Tag: bidvest Wanderers Stadium

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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RECORD-BREAKING STARS SEAL PLAY-OFF PLACE

A sensational 118-run partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Dan Christian booked the Jozi Stars a ticket to the Mzansi Super League play-offs with a comfortable 101-run bonus-point victory over the Tshwane Spartans at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday.

Both hit half-centuries – the Australian recording the fastest one of the competition from only 18 balls – as the hosts piled on a record score of 239 for three.

Nono Pongolo then produced the best bowling figures of the MSL T20 when he bagged six for 20, also his best career figures, as the Spartans were flattened for 138 in 17.2 overs.

The result means the Stars will now host the Qualifier in Johannesburg on Friday against one of the Paarl Rocks, Nelson Mandela Bay Giants or the Spartans who could all finish on 21 points. The former two meet at Eurolux Boland Park on Wednesday with the Spartans taking on the Durban Heat in the late match on the same day.

In the event of the three all finishing on 21 points, then Spartans will qualify as they won both their matches against the Rocks and both these sides have a greater number of wins than the Giants. The latter can qualify with a straight victory over the Rocks while the Rocks will get through if they win with a bonus point or score a straight win provided the Spartans lose. The Spartans will need to win with a bonus point to reach 21 log points.

League-phase champions Cape Town Blitz await the victors of the play-off for the final at PPC Newlands on Sunday.

On current form, Jozi look like they will take some stopping after they bulldozed their way past the meek Spartans at the Bullring.

Ryan Rickelton (45), Reeza Hendricks (20) and Kagiso Rabada (21), used as a pinch-hitter, laid the platform for their side by getting them to 121 for three in the 13th over.

It was then the Van der Dussen and Christian show, with the pair launching into the Tshwane bowlers.

The former fell four shy of a century after blazing 96 off 44 balls (6 fours, 6 sixes), with the latter dealing only in sixes as he massacred six on his way to 52 off 19 balls.

It allowed Jozi to post the highest total of the competition to date and left their cross-Jukskei rivals needing something special to secure the improbable.

And unlikely it was as Pongolo produced the figures of his life to knock the stuffing out of the Spartans.

Only Gihahn Cloete managed to cross 50 – he hit exactly that number off 40 balls (7 fours) – while there was little else in terms of support.

Captain AB de Villiers fell to Kagiso Rabada via a superb catch by Simon Harmer, deflating any hope his side may have had.

Pongolo kept chipping away at the other end to secure the Stars the biggest win of the competition.

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ROCKS KEEP THEIR HOPES ALIVE

Faf du Plessis struck his fourth half-century of the Mzansi Super League season to keep alive the Paarl Rocks’ hopes of reaching the playoffs with a key six-wicket victory over the Jozi Stars at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

There was also a perfectly weighted unbeaten 71 (55 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) from Man of the Match Grant Thomson that anchored the innings of the visitors as they chased down a 171-victory target with three deliveries to spare in Johannesburg.

Kerwin Mungroo was their unlikely hero with the ball as the lanky fast bowler grabbed a rare chance in the competition by bowling out of his skin to claim three for 29, which included the key wickets of Chris Gayle, Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon.

Victory in the end for the Paarl side enabled them to climb fourth on the table, with 17 points from nine games, four behind the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, who they will now host in a virtual shootout on Wednesday.

The Tshwane Spartans (16 points) can still catch both, but they will need to also win their remaining two games to change the order on the standings.

Defeat for the second-placed Stars, meanwhile, assured the Cape Town Blitz an automatic ticket to a home final next Sunday, with the Stars staying second on 24 points and still having some work to do in their final match against the Spartans on Tuesday.

The Jozi stars, though, will no doubt be disappointed that they did not seal their playoff berth in front of their home fans, after posting a solid 170 for six after they were put into bat first.

Their innings was built around Rassie van der Dussen’s enterprising 83 (55 balls, 6 fours, 4 sixes). This after Mungroo pegged them back at the start by dismissing Hendricks (5) and West Indian superstar Gayle (9) inside the opening 3.2 overs.

A 73-run stand between Van der Dussen and captain Dane Vilas (23) dragged the home side back into a good position, before more quick wickets threatened to derail their innings.

But support for their main batsman came through Dwaine Pretorius (28) as they set a challenging total.

The Rocks’ innings followed a similar pattern with Duanne Olivier (3/30) claiming the early wickets of Cameron Delport (15) Aiden Markram (3), leaving them on 19 for two.

However, a key 120-run stand between Du Plessis, who made 61 off 34 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes), took them too far ahead for the Stars to bring them back, even after the skipper fell, 17 not out by Dwayne Bravo helping to carry them over the line.

