Lions, Impalas and Badgers shine in action-packed T20s in Gqeberha
The third day of the CSA Girls U16 National Week in Gqeberha saw the players take the field for two rounds of T20 cricket. The shorter format promised tight contests, and it delivered.
In the morning matches, the Central Gauteng Lions secured one of the biggest wins of the round, beating Free State by seven wickets on the Monahan Oval at Woodridge College, while the Limpopo Impalas recorded the highest team total of the day, 155, in a 72-run win over Northern Cape.
Lucilla Ramosala was the mainstay of the Lions’ victory. Her 44 from just 33 deliveries ensured her side chased down a victory target of 119 inside 14 overs. She received strong support from Biotumelo Chuene, who added a valuable 30 at just under a run a ball.
The Impalas also delivered a well-rounded batting performance. Their march to 155 at HTS Daniel Pienaar was led by Ntsakiso Mukhavela, who patiently compiled 38. Although they did not bowl out the Northern Capetonians, the Limpopo attack combined well to restrict the opposition to 83/5 in their 20 overs.
In contrast, the clash between Easterns and Eastern Province was a thriller, ending in a tense one-wicket victory for Eastern Province.
Morgan de Souza proved decisive, with her superb 4/8 in three overs on Woodridge’s Rushmere Oval playing a big part in restricting Easterns to just 63 all out. However, that proved to be almost enough. The impressive Nadine Wells captured 4/21 in four overs as Easterns came ever so close to successfully defending the low total.
Jeze Campher, of the SWD Garden Route Badgers, delivered her second outstanding performance in as many days to steer her side to a 19-run triumph over the Eastern Cape Iinyathi at Summerwood.
A crucial, unbeaten 33 helped her team out of early trouble and on to 82/5 from their 20 overs. Then, she turned the screws on the Iinyathi reply, keeping their batters in check while snaring 2/6 in four overs. At the end of their 20 overs, the Iinyathi had reached 63/7.
Diarabilwe Ngubeni produced a nearly-identical all-round display. The only difference between her performance and Campher’s was a single extra run conceded in her four overs, but she also claimed another wicket, returning 3/7 and an unbeaten 33 in the North West Dragons’ three-wicket victory over the Titans at Woodridge’s Knight Field.
Western Province‘s Miya Lalor continued her outstanding form, scoring 46 and taking 2/9 in a 20-run win over The Dolphins on Archibald Field, at Woodridge, while Mpumalanga edged out The Dolphins’ neighbours, The Tuskers, by two wickets at Daniel Pienaar. Zelné Hattingh was, once again, to the fore for Mpumalanga, top scoring with 22.
At Westering, Isabela Mouton knocked back 4/3 as Kei tallied 63/9, and Lize de Waal, with 28, and Chemeka Williams, with 19, shared an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 41 to see Boland to a five-wicket win over Kei. They had been in big trouble early, on 4/4 in the fourth over of their reply.
Summarised Scorecards
SWD Garden Route Badgers 82/5 (Jeze Campher 33*, Iminathi Mofana 11; Nayanna Johnson 2/6, Sanda Fikisi 1/12); Eastern Cape Iinyathi 63/7 (Zoe Knoetze 11; Jeze Campher 2/6, Chinique Claasen 1/3). SWD Garden Route Badgers won by 19 runs.
Titans 80/8 (Jessica Fourie 28; Diarabilwe Ngubeni 3/7, Reabetswe Dithipe 2/10, Gogontle Padi 2/18); North West 81/7 (Diarabilwe Ngubeni 33*, Gogontle Padi 25; Mieke Reynolds 2/10, Palesa Mofokeng 2/10). North West won by three wickets.
Tuskers 111/7 (Ezamajiya Gwala 25, Siphokazi Shezi 17; Snothando Nkosi 3/14, Omphile Mandi 2/13, Dineo Mlimo 1/21); Mpumalanga 113/8 (Zelne Hattingh 22, Zoey Barnard 19; Lesego Motsepa 3/32, Carli Hughes 2/22, Siphokazi Xaba 1/22). Mpumalanga won by two wickets.
Easterns 63/10 (Bruzaan Goosen 20*; Morgan De Souza 4/8, Asekho Gova 2/4, Unakho Gitywa 2/5); Eastern Province 64/9 (Unakho Gitywa 16, Tana Sinclair 15; Refiloe Majola 4/8, Nadine Wells 4/21). Eastern Province won by one wicket.
Kei 63/9 (Siphosethu Gogozayo 13; Isabela Mouton 4/3, Abigail Schuur 2/13); Boland 64/5 (Lize de Waal 28*, Chemeka Williams 19*; Kwanele Kratshi 2/4, Inam Majambe 2/17). Boland won by five wickets.
Free State 118/4 (Thando Nelane 28, Mia Daacke 23, Reneesha Wales 19*; Alyssa Edwards 1/7, Nonhlanhla Danisa 1/22, Samkelisiwe Mthembu 1/19); Lions 119/3 (Lucilla Ramosala 44, Boitumelo Chuene 30, Srilekha Medisetti 22; Thando Nelane 2/22, Zanele Carelzen 1/22). Lions won by seven wickets.
Western Province 89/5 (Miya Lalor 46, Zaurah Titus 11*; Anelisa Mhlongo 2/5, Sthembile Dlamini 2/8); Dolphins 69/9 (Yamkela Shange 13*, Ziya Mohanlall 10; Zita Logenstain 2/5, Miya Lalor 2/9, Avene Pita 2/11, Morgan Simpson 2/8). Western Province won by 20 runs.
Limpopo Impalas 155/6 (Ntsakiso Mukhavela 38, Palesa Mathebula 25, Alicia Mukhandi Masela 23*; Christenique Bosch 1/2, Bokao Ntuane 1/15); Northern Cape 83/5 (Brianna Arthur 35, Mosa Motlhaping 10; Pontsho Refilwe Mopayi 1/2, Palesa Mathebula 1/4). Limpopo Impalas won by 72 runs.
