Preview – Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge 2013/14
There will be a new champion crowned at the Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge that will be held at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria from tomorrow until Sunday. The defending champions, Rondebosch Boys’ High, failed the qualify for this year’s national finals.
The six franhises’ representatives at the Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge final are Wynberg Boys’ High (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Grey College (Chevrolet Knights), Westville Boys’ High (Sunfoil Dolphins), Waterkloof (Unlimited Titans), St. Stithian’s College (bizhub Highveld Lions) and Kingswood College (Chevrolet Warriors).
The final is for the 2013/14 champion as the scheduled final for last season in March was called off due to heavy rains in the highveld. Waterkloof is the only school in attendance with a previous national title under its belt. Their hopes will be on their national u19 player, Janneman Malan.
Malan scored a double century during a 50 over match during last year’s CSA national u17-week in Stellenbosch. The double century was scored at Pniel. His side also has a formidable bowling attack in with opening bowlers, Henco Vorstman and Johan Terblanche, spearheading the attack.
Klofies was the losing finalists against Rondebosch Boys’ High in the 2012/13-season’s final. Their captain, Willie Ludick’s father, Edwin was a South African youth and junior high jump champion in the 1980’s. His personal best being 2.24m.
St. Stithian’s College might have the most experienced side at the finals. Marques Ackerman, Ryan Rickelton, Brandon Glover and Nicholas Scholtz were all part of Gauteng’s side which finished last year’s Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week in Durban as the top dogs.
Grey College of Bloemfontein will make their first appearance in the national finals. They defeated Noord-Kaap of Kimberley by nine wickets in the regional final to book their place. Their two key batsman are Fritz de Beer and Raynard van Tonder. De Beer’s father also Fritz was the Blue Bulls Craven Week rugby coach with Jackie Tredoux when they as crowned unofficial champions at the 1996 tournament in Stellenbosch.
Kingswood College of Grahamstown’s team also have a connection with the Coca-Cola Craven Week. One of their players, Cameron Hertz, were Eastern Province Country Districts’ flyhalf at this year’s tournament in Middelburg (Mpumalanga). Their headmaster, Paul Guthrie, is the tournament director of the CSA national u17-week that will be hosted in Johannesburg in December.
The teams:
Wynberg Boys’ High: Raythaan Addinall, Jesse Christensen, Tristan de Beer, Mika Ekstrom, Mathew Goles, Jordan Holgate, Robin Kriel, Mitch Lotz, Dyllan Matthews, James McIntosh, Tyler Sylvester, Kyle Verreynne.
Grey College: Fritz de Beer, Reinhardt Bezuidenhout, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Victor, Niel Durow, Christiaan Geel, Petrus Coetzee, Janco Nel, Nico Loubser, Barend de Klerk, Charl Swanepoel, Phillip Visser.
Westville Boys’ High: Bruce Kerr, Alexander Whitelaw, Simon van Staden, Jesse Smit, Andrew Moon, Tyron Koen, Tristan Vermaak, Ryan Colman, Blake Alston-Stewart, Jack Reinbach, Jacques Bleeker, Craig Slemmer.
Waterkloof: Evan Jones, Janneman Malan, Alex Kock, Willie Ludick, Kabelo Raseleka, Henco Vorstman, Stefan van Zyl, Divan Bester, Johan Terblanche, Rubin Hermann, Christopher Grobler, Quinten Bayards.
St. Stithian’s College: Marques Ackerman, Ryan Rickelton, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Wiaan Mulder, Peter Jordaan, Tristan Blackie-Roden, Connor Beauchamp, Nicholas Scholtz, Curtis Campher, Justin Watson, Brandon Glover, Joshua Coetzee.
Kingswood College: Brad Haller, Marco Lombard, Daine Kruger, Tony Pedro, Michael Pyle, Ryan Victor, Jimmy Sholto-Douglas, Michael Braans, Shane Potgieter, Lutho Nomoyi, Cameron Hertz, Joshua Shelley.
