The KZN Coastal team continue to notch up the wins at the 2023 Coca-Cola Khaya Majola U19 Cricket Week. Having enjoyed wins over the Titans and Western Province, Coastals rode rough shod over Eastern Province to remain unbeaten. Ross Coetzee played well for his unbeaten 66 runs and there were handy contributions by Hayden Bishop (50) and Bandile Mbatha (48) to see their team to a match winning total of 226/7. Glenwood’s Ntando Soni was again electric with his seam bowling claiming 3/11 and helping to bundle EP all out for just 95 runs.
Boland will be happy with a dominant performance over Free State who have thus far struggled to live with the top teams at this year’s Khaya Majola Week. Reaching 246/6 off their 50 overs thanks to half centuries by Riley Norton (84*), Paarl Boys High’s Johan Wege (50) and Josh Jordan (52), Boland stymied the Free State run chase, bowling them out 75 runs short of the target. Juanrico Vorster proved to be far too good for the Free Staters with his return of 4/28.
The biggest arm wrestle of day three was undoubtedly the Titans v Western Province match. Rondebosch’s Alex Combrink bowling his leg-break proved effective on a pitch that offered assistance to the spinners. Claiming 4/40 and limiting Titans to 230/9, Western Province would have back themselves to get over the line however it wasn’t to be as the WP batters never got going and fell 16 runs short of the victory. Benjamin Hansen however was again in the runs and scored a fine 111* in a losing cause.
Central Gauteng narrowly outplayed KZN Inland in a great game of cricket which could have gone either way. Luke Francis top scored for Gauteng with 73 with none of their big names getting amongst the runs thanks to some penetrative bowling from Ross Boast who removed Lhuan-Dre Pretorius in the first over. Chasing down 196 runs would prove to be a step too far for Inland who crumbled to 167 all out with Fayaaz Vawda ending with 4/31 in a match winning spell.
Ludwich Schulds scored his second century of the week when he led North West to a 4 wicket win over Border. Schulds who reached three figures against Kei, was unbeaten on 113 runs in a brilliant batting display against a Border side that thanks to Ben and Jacques Van der Merwe posted a competitive total.
Results:
KZN Coastals 226/7 (Ross Coetzee 66*, Hayden Bishop 50, Bandile Mbatha 48) beat Eastern Province 95 AO (Ntando Soni 3/11) by 131 runs
Boland 246/6 (Riley Norton 84*, Johan Wege 50, Josh Jordaan 52) beat Free State 171 AO (Juanrico Vorster 4/28) by 75 runs
Titans 230/9 (Lethabo Phahlamohlana 52 & Alex Combrink 4/40) beat Western Province 214 AO (Benjamin Hansen 111*) by 16 runs
Central Gauteng 196/8 (Luke Francis 73 & Ross Boast 2/30, C.Strudwick 2/24) beat KZN Inland 167 AO (Fayaaz Vawda 4/31) by 29 runs
North West 217/6 (L.Schulds 113*) beat Border 214 AO (Jacques Van Der Merwe 70, Ben Van Der Merwe 59) by 4 wickets
Mpumalanga 67/1 beat Kei 68 AO (D.Eicker 3/9) by 9 wickets
Garden Route Badgers 274/6 (E.Spies 61, Z.Greyling 66) beat Easterns 225 AO (S.Mabanga 65, T.Van Schalkwyk 57 & S.May 4 /31) by 49 runs
