***Official*** South African Domestic Season 2017/18

[SeamUp]

UNDER 19 COKE WEEK STARTS TOMORROW

Day 4 and Day 5 fixtures decided once day 3 is finished and they are 50-over fixtures.

Northerns who came out on top in the main match of the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week of 2016 will start-off their 2017 campaign against Border on the opening day of the 2018 edition of the tournament. The team from Pretoria will also face Boland in their second time-cricket match.

The tournament will be hosted by St Stithians College in Johannesburg from 17 untill 22 December. Saints also hosted the Coca-Cola Craven Week (for rugby) earlier this year and therefore will become the first ever school or venue to host both these prestigious tournaments in a year.

On the third day Northerns will face KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga in their two T20 matches.

The Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week started back in 1940 as the Nuffield Week. The tournament's name was first changed in 1994 becoming the Coca-Cola Week. After the passing of Khaya Majola the week was renamed once again after the man who played a tremendous role in the development of the game.

Northerns en Free State played each other in the main match of the final day of last year's tournament in Bloemfontein. The 2016 edition of the tournament produced a new record of 15 centuries.

The fixtures are:

Day 1 (Time Cricket)

Northerns vs Border
Western Province vas KZN Inland
Eastern Province vs Gauteng
Free State vs Boland
KwaZulu-Natal vs Mpumalanga
Easterns vs South Western Districts
Namibia vs North West
Northern Cape vs Limpopo

Day 2 (Time Cricket)

Northerns vs Boland
Western Province vs Border
Eastern Province vs KZN Inland
Free State vs Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal vs Limpopo
Easterns vs North West
Namibia vs South Western Districts
Northern Cape vs Mpumalanga

Day 3

T20 – Round 1

Northerns vs KwaZulu-Natal
Western Province vs Easterns
Eastern Province vs Namibia
Free State vs Northern Cape
Gauteng vs Mpumalanga
KZN Inland vs South Western Districts
Border vs North West
Boland vs Limpopo

Round 2

Northerns vs Mpumalanga
Western Province vs South Western Districts
Eastern Province vs North West
Free State vs Limpopo
Gauteng vs KwaZulu-Natal
KZN Inland vs Easterns
Border vs Namibia
Boland vs Northern Cape

 

[SeamUp]

Traditional power houses like WP, EP, KZN C, FS, Gauteng, Northerns will be competitive. Although I don't fancy the KZN C and Northerns teams at all. Actually like Border and KZN Inland's chances and even Boland more. But these 3 always compete.


Adams excited about Western Provinces chances ahead of Coke Week

The spotlight of the local faithful following Western Province at the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola week in Gauteng from Sunday 17th December will not only be on a group of exciting spinners, but also on the new-ball attack of the South African U19 express, Thando Ntini, and Mihlali Mpongwana and the batting talent of Justin Broad and Karl Vermeulen.


Paul Adams, the Western Province U19 coach, was at pains to emphasise the importance of the young players working in unison.

“The individual’s success rely a lot on the team’s excellence,” he said.

The Coca-Cola Khaya Majola week has produced many South African players, with Wiaan Mulder of Gauteng a recent addition. The tournament will be played in and around Gauteng.

Adams said Western Province has been successful in their warm-up games, losing only two T20 matches (against Maties and the Western Cape Academy) and winning six, while one match was abandoned due to rain.

“I have been with the U19 group from June and the winter was about knowing the players’ strengths and weaknesses. It has been a real good journey. I have seen a lot of growth,” Adams added.

“We have a good crop of spinners, including Daniel Moriarty, Sisonke Mazele, Josh Breed and Umar Anthony. I am hoping the spinners will squeeze opponents during the Coke week.

“We have worked on different game plans and good game structures,” he said.

“I am excited by the bowling attack and all the different options. Kyle Pluke can support the new-ball attack well and swings the ball.

Mpongwana is tall and is a good foil for the 17-year-old Ntini. While Ntini is the sole Western Province player to be selected for the South African World Cup squad, there are several other players with the skills to excel.

Mpongwana, who played for the South African Colts before, is one of those talented young stars.

Broad was the leading run-scorer for Western Province U17 the previous year and has still one year to go before he finishes matric.

The captain, Vermeulen, is another that has piled on the runs.

