KZN Inland’s Khaya Majola Week squad named
The KZN Inland u19 squad for the Khaya Majola Week features only one player, Netanzi Denenga, who represented the province at last year’s week, where the team finished fourth after a narrow 15-run defeat to The Titans in the third-place playoff.
Only five players from 2023’s KZN Inland u16 squad – Ben Hockly (Hilton College), Sphamandla Dzanibe (Maritzburg College), Daniel Nadasan (Maritzburg College), Radhesh Jhilmeet (Michaelhouse), and Siphosethu Ngcobo (Ikusaselihle High) – have made the step up to the senior side.
The squad, though, includes many players who have performed outstandingly well in 2024. Both Chad Mason (Maritzburg College) and Cian Fortmann (St Charles College) bettered 1 000 runs in the calendar year while also performing well with the ball.
The right-handed Mason bats near the top of the order and is also a more than useful spin bowler, which he demonstrated when he was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker at the St John’s Rams T20 in Harare.
Fortmann, a left-hander, opens the batting and can be brutal against wayward bowling. Early in the year, in the Clifton Centenary T20 Tournament, he blasted an eye-opening 153 not out from only 76 balls in a win over Hilton College.
Speaking of Hilton, besides Denenga, they’ve had two batsmen who’ve been among the runs selected for the KZN Inland side. Ben Hockly’s excellence was recognised when he was selected for the South Africa u19 Emerging side that scored a 5-0 series whitewash over Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. Charles Swart, who has scored centuries against Paul Roos Gimnasium and Kearsney College this term, also cracked the nod.
Apart from Mason and the aforementioned Sphamnadla Dzanibe, a left-arm paceman, who trends towards being a bowling all-rounder, Maritzburg College is also represented by opening batsman Daniel Nadasan. He’s not usually the fastest of scorers, but he is solid and makes bowlers graft every bit as hard for his wicket as he grafts for his runs.
Joining Cian Fortmann, from St Charles, are Marcell Wellmann, Rowen Rajah, and Kwanele Nqayi.
Wellmann has enjoyed an excellent year as captain of Saints, leading them to the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League title while delivering with both bat and ball. He’s a left-hander, too, and his nagging left-arm spin gives the KZN Inland team a bowler who can tie down one end and still attack. Wellman is, furthermore, a solid performer with the bat near the top of the order.
Rajah, meanwhile, joined Hilton’s Ben Hockly in the SA u19 Emerging team. He offers proper pace and, on a wicket that offers a little help, he can be an absolute handful.
Nqayi, a batsman, is talented but can be a little inconsistent. For him, it’s about playing himself in before trying to press on.
Michaelhouse provides Radhesh Jhilmeet and Ross Moller to the side. Jhilmeet has some pace to him and with that comes his ability to extract something out of the wicket to remove batsmen. Moller, meanwhile, is as steady as they come as far as opening bowlers are concerned. He doesn’t offer express pace, but his control of line and length is exemplary and builds pressure. It usually brings him wickets at an economical rate.
The only player from outside of the four schools that traditionally make up the KZN Inland side is Siphosethu Ngcobo, from Ikusaselihle High. It’s a tremendous achievement for him to make the side when one considers that he has far fewer opportunities than the other team members to test himself week in and week out against top opposition.
KZN INLAND KHAYA MAJOLA SQUAD
Natenzi Denenga (Hilton College), Sphamandla Dzanibe (Maritzburg College), Cian Fortmann (St Charles College), Ben Hockly (Hilton College), Radhesh Jhilmeet (Michaelhouse), Chad Mason (Maritzburg College), Ross Moller (Michaelhouse), Daniel Nadasan (Maritzburg College), Siphosethu Ngcobo (Ikusaselihle High), Kwanele Nqayi (St Charles College), Rowen Rajah (St Charles College), Charles Swart (Hilton College), Marcell Wellmann (St Charles College)
Non-travelling reserves
Sechaba Gude (Hilton College), Llewellyn Sutherland (Maritzburg College), Ethan van Heerden (Hilton College)
Management
Head coach: David Griffiths (Hilton College)
Assistant coach: Lwandiswa Zuma (Michaelhouse)
Manager: Suvedh Ramprith (Drakensview)
