Author: Zoli Xhola

Reeza Hendricks’s stellar season saw him earn the sought after Player of the Year Award at the bizhub Highveld Lions Gala Dinner, hosted at Sun City.

The award for Bowler of the Year went to Beuran Hendricks who had been of superb value to his team in all formats, whilst Rassie van der Dussen’s consistent contribution with the bat earned him the silverware for Batsman of the Year. Van der Dussen was also voted by his fellow team members as Players’ Player of the Year. Players who were included in national teams were also honoured.

The event, which earlier in the day saw cricket players, partners and sponsors applying their golfing skills at the home of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, continued as an elegant affair against the backdrop of the 9th hole of the Gary Player Golf Couse. Hosting sponsors, partners and players of Gauteng Cricket Board, North West Cricket and bizhub Highveld Lions, this was a fitting way to end the season with sights set firmly on the future and potential of the franchise.

“We are incredibly proud of the notable performances of players at all levels of the pipeline and by hosting and honouring them on this day, we hope to further encourage those that are on the verge of breaking into the playing XI,” commented Chief Executive Officer, Greg Fredericks.

“Every team goes through seasons that highlight areas that growth is still required and we are opting to take this learning curve as an opportunity to focus on plans that will enable us to achieve the potential that we know lies within the Lions and its shareholders.”

Notably, all major partners of the team and its home grounds were present at the event and joined the franchise in the celebratory activities.

Alten Hulme, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer of Konica Minolta South Africa, said: “Konica Minolta is the longest standing partner of any domestic team in South Africa and after 14 years, we have firmly established ourselves as a partner rather than just a sponsor of a team. We are honoured to be sharing in this event and celebrating those that have excelled.”

Hosts to the event, Sun International, have found great value in the partnership with the bizhub Highveld Lions and Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. “”As a company, Sun International is proud to be associated as lifestyle partner of the bizhub Highveld Lions and the home of South African cricket, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. Hosting this event is our commitment to supporting this team to reach its full potential,” said Dan Sevel, Marketing Manager: Sport.

A maiden century from Reeza Hendricks help the bizhub Highveld Lions secure a thrilling last-ball victory over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their RAM SLAM T20 Challenge match in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

The opener ended unbeaten on 102 (72 balls, 12 fours), but it was the composure of Wiaan Mulder that got them over the line after the visitors threatened to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Chasing 169 for victory, the home side were cruising along merrily on 158 for none – needing 11 from 11 balls – with Hendricks’ fellow opener Rassie van der Dussen (57 runs off 42 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) providing an excellent support act at Senwes Park.

But Andile Phehlukwayo (2/26) dismissed the latter as well as Mangaliso Mosehle (0) first ball to leave nine to get from the final over.

Five came from the first three of Robbie Frylinck’s (1/35) over, before two more batsmen fell in Nicky van den Bergh and Dwaine Pretorius, both for 1, with Mulder facing and three needed from the last ball.

The young all-rounder kept his cool to script a second win for the Lions that vaulted them to second on the standings.

Earlier the Dolphins needed a blistering unbroken 52-run seventh wicket stand to give themselves hope after they had slumped to 116/6 with 3.1 overs to go.

Morne van Wyk (42) was the only top-order batsman to shine, leaving pressure on the lower order with Sibonelo Makhanya thumping 46 off 34 balls alongside Keshav Maharaj (10) to give the Durbanites hope.

But it proved a few runs short as the home side made a heavy work of what should have been a straightforward win.

Standard Bank Proteas captain, Faf du Plessis, says the 2-0 Sunfoil Test series win against Bangladesh is a timely confidence boost ahead of a tough summer featuring inbound tours against India and Australia. The Proteas were convincing in both matches – winning by an innings- particularly the contributions from the batsmen, who dominated in docile conditions.

Du Plessis admits that the squad is far from the finished product, with injuries to some of their key fast bowlers and the continuous search for a winning combination in the batting line-up among the setbacks. The win is the first hurdle ahead of seven confirmed Test matches, which will be the litmus test for the squad as they challenge for the No.1 spot on the ICC Test rankings.

