Five players to watch at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival
With the excitement building ahead of the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, to be hosted by St Alban’s College in Pretoria, it seems as if bowlers could have a hard time when they come up against some of the best batsmen in the country.
Adnaan Lagadien, arguably South Africa’s leading batsman at school level thus far in the 2023/24 season, leads an impressive Bishops‘ batting line-up, alongside his excellent opening partner, Kashief Joseph.
Lagadien has been in astonishing form and will surely enjoy the conditions in Pretoria, which are usually good for batting.
In January, Lagadien scored the first and only double-century (218*) of 2024 thus far in his side’s opening game against Hilton College at the Peninsula Cricket Festival. Since then, he’s produced many more superb performances, including another unbeaten ton (112*) in Bishops’ win over Rondebosch in the annual BishBosch T20.
Joe MacRobert, St John’s College‘s premier batsman, will be another one to keep an eye on. He is also in scintillating form and has the ability to tear opposing bowling attacks to shreds with his aggressive striking and high rate of scoring.
Macrobert has been, by far, the Johannesburg-based side’s leading run-getter in 2024 and boasts an impressive 269 runs at an average of 67.25 in his last four appearances.
That tally includes two half-centuries and a masterful 106 runs against Noordheuwel in the Johnny Waite T20 competition.
Also in the mix is another classy top-order batsman. St Stithians‘ captain Emile Odendaal has led the way for the side from Sandton and is his team’s leading run scorer. What impresses most about Odendaal is the mature manner he has of going about his batting.
Usually, he starts slowly, but he possesses an invaluable ability to put his foot on the gas at exactly the right moment to take the game away from Saints’ opponents. One of his best innings this season was an outstanding 112 against Jeppe High School for Boys in a declaration match at the end of January.
Kearsney College all-rounder Ross Coetzee will also seek to stamp his authority on the festival as one of the best talents among South Africa’s independent schools.
Coetzee also dons the captain’s armband for the side from KwaZulu-Natal. His abilities with the bat at the top of the order, as a clean and powerful striker of the ball, provide a stable base for the Kearsney batting lineup.
His contributions with the ball, as a dangerous off-spin bowler, also play an integral part in a balanced bowling attack.
With an established record of success, which included scoring 739 runs and taking 59 wickets in 2023, Coetzee is clearly one of the top all-rounders in the country, and he is already on course to comfortably eclipse his run-scoring feats of last year. One of his better batting efforts came in Kearsney’s only loss of 2024, when he scored 107 against Durban High School. But there have been many more impactful knocks.
St David’s Marist Inanda‘s opponents will have their hands full when coming up against the Sandton-based side’s impressive batting line-up. Leading the way will be the talented Armaan Manack.
Opening the batting, Manack has put many bowling lineups to the sword during the course of the 2023/24 season and he enters the festival in red-hot form, having already scored two centuries this year.
His standout performance was an astonishing 174 runs in a 50-over clash against St Alban’s College in early February. Manack’s fluent batting style and ability to score at a rapid pace are his best attributes.
Together with his brother, Morteza, and captain, Matthew West, St David’s possesses a trio of batsmen with the ability to put any bowling attack under severe stress.
