Luphelo Mdyesha a dangerman in Graeme College’s Schools SA20 title bid
Graeme College’s Schools SA20 finals team is replete with talented youngsters. They have a 15-year-old starlet, Corbin Tidbury, and the dependable duo of Andrew Muir and Enrique Strydom. However, the story of Graeme College’s cricket programme over the past two years would not be complete without mentioning Luphelo Mdyesha.
Mdyesha has been turning heads since he was 11. Back then, he played in Motherwell Cricket Club’s u12 team. That was a harbinger of things to come.
Mdyesha has been playing up the age groups since then. He made his debut for the Graeme College 1st XI while he was in Grade 7.
Mdyesha’s performances quickly caught the attention of the Eastern Province selectors. Two years ago, they showed their belief and trust in his abilities by appointing him the captain of the Eastern Province u16 team. Last year, in July, he was among the players invited to Durban for a Cricket South Africa u17 camp.
“Luphelo is a talented young man. He has a great defensive game and a wide array of attacking shots,” Odwa Xonxa, the Graeme College head coach, shared.
Xonxa said that Mdyesha has held his own since making his 1st XI debut, he is only now coming of age as a cricketer.
“His decision-making has improved by a long way. He now has better game management,” the coach explained.
Mdyesha has scored several centuries for Graeme College since his 1st XI debut. However, his finest century occurred earlier this year, when the teenager stroked a sensational 138 in a declaration match against Muir College, which underscored Xonxa’s assessment that Mdyesha has grown in his game.
Mdyesha isn’t just an outstanding batsman. He is also a phenomenal fielder and a tidy spinner. Xonxa lauded Mdyesha’s mastery of leg- and off-spin, which has consistently delivered important wickets for Graeme College. In the match against Muir, he snared 7/17 to engineer the opposition’s collapse.
“It was one of the best [all-round] performances in the school’s history,” Xonxa reckoned.
However, Mdyesha’s value is not limited to what he can do on the field. He is also a leader in the dressing room and provides his captain, Andrew Muir, with a good sounding board. His experience at provincial level, both as a captain and player, makes his insights invaluable.
Mdyesha is an X-factor player and can turn the game with bat, ball, or in the field. When you combine his skills with his teammates’ skills, you have a team that stands a shot at the Schools SA20 title.