“First of all confidence,” he said of the positives from the series in Bloemfontein on Sunday. “ We had good targets leading into this series of what we wanted to achieve as a team; not just as a batting unit, and we achieved those goals hands down. The confidence from this series ahead of two big series at the end of the year, we appreciate that.

“From this series there is nothing that we could have done better,” he said. “ Everyone scored runs, there were big hundreds and many hundreds, there were also some important partnerships. We are not the finished article, we understand that we are a team that needs to get better. If we get better, we will challenge for the No.1 position again.”

Du Plessis says he ‘expected a bigger fight’ from the No.9 ranked Bangladesh team, who came into the series following a drawn (1-1) series against Australia at home. While the victory will be celebrated, the captain will look ahead to having a full-strength team to pick from for the battles that lie ahead later this season.

“I expected a bigger fight,” he admitted. “ I didn’t expect them to win the series, but I expected us to go through some sessions where we would need to absorb a lot of pressure because of the skill in their team. With that, you have to say that our team did it better. When they tried to put some sort of pressure on us we responded positively and aggressively like we spoke about in the team meeting. Five or six overs after that we were back and dominating the game.

“India and Australia are going to be a lot tougher,” he said. “Bangladesh didn’t have the fire-power that we thought they would have in these conditions. We don’t get too far ahead of ourselves thinking that we are the finished article. We still have a lot of work to do to try and be the team that we want to be.”

The focus shifts to the three-match Momentum One-Day International (ODI) series starting at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Sunday. The ODI squad will assemble in Kimberley on Thursday and details of the training and media schedule will be announced shortly.

South Africa’s one-day side started in New Zealand as the No. 1 and they will end it there after an oscillating series went their way at a ground that now holds some good memories. There were a few jitters with the bat – there were bound to be, weren’t there? – but after a commanding performance in the field, which sucked the life out of New Zealand’s batting order, a target of 150 gave them breathing space.

From the moment that the hero of Hamilton, Martin Guptill, was defeated by Kagiso Rabada there was never any let-up from South Africa with the ball. Rabada was high-class on a surface offering more carry than any other in the series. Imran Tahir, who New Zealand have played well this series, then reeled off the most economical 10-over figures by a South Africa spinner – and the best by any spinner in an ODI in his country – as the innings almost came to a standstill.

Andile Phehlukwayo missed the Hamilton match with a minor groin injury and had a significant impact on his return with the wickets of Dean Brownlie and Ross Taylor. South Africa’s ground-fielding also conjured two wickets, including the major scalp of Kane Williamson, as New Zealand’s batting slumped for the second time in the series.

But they did not let their unbeaten one-day home record, dating back to South Africa’s visit in 2014, go easily and for a moment mid-chase, another Eden Park classic was not complete fantasy. Jeetan Patel had snaffled two – and had an lbw against Faf du Plessis overturned by DRS – and when AB de Villiers was bounced out by James Neesham – not a dismissal you would have put your house on – South Africa were 88 for 4. But du Plessis, who reached fifty with the winning boundary, and David Miller, ensured against any further drama.

It was a superb set-up from Rabada, a sharp bouncer which ensured Guptill had to be wary of planting forward, then a yorker which he tried to advance to but only got in a horrid position with his stumps exposed. As ugly as Hamilton was breathtaking.

Williamson and Brownlie weathered the rest of the opening ten overs but a horror few minutes sent the innings into a spiral. It’s a period Brownlie will want to forget. Firstly he decided to chance de Villiers’ fielding at midwicket which left Williamson stranded when the South Africa captain dived and flicked in the blink of an eye. Williamson’s bat got caught in the turf short of the crease, but he would have been short regardless.

Three balls later, Brownlie play round a full delivery from Phehlukwayo and almost walked before the finger was raised. Tahir’s first four overs cost just four; eventually overs 10-20 brought 31 for 4. As in Wellington, Phehlukwayo was key to that, bowling wicket-to-wicket at brisk pace, and was rewarded again when Taylor fell across a straight one.

Luke Ronchi’s stay was never convincing and he gloved a short ball as he tried to sway out of the line. Neesham, yesterday recalled to the Test squad, had looked as comfortable as any of the top order but for the second time in the series was removed by a short ball from Rabada, although it needed the DRS to confirm the top-edge.