The Western Province U19 team contains seven players from Wynberg’ Boys High, four from Rondebosch and two from the Western Cape Sports School.

Ntini played in a recent series against Namibia and represented South Africa in four games, with 3-27 his best contribution.

Asked about Ntini’s back scare, Adams said the Cricket South Africa team has handled his recuperation and rehabilitation and he is set to represent Western Province at the Coke week, having played against Namibia already.

The opening fixture for Western Province is against KZN-Inland (Sunday), followed by Border (Monday) and the two T20 clashes against Easterns and South Western Districts on Tuesday.

“It will be a great honour to play at the Wanderers (as one of the two best teams). It will be very important for us as a unit to start well. Our success will also depend on how well we absorb and transfer pressure,” Adams said.

WP U19 A: Umar Anthony, Josh Breed, Justin Broad, Daniel da Costa, Grant Martin, Sisonke Mazele, Daniel Moriarty, Mihlali Mpongwana, Thando Ntini, Riaz Paleker, Kyle Pluke, Siyanda Ngxangane, Karl Vermeulen.

 

[SeamUp]

Good to see Savage getting runs. 94 in the 3-day game & 108 in the 1-day game at Newlands yesterday. Muthusamy with a 95 in the one-day game too. Basically KZN C rely so much on those 2.

Also it probably won't get to happen at franchise cricket so it is good to see Cook and Rickelton opening together for Gauteng and putting on a good partnership again.

 

[Heboric]

Ill put it here, well done skip:

Van Niekerk claims incredible hat-trick | Sydney Sixers - BBL

 

[SeamUp]

Ill put it here, well done skip:

Van Niekerk claims incredible hat-trick | Sydney Sixers - BBL

Seems like we have 5 girls there. Tournament debut for 18-year-old Cape Town star Laura Wolvaardt who I saw was run out without facing a ball in her first game.

 

[SeamUp]

So fast-bowling and the youth weeks.

Last few years.

2015 (20 year-olds)
Conor McKerr (Surrey via Gauteng)
Brandon Glover (Boland via Gauteng)
Ziyaad Abrahams (Boland via WP)
Chad Claassen (Gauteng)
Dayyaan Galiem (WP) - all-rounder

2016 (19 year-olds)
Wiaan Mulder (Gauteng/Lions) - all-rounder
Michael Cohen (WP)
Lutho Sipamla (EP)
Ruben Trumpelmann (Northerns)
Beyers Swanepoel (Free State via Northerns)
Ruan de Swardt (Northerns) - all-rounder

2017

SA U19 World Cup fast-bowlers (at u19 week now)

Akhona Mnyaka (18) Border
Gerald Coetzee (17) Free State
Thando Ntini (17) WP
Fraser Jones (17) KZN Inland

The good thing is there is a batch of 16 year-olds for the next world cup. 3 of them at u19 week and doing well so they will play 3 u19 weeks which is always impressive. Only Booth who I think is injured isn't there.
Tiaan van Vuuren (16) EP
Achille Cloete (16) Boland
Mondli Khumalo (16) KZN Inland
Michael Booth (16) KZN Inland

At the u15 Week the expected quicks were the best two with 15 wickets at the week as they returned from last year as u14s
Arend Visser (EP) - took a hattrick
Johan Harms (Limpopo)

u14s Mvula Chabalala (FS) & Michael Levitt (WP) had a big u15 week as expected. Chabalala was taking the new ball and scoring runs batting 6-9 whilst Levitt didn't bowl as much as he could but ended the week 6th or 7th highest run-scorer opening the batting or coming in 3,4,5. I expect them both to be playing first team cricket as 14 year-olds next year.


The batting doesn't look as inspiring but will go into that later.

 

[SeamUp]

Always good to know the fast-bowling stocks are coming through.

Tiaan van Vuuren (16) will be attending u19 Coke Week and is another Grey PE pupil.

3/25 today opening the bowling and 54 with the bat. Not bad.

It's good to know the fast-bowlers above can bat. With Fraser Jones also scoring 54 today and being left stranded. Runs are expected of Ntini, Coetzee, Cloete and Khumalo too.

