Northern Cape Khaya Majola squad announced
Thirteen players from nine schools make up the Northern Cape u19 squad for the Khaya Majola Week, which takes place in Bloemfontein from 16 to 21 December.
Hoërskool Diamantveld has the highest representation, with four players in the line-up.
The Northern Cape Switch Schools SA20 champion, Hoërskool Kalahari, has two players in the squad, and the other seven schools have one each.
Roy Adams, of St Patrick’s CBC, is the head coach.
Diamantveld pace bowlers, Benjamin Potgieter and Danie van der Merwe, were also members of the Northern Cape side in 2024.
Van Der Merwe has recorded 6/148 across 42 overs in five matches for the Northern Cape provincial side thus far. His economy rate of 3.52 runs per over is an impressive feat in the 50-over format in which the Khaya Majola Week is played.
Diamantveld all-rounder, Nathan Baird, also returns for a second year in the provincial team. He enjoyed strong success in 40 overs last year, capturing 14/151.
St Boniface High all-rounder, Tebogo Mgobo, is the fourth of five returning players. In 2024, he picked up 7/125 in 50 overs, with his economy rate of 2.49 runs per over catching the eye. The ability to stifle scoring often leads to wickets in the limited overs form of the game.
The other returning player is Northern Cape High‘s Luqman Gool, who is also an all-rounder.
Most of the returning players performed better with the ball than the bat last year. Then again, the Khaya Majola Week, hosted in the Western Cape, very much tilted in favour of the bowlers with only Pranav Raichetti, of the Central Gauteng Lions, and Naudé Botha, of the Free State, scoring centuries.
In Bloemfontein, where conditions will be similar to those in which the Northern Cape schools play their cricket, there is likely to be a more even contest between bat and ball.
NORTHERN CAPE SQUAD
1. Benjamin Potgieter (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
2. Garren Stonestreet (Hoërskool Kathu)
3. Rethabile Mabuya (Tetlanyo Secondary)
4. Faizaan Kajee (St. Patrick’s CBC)
5. Noah Breyl (Karoo Tuisskool)
6. Tshidiso Mpofu (K.P. Toto Technical & Commercial)
7. Nathan Baird (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
8. Luqman Gool (Northern Cape High)
9. Hanru Rademeyer (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
10. Karl Thole (Hoërskool Kalahari)
11. Danie van der Merwe (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
12. Tebogo Mgobo (St Boniface High)
13. Kopano Mosenyane (Hoërskool Kalahari)
Head Coach: Roy Adams
Assistant Coach: Anthony Mabuya
Manager: Abdul Tier