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VILJOEN AND COOK PUT LIONS IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

Hardus Viljoen SACA MVP Sunfoil Series 2015/16 winner  took six wickets and Stephen Cook struck an unbeaten half-century to carry the bizhub Highveld Lions to the brink of victory after two days of their Sunfoil Series opener against the BuildNat Cape Cobras in Johannesburg on Thursday.  Fast bowler Viljoen, whose early season form last year forced him into the Proteas set-up, took 6/75 as the visitors were bowled out for 211 at the bidvest Wanderers Stadium on the second day.

Despite that being the highest score of the match, the Cobras’ paltry first-innings 102 meant that the Lions needed 160 for victory and they were racing there thanks to Cook’s brisk 63 not out (56 balls, 12 fours).  They closed on 117/0 and needed just 43 more to seal a winning start to the campaign. Rassie van der Dussen was with his skipper on an unbeaten 43.  But the first half of the day was all about two of the country’s rising talents.

Despite Viljoen picking up his 21st career five-for, it was the man supporting him, Wiaan Mulder, who enjoyed a dream debut. The South Africa Under-19 captain was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings with his 3/10 and he took a fine 4/54 with his right-arm medium pace second time around. It meant the 18-year-old all-rounder shared all 10 wickets with Viljoen. Another rookie that enjoyed a stellar outing was Cobras all-rounder Jason Smith. The 21-year-old, playing in only the second franchise match of his career, fell five runs short of a century when he top scored with 95 (117, 16 fours) in the his side’s second innings.

Smith was also the pick of the bowlers earlier in the day when he took 4/24 as the Lions were bowled out for 154. Temba Bavuma finished unbeaten on 76 (119 balls, 12 fours, 1 six).

 

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ENGLAND WOMEN CLINCH T20 SERIES

Sarah Taylor once again played a starring role in her side’s four-wicket victory over the Momentum Proteas to clinch the three-match women’s T20 series 2-1 at the Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday.

Taylor scored 60 from 40 deliveries to steer her side to victory after South Africa set a 132-run target for them to chase in the second televised match of the series.

The hosts did well to post 131 for four at the end of their innings after they lost the wickets of Trisha Chetty (0), Dané van Niekerk (5) and Marizanne Kapp (0) in just 1.5 overs after they were put in to bat.

Captain Mignon du Preez and Lizelle Lee brought life back to the innings, sharing a 89-run, fourth-wicket partnership to move their side from six for three to 95 for four at 16.1 overs when du Preez was run out for 39 after she passed 1 000 T20 runs.

The milestones continued as Lee hit a career best, 69 not out from 61 balls and was joined by Chloe Tryon, who played a helpful cameo of 16 off 13 balls to get their side to a more respectable score.

South Africa tried to stem England’s run scoring, but they did not have enough runs on the scoreboard to defend.

Shabnim Ismail was the leading wicket taker with 3-27, but England were scoring at 8.58 runs per over, with Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont adding helpful contributions of 25 and 21 not out respectively to get their side over the line in the end.

The hosts do not have time to wallow in their disappointment as, their tour against the West Indies begins on Wednesday, 24 February.

They will play a three-match one-day international (ODI) and three-match T20 series before they depart for the ICC Women’s World T20 in India.

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BIDVEST WANDERERS APPOINTS PRODIGY AS HEAD GROUNDS CURATOR

The bidvest Wanderers Stadium is proud to announce the appointment of Bethuel Buthelezi as the Head Grounds Curator.

Buthelezi, who has been acting in this role for the past month, has been working at the Bullring alongside his predecessor, Chris Scott, for more than 20 years. During this time, Buthelezi played an integral role in producing quality playing surfaces that has produced numerous world records including the 438-game and the Pink Day Massacre of the West Indies at Bidvest Wanderers in February of 2015.

Chris Scott will continue in a consultative role for the 2015/16 season to support Buthelezi in his new role.

Chief Executive, Greg Fredericks, is proud of the fact that the stadium has been able to retain and will continue to benefit from this level of experience and knowledge of the playing facilities at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. “We are extremely excited by the fact that we have been able to appoint an individual with extensive knowledge and experience specific to the bidvest Wanderers Stadium,”

“Bethuel has proven his worth time and time again and his work has been a clear indication of his ability in this area of expertise. I am confident that under his leadership, this stadium will remain the world-class cricket facility that it is. I wish him and his team the best of luck for the task at hand,” Fredericks said.

Buthelezi is relishing this new opportunity. “I have enjoyed working with Chris and have learnt a lot from the experience at the Bidvest Wanderers. I am also happy that there is so many experience amongst the staff that will be working with me and I think this is going to be a big benefit. My appreciation goes to the Gauteng Cricket Board for the confidence in me,” Buthelezi commented.

Fredericks also sees this as part of the strategic focus of the Gauteng Cricket Board. “We remain committed to empowering and developing our own staff so that we become an organisation that is increasingly maximising the value of its own human capital.”

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