Titans earn a rematch against KZN in CSA u16 Boys Week title-decider
The Titans are set for a rematch with KwaZulu-Natal in the featured match on the concluding day of the 2023 CSA u16 Boys Week. This comes after a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, which saw the Gauteng Lions come up short in the penultimate round against the Titans.
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The Titans visited the crease first and a splendid knock of 66 by Tshepang Laka was the cornerstone of their competitive total of 191/9.
Good fielding bagged the Gauteng Lions three early wickets, but Xander Venter steadied the ship, and along with Laka and Amogelang Tshoagong helped to drive the team from north of the Jukskei to a solid total.
Unlike on the previous couple of days, the Lions’ top order could not find a foothold in the face of a relentless onslaught by Venter and his teammates.
Jubalani Mangena and Adam Cannata both struck twice for the Titans as they ploughed through the Gauteng line-up to win by a comfortable 64-run margin to set up a showdown with KZN on the final day.
The KZN boys have been in fine form all week long and go into the last day as the only unbeaten team in the Platinum Group. They have already dealt with Boland, Eastern Province and the KwaZulu-Natal Inland team, and they beat the Titans by 54 runs on the second day.
Their KZN Inland counterparts have also enjoyed a successful week, but Semal Pillay took charge in the battle of the provincial rivals, anchoring the KZN innings with a valuable 56 from 83 deliveries, which allowed his teammates the freedom to chase runs. After utilising their full 50 overs, they left the Inland boys a target of 225 for victory.
In the face of a fine bowling performance from Kyle White, who ripped apart the KZN Inland batting, on his way to a return of 5/22, they were unable to mount a challenge. Akhil Maharaj also played a key role, picking up two crucial early wickets, to set Inland on the back foot. They were unable to recover and came up 55 runs shy of their target.
Trent Huisamen produced a superb all-round performance, knocking over seven batsmen with the ball and then scoring a half-century with the bat, as the home team, the Garden Route Badgers, continued a strong showing in familiar conditions to beat North West by 96 runs.
Easterns have not lost a single game during the week, and Jaden Govender‘s solid 60 helped them to take their record to three from three with a win over Border.
Abdullah Tadwallah played a big role in foiling the Border boys’ challenge, combining with Stian van Breda to work through the top order quickly, despite decent knocks by Iminathi Jumba early on and Inga Mafanga towards the end of the match.
The battle between neighbours’ Western Province and Boland was exciting. Despite a good bowling spell by Aden Batt for Boland, Joshua Neill and Daniel Bosman helped their team overhaul the Boland total with five wickets to spare.
SUMMARISED SCORECARDS (Day Four)
Titans 191/9 (Tshepang Laka 66, Xander Venter 55, Amogelang Tshoagong 24; Samrat Basu 3/24, Morteza Manack 2/31); Gauteng 127 (Alec Loveland 23, Nkosana Sibiya 20; Jabulani Mangena 2/16, Adam Cannata 2/20). Titans won by 64 runs.
KwaZulu-Natal 225/6 (Semal Pillay 56, Jayden Roux 31, Extras 27, Roxton Payne 24*, Kyle White 22*, Sbani Qwabe 20; D Naidoo 1/17); KZN Inland 170 (Ethan Muir 42, Nicholas Baker 41; Kyle White 5/22, Dayalan Boyce 2/24. Akhil Maharaj 2/40). KwaZulu-Natal won by 55 runs.
Free State 134 (FG Botha 36, Naudé Botha 35; Rhys Wiblin 3/20, Buncwane Mangongoma 2/4); Eastern Province 135/5 (Randy Syce 43*, William Beamish 32, Cayden Wilson 26; FG Botha 3/42). Eastern Province won by five wickets.
Garden Route Badgers 158 (Trent Huisamen 50, Extras 32, Kurt Botha 27, Joof Enslin 23; Prince Maromagoe 3/23, Olebogeng Sebakwane 3/29, Ompile Rangwaga 2/17); North West 62 (Extras 18, Callie Fryer 17; Trent Huisamen 7/18, Ducayne Plaatjies 3/35). Garden Route Badgers won by 96 runs.
Northern Cape 177/9 (Faizan Kajee 44*, Arno Mostert 33, Extras 29; Asi Madikazi 3/27, Ase Madikazi 2/17); Kei 77 (Asi Madikazi 37; Arno Mostert 2/1, Omphile Jonas 2/11, Faizan Kajee 2/14). Northern Cape won by 100 runs.
Easterns 195 (Jaden Govender 60, Extras 39, Slade Mowbray 28, Wian Pieters 26; Bungqina Nuku 4/16, Hattingh 2/48); Border 144 (Inga Mafanga 35*, Iminathi Jumba 34, Extras 24; Abdullah Tadwalla 4/30, Stian van Breda 2/20). Easterns won by 51 runs.
Mpumalanga 118/9 (Janco Breyl 36, Extras 22, WJ Enslin 20; Mahlodi Sekuba 4/21, Luka Heinlein 2/19); Limpopo 98 (Muaz Muhammed 40, Extras 25; Vaughn van Zyl 4/30, Eduan Strydom 3/13). Mpumalanga won by twenty runs.
Boland 157/7 (Liam Basson 45, Reagan Davids 34, Extras 22; Muhammad Schroeder 2/20); Western Province 158/6 (Joshua Neill 46, Daniel Bosman 41; Aden Batt 3/42). Western Province by four wickets.