The build-up to Mitchell Santner’s demise highlighted South Africa’s suffocating ground fielding. Three consecutive shots from Santner were intercepted sharply in the infield, then the fourth went to JP Duminy at backward point who slid and threw from the ground, hitting directly with Santner nowhere.

Tahir, who did not concede anything other than singles, gained his reward against the lower order. In three of the five matches, New Zealand had played him as well as anyone of late – “respect” had been the word used by both sides – but they became almost strokeless this time. The pressure of the occasion, the pitch, or just a good day for him? Only they will know.

Such was the swift end to New Zealand’s innings that South Africa batted before the interval. Patel again saw off Quinton de Kock – that change of tactic had worked a treat – and scoring wasn’t easy after the break. Hashim Amla completed a fifty-less series when he drove to cover as did Duminy – the latter far more of a concern – when he drove softly at Patel. Duminy had again been used ahead of de Villiers, but he has regressed during this series.

De Villiers has been far and away South Africa’s best batsman and he was eager to finish things himself. He took a six apiece of Patel and Santner but was then surprised by the nip and angled of Neesham’s bouncer, which followed him and took the glove to the keeper. As a single moment it was a superb spectacle, but not enough to open the game for New Zealand.

Du Plessis ticked over and for the first time in the series Miller played the type of forceful shots he has become known for. The target hurried into view. The sun had only just set. This time not on South Africa.

The Multiply Titans scrambled their way to the top of the Sunfoil Series table after edging out the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by two wickets midway through the final day of a closely fought affair at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.

Chasing a paltry 91 for victory, the champions made heavy weather of the win, before getting there with eight wickets down against a depleted hoMe attack that was without the injured Standard Bank Proteas spinner, Keshav Maharaj.

Another slow bowler in Prenelan Subrayen claimed a career-best 5/35 with his right-arm off-breaks, but it was still not enough as the valiant hosts were made to pay for their poor second-innings showing.

The Durbanites had started the final day on 146/5, a lead of only 44, and more poor batting on day four saw them lose their remaining five wickets for only 47.

Daryn Smit, who was unbeaten overnight on 62, top-scored with 72 (131 balls, 9 fours), but there was little else support from the rest of his team-mates – the home side bundled out for 192 in 61.3 overs.

Leg-break bowler Shaun von Berg was the pick of the bowlers for the Titans on the final day and ended with 3/66, with captain Henry Davids returning the best figures of 3/29, having caught the host off-guard when he opened the bowling the previous day.

With a target of less than 100 and plenty of overs to get them, the away side limped their way through.

Subrayen was the star man with his maiden career fiver-for giving the batsmen nightmares, while Senuran Muthusamy picked up 2/43 – the pair doing excellently in the absence of Maharaj, who suffered a grade one tear of his groin muscle on Friday.

Heinrich Klaasen top scored with 35, while Von Berg made a critical unbeaten 16 after the Titans had lost 6/46 at one point.
In the end, they got over the line in 31.4 overs to move back to the competition summit with one round to play next week.

Mark Boucher’s men now have 94.62 followed by the VKB Knights (92.24), the BuildNat Cape Cobras (85.74) and the Dolphins (84.67).

Farhaan Behardien  has been appointed as stand-in captain of the Standard Bank Proteas for the first two matches in the KFC T20 International Series against Sri Lanka.

Cricket South Africa named a 13-man squad that includes six new caps in this format – Jon-Jon Smuts, Theunis de Bruyn, Mangaliso Mosehle, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Paterson and Lungi Ngidi.

“We have decided to rest some of our key senior players for this series,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi. “This is the last chance we have to do this as the Momentum ODI series that follows is an important part of our build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy Tournament in England in the middle of the year.

“Those senior players who are involved in the Indian Premier League will be playing non-stop from now until the end of August with the tours coming up to New Zealand and England in addition to the ICC event.

“Farhaan was one of the standout players in our franchise T20 Challenge, being the second leading runs scorer behind Jon-Jon Smuts and finished at the top of the T20 Challenge leg of the SACA MVP rankings.

“Both AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel are due to resume playing at domestic level later this month and could come into contention for the third T20,” added Zondi.