u19s Convenor of Selectors Patrick Moroney said: “Firstly, I would like to congratulate each of the players for being selected for the provisional squad. It’s great to see the abundance of young talent in South Africa and credit must be given to the provinces for producing a rich pool of players from which we were able to select this squad.
“It’s also been a pleasure to watch how the players have developed over the last two years in the build-up to the World Cup.
“It’s a balanced squad with a strong top 6-7 batting line-up with hard-hitting batters upfront, much like the senior men’s team. The coaching staff have also been working exceptionally hard with the batters on playing spin in preparation of what to expect in the subcontinent.
“From a bowling point of view, a lot of focus has been placed on Kwena (Mphaka), especially after his call up to the South Africa A side earlier this year, and so we’re really looking forward to seeing him along with the rest of bowling unit step up over the next few months.”
Head coach Malibongwe Maketa added: “It is an exciting group of players that have been earmarked for the World Cup and we’re looking forward to building on the experience of the Bangladesh tour. That tour provided an excellent opportunity to assess the players in different conditions.
“The key for us now will be to fine tune our preparation in the upcoming training camps as we look to finalize the squad that will represent South Africa at the World Cup.”
Provisional SA u19s Men’s Squad – ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024
David Teeger (captain, Lions), Esosa Aihevba (Lions), Adam Cannata (Titans), Bennie Hansen (Western Province), Juan James (Western Province), Martin Khumalo (Easterns), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Dewan Marais (Easterns), Riley Norton (Boland), Nqobani Mokoena (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Romashan Pillay (KwaZula-Natal Coastal), Sipho Potsane (Lions), Lhuan-dré Pretorius (Lions), Richard Seletswane (Lions), Juan Steyn (Easterns), Oliver Whitehead (Western Province), Steve Stolk (Titans), and Ntando Zuma (KwaZulu-Natal Inland).
Wian Ruthven‘s ruthless century and Hernus Marais‘ fantastic five-wicket hall steered Waterkloof to a third consecutive Fain Noordvaal title on Saturday.
Michaelhouse was delightfully decked out in dashes of pink for the annual PinkDrive end-of-season clash against their old rivals, Hilton College, in basketball, water polo and cricket. The Roy Gathorne Oval, especially, was attractively decorated with pink in support of the cancer-fighting non-profit organisation.
St Andrew’s College clinched a 68-run victory over Pearson in their own backyard on Saturday, thanks to a spectacular batting performance by William Beamish.
Head coach of South Africa’s u17 girls’ hockey team, Omari Pienaar-Geyer says her side is relishing the opportunity to contest this year’s Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia, which is a little over a week away from its start.