On to the batting. Not always going to have a group like last years group with Raynard van Tonder, Matthew Breetzke, Wiaan Mulder and Jiveshan Pillay all being 16 when first attending Coke Week. All dubbed with serious potential. Of course Pillay was 17 when he finished school so was slightly behind the other 3.

2017

UNDER 19 COKE WEEK

There has been two hundreds in the big games so far in the first 2 days of time cricket.

David Rushmere (18) (another son of Mark) scoring 118 for EP vs Gauteng (yesterday)
Jason Niemand (19) (SA u19 world cup player) 131 for Border vs WP (today)

Others in their final year.

In SA U19 WC squad

Hermann Rolfes (18) - two failures
Wandile Makwetu (18) got 91 today
Andile Mokgakane (18) - two failures in weak games as KZN C played Limpopo & Mpumalanga which is clearly a sign they don't particularly rate the KZN C squad for major selections.

Nothing else really. Maybe Border wicketkeeper Sinethemba Qeshile who got 65 today and was in the SA Schools team last year.


Now for the 17 year-olds (normally start to make your mark and get in SA Schools or SA Colts side with still the next year at Coke Week) - Gauteng's Jacob Miltz has been the one in the SA u19 group and just missed out on selections to the world cup. He has responded with 2 fifties which is a good sign and probably the best batsman in his year. Also had a good cubs week last year.

Stand out Jacob Miltz of Gauteng

Others :

Matthew Montgomery (KZN C) - 2 fifties but only against Mpumalanga and Limpopo
CP Klijnhans (FS) - one 50
Justin Broad (WP) & Peter Jarvis (EP) won their repsectiv unions u17 players of the year last year but nothing of note.



Unlike the bowlers there aren't any real stand-out 16 year-old bats at Coke Week so major selections for the SA u17 squad for Cubs Week in Jan will have to come from CSA U17 Week. This is where the majority of SA u19 selections should be for the next u19 WC but possibly may have to look at group below.
There, there were 2 batting stars. Opener Ruan Terblanche of Boland who was CSA u15 POTY 2016 - every time he batted he got a 100 which is the sort of domination expected at this week if you have serious potential. Bryce Parsons of Gauteng I think only missed out on a 100 twice and 1 was a 50.
Others like Lehan Botha , Jono Bird (both WP), Luke Beaufort (EP) , Tristan Janse van Rensburg (Northerns) got some 50s but no real domination.

2017 CSA U15 WEEK Leading run-scorers

1. Christiaan OBERHOLZER (15) 382 runs @ 63.7 2 hundreds/1 fifty SR 108
Northerns #3 or #4 - dominated with 2 big hundreds and scored at a good click. Goes to Garsfontein, another new boy on the block in Northerns schools cricket it seems.

2. Cade CARMICHAEL (15) 270 @ 54.00 1 hundred/1 fifty SR 72
KZN Coastal #4 - Was KZN C u13 POTY two years ago. Had a very good week. Would have thought he could get into Kearsney 1st XI. Dolphins need to start producing batsman again.

3. SW KEMP (15) 265 @ 66.25 4 fifties SR 85
Northerns opener. Very aggressive. Looks to have been playing 1st team for Garsfontein.

4. Ruben SENEKAL (15) 258 @ 43.00 1 hundred 2 fifties SR 86
Boland #3 or #4 Had a very good u13 week for WP two years ago. Whilst these runs were scored against weaker opposition. He seems to have pedigree scoring doubles for Paul Roos and got his 1st team chance.

5. Heinrich PIETERSE (15) 253 @ 50.60 3 fifties SR 117
Gauteng #3 or #4 - Big things expected. Won Gauteng u15 POTY last year as an u14. Surprised didn't get first team chance at KES.

6. Michael LEVITT (14) 234 @ 39.00 2 fifties SR 115
WP all-rounder. Who was scoring ridiculously fast as a 14 year-old this week. Clean up u13 week last year and this year couldn't stop scoring 150s and taking bags of wickets for SACS u14.

7. Juan-dee OLIVIER (15) 230 @ 38.33 2 fifties SR 102
FS #4 - Looks and aggressive middle order player.

8. Taahir ISAACS (15) 220 @ 55.00 1 hundred / 1 fifty SR 75
Gauteng opener. 2nd u15 week. Last year was with Northern Cape. Looks to prefer longer version.

