The hosts, Western Province, dethroned Lions as the champions of the annual Khaya Majola Cricket Week on Friday.
WP defeated the Lions by five wickets in the final of the tournament played at Rondebosch Boys’ High. The champions’ captain, Beni Hansen (50) led his team to victory with a crucial half-century.
Hansen also won the coin toss, which was critical, as during the week no team that batted first managed to bag a victory at Rondebosch Boys’ High.
Lions tallied 175 runs before being bowled out, with Morteza Manack (56) and Tiaan Goosen (53) recording half-centuries. WP’s Mbulelo Dube (4/38) was the pick of the bowlers for the soon-to-be newly crowned champions.
Since 2010, Lions have been involved in the main match or the final of the Khaya Majola Week nine times, which makes them, beyond question, the most successful province of the era.
The foundation for Western Province’s victory was laid with a 73-run partnership for the third wicket between Hansen and Daniel Bosman (46).
Ross Coetzee (96), of Dolphins, just missed out on a century as he helped his side to 255/5 against Boland. It was only the second instance of a team going past 250 runs during the week.
That innings made Coetzee the top run-scorer of the tournament with 229 runs. With Nqobani Mokoena picking up the tenth five-wicket haul of the week (5/22), Dolphins cruised to a big 153-run win.
In the previous three Khaya Majola Weeks in Cape Town, the battle between bat and ball was even, with 19 centuries being scored and 18 five-wicket hauls being captured in the 2002, 2011, and 2018 editions of the provincial competition.
There will be no changes to the two divisions next year. Eastern Province and the Free State both came out on top in their promotion/relegation encounters against the Garden Route Badgers and North West respectively.
Free State’s Naudé Botha (106*) recorded only the second century of the tournament. He faced 150 deliveries and struck 10 boundaries, of which one was a maximum.
Botha shared a 124-run partnership with Ruben Maree (61) for the third wicket as Free State beat North West by 38 runs.
Eastern Province’s Cayden Wilson produced a good all-round performance to help his side to a 22-run victory over the Badgers.
He scored 21 runs with the bat as Kian Cambier (50) and Esa Gangat (32) top-scored for the side. Wilson, then, picked up four wickets for only 17 runs to keep the Badgers at bay.
The youngsters of the CSA Invitational XI impressed once again as they skittled Easterns for a mere 27 runs. Paul Matlala (4/10), Ryall Julies (3/0), and Dayalan Boyce (3/12) finished the tournament in style.
Matlala completed the week with 13 wickets at an average of 7.77 runs per wicket. Boyce was also in devastating form, picking up 10 wickets at 7.4 runs per victim.
The speedy Julies was also on fire as he removed seven batsmen from the crease while conceding only 56 runs.
Summarised Scorecards (Limited Overs):
Lions 175 (Morteza Manack 56, Tiaan Goosen 53, Richard Seletswane 22; Mbulelo Dube 4/38, Timothy Short 2/30, Raeeq Daniels 2/33);
Western Province 176/5 (Beni Hansen 50, Daniel Bosman 46, Noah Heath 27*, Kashief Joseph 21; Cole Francis 3/44, Jason Rowles 2/26). Western Province won by five wickets.
Dolphins 255/5 (Ross Coetzee 96, Mfanafuthi Shange 62, Max Robertson 26, Nqobani Mokoena 22, Nicandro Kistna 21; Taywin Adams 2/50);
Boland 102 (Christiaan Wege 22, Chad Ayford 21; Nqobani Mokoena 5/22, Bayanda Majola 2/30).Dolphins won by 153 runs.
KZN Inland 72 (Charles Swart 39; Mohammad Borabat 2/4, Marcus Bakker 2/11, Charl Prinsloo 2/15, Divan de Villiers 2/17);
Titans 78/3 (Steve Stolk 57*; Rowan Rajah 2/17). Titans won by seven wickets.
Eastern Province 139 (Kian Cambier 50, Esa Gangat 32, Cayden Wilson 21; Enathi Kitshini 3/18, Liviwe Bawuli 3/18);
Garden Route Badgers 117 (Enathi Kitshini 31, Keano Coerecius 24; Cayden Wilson 4/17, Likhona Gcora 2/16, Hamza Khan 2/23). Eastern Province won by 22 runs.
Free State 228/6 (Naudé Botha 106*, Ruben Maree 61, Dale Williams 30; Barend de Klerk 3/38);
North West 190 (Luan Vermeulen 43, Barend de Klerk 37, Stephan Janse van Rensburg 35, Muhammed Bulbulia 31; Dakalo Leketa 3/37, Cullen Kakora 2/24, Kamohelo Mokoena 2/31). Free State won by 38 runs.
Easterns 27 (Jacques Havenga 10; Paul Matlala 4/10, Ryall Julies 3/0, Dayalan Boyce 3/12);
CSA Invitational XI 32/2 (Joe MacRobert 22*; Tiaan Kuhn 1/12). CSA Invitational won by eight wickets.
Northern Cape 161 (Nathan Baird 31, Danie van der Merwe 25, Extras 23; Ntshuxeko Sebata 3/13, Hanno van Zyl 2/13, Morema Kamogelo 2/25);
Limpopo Impalas 162/9 (Hanno van Zyl 36, Lukas van der Merwe 27, Philip Weterman 26, Extras 23; Tebogo Mgobo 4/42, Nathan Baird 2/26, Simon Liversage 2/30). Limpopo Impalas won by one wicket.
Mpumalanga 102 (Nathan Duncan 26, Sibonelo Skhosana 21; Chad Clark-Evans 5/46, Canton Hartnick 3/19); Border 105/4 (Waeden Plaatjies 37, Tré Gilbert 28; Curtleigh Koetzee 3/19). Border won by six wickets.
