Newlands is SA Schools’ Achilles heel once again
There was a sense of déjà vu when the South African Schools and South African Schools Colts sides met at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday in the last match of the school season for 2024.
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Just like in 2018, when Proteas’ teammates, Tristan Stubbs (SA Schools), Gerald Coetzee (SA Schools), and Marco Jansen (SA Schools Colts), met at one of the most scenic cricketing venues in the world, the SA Colts came out on top.
After being sent in to bat first by the SA Schools’ captain, Beni Hansen, Adnaan Lagadien got his side off to a flyer with a quickfire 20 before he lost his off-stump to the bowling of Khaya Majola bowler and player of the tournament, Raeeq Daniels.
Left-arm offspinner, Enathi Kitshini (2/12), did the same shortly after, bowling opener Sabelo Mabanga, for the first of his two wickets.
The Colts’ captain, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka, quickly settled in at the crease, however, and combined nicely with Pranav Raichetti as the pair compiled a sensible and constructive 50-run partnership.
It came to an end when Maritzburg College‘s star legspinner, Chad Mason, provided a timely breakthrough by picking up the scalp of Raichetti after he tried to accelerate the run rate towards the back end of the innings.
Phahlamohloka kept up his rapid strike rate, which was well north of 100, with a couple of entertaining shots before he tried to be a little too cheeky, which led to him being caught off the bowling of Nqobani Mokoena. The Cornwall College man fell just four runs short of a half-century, out for 46. His knock, though, boosted the Colts to a competitive 145/8 after their 20 overs.
Daniels captured two more wickets in the final over to finish with a memorable return of 3/15.
The SA Schools innings got off to a rollicking start, with St David’s Marist Inanda‘s Jason Rowles blasting 14 off the first over. However, he and his opening partner, Christian Kind, were soon sent packing, which put the SA Schools side under pressure.
Armaan Manack and Dekalo Leketa fought back with a solid 54-run partnership, but, Steve Stolk, who had already removed the dangerous Ross Coetzee, struck again to send Manack on his way for 48, the top score of the day.
Stolk, then, landed another massive blow for the Colts, claiming the scalp of Hansen for a duck in the same over. He finished with a crucial haul of 3/19 from his four-over spell.
With the writing on the wall, Leketa kept fighting but he became one of three victims of Sandiswa Yeni, who had Leketa caught by Dayalan Boyce for 28.
Boyce supported his fellow quick, Yeni, well, knocking over 2/21 to help steer the Colts towards a memorable victory. Yeni finished with an outstanding 3/15 to match Raeeq Daniels’ effort for the SA Schools’ side.
Summarised scorecard
SA Colts 145/8 (Lethabo Phahlamohlaka 47, Pranav Raichetti 36, Adnaan Lagadien 20; Raeeq Daniels 3/15, Enathi Kitshini 2/12, Nqobani Mokoena 2/37); SA Schools 120/10 (Armaan Manack 48, Dakalo Leketa 28; Steve Stolk 3/19, Sandiswa Yeni 3/15, Dayalan Boyce 2/21).
SA Colts won by 25 runs.
