Lions and SA u17 in Cubs Week final
STELLENBOSCH. – The bizhub Highveld Lions and the South African under-17 side will face off in Cricket South Africa’s Cubs Week’s first final since the inception of the tournament in 2009. The Lions are the defending champions and defeated the national side by only one wicket in their clash on the opening day of this year’s tournament.
The match between the Sunfoil Dolphins and the South African u17-side produced two centuries. The national side’s opening batsman, Janneman Malan (127) recorded the first century of the 2014 edition of the tournament at Coetzenburg. Malan also scored a double century (214) last year at Pniel during the national u17 tournament also hosted by Stellenbosch against Border. He faced 159 deliveries in his innings against the Dolphins of which he dispatched 16 past the boundary rope with another clearing the boundary rope.
The other century has been scored by the in-form Greg Oldfield (123*). His unbeaten century was however not enough to help his team record their first victory during the tournament. He was part of the national u19-side which toured India last year and have impressed with both the bat and ball during the Cubs Week after a disappointing Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week in Durban last year. The national u17-side won the match by 22 runs.
The Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras defeated the Chevrolet Knights by four wickets. The team’s Jason Smith (52), Niel Botha (39), Clyde Fortuin (35) and Zubayr Hamza (30) all chipped in with invaluable contributions to help their team reach the target of 218 runs for victory set to them by the Knights.
For the Knights Hanco Olivier (48) and Christian Steyn (44) shared an opening partnership of 98 runs. The middle order could however not cash in on the good start with only GM Bruwer (43) making some valuable runs. The Cobras’ seam bowler, Hayes van der Berg had the best return of all bowlers on the fourth day. He got rid of six Knights’ batsmen for a mere 16 runs.
Zimbabwe secured their first victory of the tournament with their victory of two wickets over the Chevrolet Warriors. This was also the first defeat the Warriors suffered during the tournament. They could only manage 129 runs before being bowled out with Kirwin Christoffels (44) making the biggest contribution. Kieran Geyle (4/19) and Dylan Hondo (3/23) caused the most damage to the Warriors’ batting line-up.
Zimbabwe reached the winning runs in the 48th over. Bradley Bopp (3/23) and Richard Maree (3/24) made the Zimbabweans work hard for their runs.
The Lions came out on top by six wickets against the Unlimited Titans. The Titans reached 184/9 in their allotted overs with Leus du Plooy (89*) the star with his half-century. Nicholas Scholtz (4/41) was the pick of the Lions’ bowlers. For the Lions, Marques Ackerman (75) and Lee Gruskin (48) scored the majority of the runs.
Fixtures for Thursday, 9 January 2014
Bizhub Highveld Lions vs. South Africa u17 at Tassies Oval
Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras vs. Chevrolet Warriors at Distell
Unlimited Titans vs. Chevrolet Knights at Van der Stel
Sunfoil Dolphins vs. Zimbabwe at Pniel
Summarised Scorecards:
South Africa u17 280/6 (Janneman Malan 127, Dayyaan Galiem 66, Andile Phehlukwayo 46*); Sunfoil Dolphins 257 (Greg Oldfield 123*; Keith Dudgeon 3/56). South Africa u17 won by 22 runs.
Chevrolet Knights 217/9 (Hanco Olivier 48, Christian Steyn 44, GM Bruwer 43; Hayes van der Berg 6/16); Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras 218/6 (Jason Smith 52, Niel Botha 39; Sachinta Galhenhage 2/42). Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras won by four wickets.
Unlimited Titans 184/9 (Leus du Plooy 89*, Aiden Markram 41; Nicholas Scholtz 4/41, Yaseen Valli 2/19); bizhub Highveld Lions 185/4 (Marques Ackerman 75. Lee Gruskin 47; Kofi Apea-Adu 1/11). bizhub Highveld Lions won by six wickets.
Chevrolet Warriors 129 (Kirwin Christoffels 44; Kieran Geyle 4/19, Dylan Hondo 3/23); Zimbabwe 130/8 (Bradley Bopp 3/23, Richard Maree 3/24). Zimbabwe won by two wickets.
