Lions aiming for third successive title
STELLENBOSCH. – The bizhub Highveld Lions’ Cubs side will attempt to bag their third successive Cricket South Africa’s Cubs Week title when they face the Unlimited Titans in the final of the eighth edition of the tournament tomorrow in Stellenbosch.
The Lions booked their place in the final with a comprehensive nine wicket victory over the Sunfoil Dolphins. The team from KwaZulu-Natal won the toss and elected to have a bat, but could only manage to score 125 runs before being bowled out.
The Lions’ opening bowlers Conor McKerr (3/20) and Brandon Glover (3/31) as well as leg spinner Juan Landsberg (3/31) all managed to bag three of the Dolphins’ wickets. Sebastian Green (58*) and Tony de Zorzi (36*) got the Lions past the Dolphins with only one wicket down.
The Titans’, Dean Foxcroft (82), produced yet another impressive performance as he steered his side to a four wicket victory over the Nashua Cape Cobras to secure a place in the final. Foxcroft had to keep the innings together as both the his side’s opening batsmen, Janneman Malan and Evan Jones, didn’t trouble the scorers at all and left the Titans in trouble at 2/2. He shared two valuable partnerships with Stefan Klopper (32*) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (32).
The Zimbabwean spin bowler, Jeremy Ives (4/34), bagged a hat-trick of wickets as he made the Chevrolet Warriors stumble to a 46-run defeat. Ives removed Bamanye Xenxe (12), Craig Sansom (20) and Stephan Tait (0) with successive deliveries in the 40th over. Zimbabwe only defended 168 runs with Tim Niemand (4/45) causing most of the damage to their innings.
The Chevrolet Knights’ South African Schools’ opening batsman, Koot Pienaar (39), got an innings going for the first time of the tournament against the South African Invitational under-17 side, but it could not keep his side from a six wicket defeat. When he was dismissed by Okuhle Cele (3/26) the Knights was on 53/2.
The central franchise lost their next five wickets for only 27 runs. The national side’s spin bowler, Lesego Senokwane (5/31), picked up his second five wicket-haul of the tournament. For the victorious side Gavin Kaplan (70*) and Wiaan Mulder (29) made valuable contributions with the bat in hand.
Summarised Scorecards:
Nashua Cape Cobras 187/7 (Dayyaan Galiem 58, Kyle Verreynne 40, Heinrich Odendaal 36; Willie Ludick 2/48); Unlimited Titans 188/6 (Dean Foxcroft 82, Stefan Klopper 32, Rivaldo Moonsamy 32; Reinhardt Fortuin 3/43). Unlimited Titans won by four wickets.
Sunfoil Dolphins 125 (Gavin Morris 29; Conor McKerr 3/20, Brandon Glover 3/31, Juan Landsberg 3/31); bizhub Highveld Lions 127/1 (Sebastian Green 58*, Tony de Zorzi 36*; Lungi Ngidi 1/15). bizhub Highveld Lions won by nine wickets.
Chevrolet Knights 127 (Koot Pienaar 39, Tshepo Ntuli 26; Lesego Senokwane 5/31, Okuhle Cele 3/26); South Africa u17 Invitational 131/4 (Gavin Kaplan 70*, Wiaan Mulder 29; Marno van Greuning 3/22). South Africa u17 Invitational won by six wickets.
Zimbabwe 168 (Shaun Snyder 74; Tim Niemand 4/45, Bamanye Xenxe 2/27); Chevrolet Warriors 122 (Craig Sansom 20; Jeremy Ives 4/34, Kundai Matigimu 2/5, Tatenda Chiradza 2/20). Zimbabwe won by 46 runs.