9. Daniel SMITH (15) 210 @ 35.00 1 hundred/ 1 fifty SR 93
WP opener and keeper. Scored truck loads of 100s for SACS u15s so surprised didn;t get 1st team chance. Scored a 100 WP u13s too. Looks like he can play all forms too.


Other batsman who did alright and have reputations.
EP Captain Nicholas Keevy scored a 100 in a time game and looks to be his preferred format. Played Grey first XI with u15 leading wicket-taker Arend Visser.
KZN Coastal Brayden Sambhu also scored a couple of 50s and preferred the longer format. Read articles where they dub him the next Hashim Amla getting into his fellow alma mater DHS first XI at 14
Quinn van Oordt and Kai Curran of WP disappointed for me with big things expected. Both comfortably behind Smith and Levitt at this week and school performances this year.

 

[SeamUp]

Momentum One-Day Cup starts tomorrow.

Fixtures before Christmas and New Year.

December 2017
20 bizhub Highveld Lions v Warriors OD Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 13:30
21 Hollywoodbets Dolphins v WSB Cape Cobras OD Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban 13:30
22 Multiply Titans v VKB Knights OD SuperSport Park, Centurion 13:30
23 WSB Cape Cobras v Warriors OD Recreation Ground, Oudtshoorn 10:00
23 bizhub Highveld Lions v Hollywoodbets Dolphins OD Senwes Park, Potchefstroom 13:30


Bleak that Rickelton has to miss out probably with Cook back and mediocrity van der Dussen tough to drop.

bizhub Highveld Lions coach, Geoffrey Toyana has his sights set on a comeback. “We need to focus on specific aspects concerning the Momentum One-Day Cup to have winning solutions for our down falls in the RAM Slam. We need to focus on defeating our rival teams to make our way to the top of the log, so that we can win another crown as champions of the Momentum One-Day Cup. I am positive the team will pull through and work hard to live up to their title that was once the champions.”

Lions squad: Stephen Cook (capt), Reeza Hendricks, Omphile Ramela, Rassie van der Dussen, Wiaan Mulder, Dwaine Pretorius, Mangaliso Mosehle, Bjorn Fortuin, Aaron Phangiso, Hardus Viljoen, Beuran Hendricks, Ayavuya Myoli, Ryan Rickelton, Nicky van den Bergh.

Breetzke in the Warriors squad though.

Wonderkid picks up baton

Coach backs young batsman to pile on runs for Warriors

As Colin Ingram prepares to face the Sydney Thunder in Australia on Friday, promising Matthew Breetzke will be looking to make an impression on his expected white-ball debut for the Warriors this week.

It will be a short turnaround for the Warriors, who come up against the Highveld Lions in the opening game of the Momentum One-Day Cup in Johannesburg tomorrow.

Just last week they were competing in a spot for the Ram Slam T20 Challenge final – and a few days later they are shifting mindset to the 50-over white-ball version.

They will have to do so without one of their “gun” players Colin Ingram, who has been snapped up by the Adelaide Strikers for Australia’s Big Bash League, which starts today.

But as one star disappears through the revolving door exit for now, an up-and-com- ing young batsman is to emerge from the entrance to grasp his opportunity.

Former Grey High pupil Breetzke, 19, forged himself quite a reputation coming through the youth ranks in the last few seasons, and this year scored three hundreds for the South Africa U19 side.

He has also been chosen to represent South Africa at the U19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand from January 13 to February 3 and is expected to be one of the leading lights there.

He played one first-class game for the Warriors earlier in the season, but now the talented right-hander is being backed by Warriors caretaker coach Rivash Gobind to fill Ingram’s spot in the limited overs team.

“I think Colin is already in Australia and that is a big loss,” Gobind said yesterday. “I’m not going to sugarcoat that. He is one of the best, if not the best, domestic white-ball players around the world at the moment.

“He is sought-after. I think any domestic team would love to have him.

“With that being said, we have brought in young Breetzke as a replacement.

“I love what I see from him,” the stand-in coach said enthusiastically.

Gobind believes Breetzke has what it takes to go all the way to the top – and has enough belief in him to thrust him into Ingram’s role.

“I think he’s going to be a fantastic player for the Warriors and for South Africa in the future.

“It’s not if he is going to play for South Africa, it’s when,” he said.

