Merensky off to a rollicking Schools SA20 start
A strong side from Merensky Landbou Akademie made a rollicking start to their challenge for the honours in the Limpopo regional leg of the Schools SA20 on 16 October.
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Facing one of their Super 8 League rivals, the Phalaborwa Hub, the team from Tzaneen came away with a convincing 53-run victory to send out a strong message to other sides intent on lifting the title.
It was a victory set up by the Merensky bowlers.
Batting first at home, though, they mustered only 103 all out. There were few scores of note, but a captain’s knock of 32 by the talented all-rounder Luka Heinlein and 25 from opening batsman Bernard Wandrag helped the Plasies reach triple figures. However, they appeared to be in a spot of bother.
Lesley Zimba did the bulk of the damage for the Phalaborwa Hub, capturing 3/19 in his four overs. Tholane Mgomane (2/13) and Aki Molapo (2/21) also made life difficult for Merensky, but the host’s bowlers, then, turned the contest on its head with some good bowling of their own.
The off-spinner, Rinaldo Bornman, and medium-pacer, Xander Schoeman, struck early and hard to blunt the visitor’s hopes. Within the first five overs, they reduced the Phalaborwa Hub to a wobbly 11/4.
The visitors were unable to recover from that devastating early setback and lost wickets at regular intervals. They lasted until the final ball of the penultimate over but were bowled out for a disappointing 50.
A day later, on 17 October, Merensky Landbou’s batting came to light when they tackled a very young side from Stanford Lake College. The top three in their order all recorded half-centuries, with Rinaldo “Borries” Bornman making an impact with the willow this time by top-scoring with 75 from only 38 balls, which included 13 fours and one six.
He was able to attack after a solid foundation had been laid by the openers, Bernard Wandrag and James Durant. Wandrag continued his good form from the previous day, charging to 63 from 41 balls, while Durant batted well for his 52 runs from 37 deliveries.
Stanford’s Nakedi Makweya did a good job spearheading the young attack. He was, unfortunately for Stanford Lake, his side’s only successful bowler, snapping up two wickets in his four-over spell.
The Plasie bowlers, again, wasted no time stamping their authority on proceedings. This time around it was the variations between leg- and off-spin from Cashan Jacobsz that did the trick. He conceded only three runs an over while picking up three wickets in his four overs.
Bornman backed up his batting performance with another noteworthy outing with the ball. He, too, conceded only 12 runs from his four overs and claimed two wickets.
Captain Luka Heinlein also starred with a return of 2/6 from three oversm as Stanford Lake was brushed aside, all out for only 41, still 189 runs short of the required victory target.
Summarized scorecards
Merensky Landbou 103/10 (Luka Heinlein 32, Bernard Wandrag 25; Lesley Zimba 3/19, Tholane Mgomane 2/13, Aki Molapo 2/21); Phalaborwa Hub 50/10 (Lesley Zimba 14; Rinaldo Bornman 2/6, Xander Schoeman 2/18). Merensky won by 53 runs.
Merensky Landbou 229/3 (Rinaldo Bornman 75, Bernard Wandrag 63, James Durant 52; Nakedi Makweya 2/45); Stanford Lake College 41/10 (Matthew Schruven 13; Cashan Jacobsz 3/12, Luka Heinlein 2/6, Rinaldo Bornman 2/12). Merensky won by 188 runs.
