Mohodi magnificent in Mokopane, Pietersburg still unbeaten
The defending champions of the Limpopo Super 8 League, Mohodi Boys Hub, showed signs that they have what it takes to successfully defend their title on Saturday.
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They impressed in a victory over Hoërskool Piet Potgieter, a dark horse title challenger, in their round-robin clash in Mokopane.
A tremendous bowling display from their mainstay, Kamogelo Morema, who was well supported by Nyedi Photona, laid the platform for the visitor’s victory.
Morema, who was a member of the 2023 Mohodi side that made history by becoming the first Hub team in South Africa to win a Premier League trophy, showed his experience as he returned a splendid 3/4 from four overs.
Photona stole the limelight with his opening spell, however. Maintaining a consistent line and length, he tore through the Piet Pot top order to capture 4/21 from six overs. Only Piet Potgieter’s captain, Aeron Vaidyan, seemed comfortable at the crease as he top-scored with 30 runs from 33 deliveries, but his side slumped to a disappointing 103 all out.
Mohodi’s other seasoned campaigner, Victor Sehata, then, shone with the bat. He played with confidence, tallying an unbeaten 58 from 62 deliveries at the top of the order to steer the Hub team to a much-needed five-wicket victory.
Merensky Landbou Akademie’s head coach, Stebian van der Walt, would have enjoyed his team’s return to winning ways on Saturday, with the Plasies stamping their authority on proceedings in a convincing nine-wicket victory over Nkowankowa Boys Hub.
Wicketkeeper/batsman JP Botha was, once again, the star of the show. With Merensky needing only 79 to win, he paced his innings nicely, accelerating towards the end and signing off with a boundary to finish with an unbeaten 51 from just 34 deliveries.
Luka Heinlein and Timothy Baker were again the standouts with the ball. Heinlein picked up 3/18 in five overs, while Baker’s left-arm spin brought him a return of 3/28.
Hoërskool Pietersburg, the only unbeaten side in the league, kept their clean record intact. The men from the Limpopo capital thrashed their old rivals, Hoërskool Ben Vorster, by nine wickets. A good all-round bowling performance, led by young AJ Galloway’s 3/7, restricted the Vossies to only 79 all out.
Dian Gouws made light work of the small target, striking an unbeaten 47, while Nicholaas Oerlemans weighed in with 23 not out as the Pieties crossed the line in the tenth over.
Summarised scorecards
Piet Potgieter 103/10 (Extras 36, Aeron Vaidyan 30; Nyedi Photona 4/21, Kamogelo Morema 3/4); Mohodi Boys Hub 106/5 (Victor Sehata 58*; Du Preez Coetzee 2/27, Ruben Oosthuizen 2/33). Mohodi Boys Hub won by five wickets.
Nkowankowa Boys Hub 78/10 (Nhlalala Malungani 18; Luka Heinlein 3/18, Timothy Baker 3/28, Rinaldo Borman 2/12); Merensky 79/2 (JP Botha 51*; Nhlalala Malungani 1/16). Merensky won by eight wickets.
Ben Vorster 79/10 (Extras 22, Anton Lourens 13; AJ Galloway 3/7, Ignus Ferrera 2/19, Andreas Jansen 2/29); Hoërskool Pietersburg 80/1 (Dian Gouws 47*, Nicholaas Oerlemans 23*; Kulani Mnisi 1/41). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by nine wickets.