“That’s how highly I rate him and it’s going to be great to see what he brings to us before he heads over to the U19 World Cup.

“He knows what we expect. We expect him to go make runs and he has the mentality to do that.

“He’s exciting for us as a franchise. It’s been a while since we have had someone that we can really get excited about and he could be the first of many to come.”

Gobind was making reference to the fact that the Warriors franchise has five players in the SA U19 World Cup squad in Breetzke, Keenan Smith and Jade de Klerk, all of EP, and Jason Niemand and Akhona Mnyaka, both of Border.

“If you look at our SA U19 team, there a few guys from the Eastern Cape in there and they are the main guys in that team,” Gobind said.

“They are the ones winning the games – and it’s brilliant for us as a franchise and a region.”

Gobind has taken over the position vacated by Malibongwe Maketa, who has joined the national side as Proteas coach Ottis Gibson’s assistant.

Gobind said there were character differences between Maketa and himself – and that it automatically brought about a different sort of energy.

“Every coach believes different things about different players, that’s just human nature,” he said.

“Maybe, the people I feel can do a job may be slightly different to Mali.”

South Africa Under-19 star Matthew Breetzke is amongst three new faces in the Warriors squad, along with recent first-class record-breaker Marco Marais, who score the fastest triple-hundred, and all-rounder Clayton Bosch.

Warriors squad: Jon-Jon Smuts (capt), Gihahn Cloete, Matthew Breetzke, Colin Ackermann, Yaseen Vallie, Christiaan Jonker, Marco Marais, Lesiba Ngoepe, Andrew Birch, Sisanda Magala, Ayabulela Gqamane, Clayton Bosch, Anrich Nortje.

 

[SeamUp]

Tiaan van Vuuren

Some nice footage.

 

[Rasimione]

It seems to be hard for the youth teams to produce black African batsmen. Colored and Indian players don't seem to have this problem. I'm interested because CSA is probably pumping a lot of money into rural cricket development but only fast bowlers are emerging.

 

[SeamUp]

Mulder left out by the Lions.

They also playing Rickelton as a middle order player and he really has always been top order. Could open up options.

 

[SeamUp]

Warriors gone from lime green to canary yellow.

 

[SeamUp]

Two sixes to got to 50 for Dwaine Pretorius. Great knock so far.

 

[SeamUp]

Coke week final : Gauteng v Border

Not sure when last Border would have done this well.

The SA u19 fast bowlers have been given over restrictions so not sure how much that effects their selection later for the SA Schools & Colts sides. They also name the Cubs Week squads for early January.

The final is being live streamed : https://youtu.be/YkVQyE_k2Rk

Border 193 all-out - Border keeper Sinethemba Qeshile with a 50 and must be a shoe-in for SA Schools XI

 

[Bahseph]

Disappointed that my boy Muthusamy got out so cheaply but I think the Dolphins could do quite well in this year's 50 over tournament.

@SeamUp, Jason Smith definitely looks like a batter who bowls to me. Am I missing something?

 

[SeamUp]

Disappointed that my boy Muthusamy got out so cheaply but I think the Dolphins could do quite well in this year's 50 over tournament.

@SeamUp, Jason Smith definitely looks like a batter who bowls to me. Am I missing something?

I think Grant Morgan is a good coach. Probably told Muthusamy and Savage to not worry about T20 and go dominate for KZN Coastal - which they did and at times it was a 2-man team.

Very much so. Not sure what the excitement was about Smith's bowling. Bits and pieces. Not sure what has happened to Galiem as so much was expected but they really backing Smith.

 

[Bahseph]

Duminy bowled beautifully today. Hopefully it's a trend that continues in this one day cup. Will definitely help SA in LO games if he regains some bowling form.

 

[SeamUp]

Missed the beginning of his spell but when I did get to see he certainly had it on a string. I certainly think with his focus on limited overs cricket he can almost re-focus on his bowling which like you say can only be a positive for our limited overs cricket.

Hopefully the rain stays away. Could be a good game and who knows a record domestic chase at Kingsmead possibly.

 

[SeamUp]

Like what I see of Sen Muthusamy's bowling.

 

[SeamUp]

Qaasim Adams is a player who dominates provincial but really struggles at franchise and is 33/34 now.