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SACA Celebrates Tony Irish on Receiving the Prestigious Tim May Medal of Honour

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) is proud to celebrate its founder and former CEO, Tony Irish, who received the…

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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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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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Dolphins, Warriors share MODC CUP

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins and the Warriors will share the Momentum One-Day Cup after the reserve day on Saturday, as was the case with the clash on Friday, was abandoned due to rain.

No play was possible on Saturday as the outfield was drenched after steady drizzle throughout the morning.

On Friday, the Dolphins accumulated 154 for six in 39.4 overs, and Senuran Muthusamy produced a composed half-century to rescue them after Andrew Birch, with 2-29, had rocked the top-order and had them wobbling on 48 for four.

On Saturday, it rained steadily during the morning and a wet outfield denied the finalists any on-field action.

Remarkably, two teams shared the spoils in the Momentum One-Day Cup competition in 2012-13 and 2013-14 due to rain.

It was the first time since 2010 that the Warriors got their hands on the trophy. The Dolphins had never won or shared the 50-over showpiece since the franchise-system was birthed in 2004-05.

During the first decade of the new century, KwaZulu-Natal did win the one-day competition in 2001 and 2002.

Jon-Jon Smuts, the captain, applauded the character displayed by the Warriors to come out on top in what was effectively a quarterfinal and subsequently a semifinal.

Keshav Maharaj, the Dolphins skipper, said they were thrown a lifeline when the weather interviewed on Friday and the Warriors were in the pound seats. Sharing the trophy is the result of years and years of hard work, he added.

This season, Dolphins finished third in the competition and subsequently accounted for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras in the second semifinal by 49 runs.

The Warriors stunned the defending champions, the Multiply Titans, by eight wickets in the first semifinal.

Gihahn Cloete, with 56, and Smuts, with an unbeaten 74, were the executioners in ensuring a comprehensive win.

Cloete was the leading run-scorer for the Warriors with 546 runs. Smuts also revived the innings of the Dolphins on many occasions and finished with 384 during the series.

Sisanda Magala nipped out 18 batsmen during the campaign. Ayabulela Gqamane captured 17 wickets.

The Dolphins batsmen Sarel Erwee (415 runs) and Dane Vilas (362) were stand-out performers.

Imran Tahir, Senuran Muthusamy and Mthokozisi Shezi struck 13 times each in the domestic 50-over competition.

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TITANS SECURE HOME FINAL

An unbeaten half-century by Jonathan Vandiar paved the way for the Multiply Titans to conclude their Momentum One-Day Cup regular season with a comfortable eight-wicket win over the BuildNat Cape Cobras at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

The left-hander made 72 (78 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) to help his team reach their 185-run victory target with almost 20 overs to spare. Vandiar’s effort came after the home bowlers shot out the visitors for 184 after winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

Aviwe Mgijima was the only batsmen to hit a half-century, holding the innings together thanks to his 52 (96 balls, 2 fours). There were also contributions of 42 from Dane Vilas and 39 by Dayyaan Galiem as the Cobras were bundled out in 44.5 overs.

All the bowlers shone for the Titans, the pick of them being Lungi Ngidi with his 2/20 in eight overs, with two apiece also for Junior Dala (2/33) and Tabraiz Shamsi (2/53).

The reply was fluent one for the hosts, bar a hiccup, when the 100 was raised.

Aiden Markram helped Vandiar put on 75 for the first wicket, before Eddie Leie (3/54) removed the former for 49. The on-loan bizhub Highveld Lions spinner then took out Heino Kuhn (19) and Standard Bank Proteas captain AB de Villiers, who was caught and bowled for a second-ball duck, within the space of three deliveries.

That left the Titans on 100/3, but Farhaan Behardien and Vandiar put on 81 for the fourth wicket to ensure the home side won with ease – 111 balls to be precise.

 

 

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MILLER 100 LEADS SA ‘A’ TO VICTORY

David Miller slammed his fourth List A century to help South Africa A nail a 288-run chase with five wickets in hand against National Performance Squad in the quadrangular series on Wednesday. Both teams are out the race for a spot in the finals, however, after Australia A sealed the second spot with a one-run win over India A on Tuesday.

Miller’s unbeaten 124 off 104 balls took South Africa to 288 for 5 in 46.3 overs at the Ray Mitchell Oval in Mackay. That was after the NPS batsmen put together a collective display to steer them to 287 for 7.

Miller strode out with South Africa having lost both their openers with 54 on the board. That would soon become 62 for 3, when he was joined by Qaasim Adams and the pair strung together a 91-run partnership in 102 balls. Adams was dismissed for a 52-ball 44, before Andile Phehlukwayo joined Miller for a 35-run stand. Thereafter, wicketkeeper Dane Vilas and Miller shut the door on NPS, coming together for an unbroken 100-run sixth-wicket partnership. Miller had hit nine fours and six sixes; Vilas stayed not out on 45 off 39 balls, helped by four fours.

The spinners Matthew Short and Kyle Gardiner took two wickets each, while Hilton Cartwright accounted for opener Khaya Zondo.

NPS had to rebuild early after choosing to bat with Matt Renshaw perishing in the fourth over for 16. Caleb Jewell and Sam Heazlett then struck half-centuries and added 115 for the second wicket, before the rest of the middle order made handy contributions to drive NPS to 287.

The two teams will clash again in the third-place play-off on Saturday. The final takes place the following day at the same venue.

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RAMELA PUTS SA A IN A COMMANDING POSITION

An unbeaten century by Omphile Ramela put South Africa A in a commanding position before Zimbabwe A fought back by the close of day two of the first four-day Test in Harare on Sunday.

The Cape Cobras Sunfoil Series captain made 101 (224 balls, 9 fours) to take the tourists to 455/6 declared, with the hosts then replying with 107/1 in the 45 overs they faced in reply.

Ramela’s eight career first-class ton was all about patience as it took nearly five and a half hours to amass.

Contrastingly, there was an excellent lower-order blitz by all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius, who fell 11 short of a century after smashing 89 (83 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes).

Ramela and Pretorius put on 125 for the sixth wicket, with the latter falling to the pick of the bowlers, Shingirai Masakadza (3/83).

The two other wickets to fall in the South African innings on day two were that of Test duo Stiaan van Zyl for 73 (183 balls, 5 fours) and Dane Vilas (1).

When it was time for the South Africans to bowl, the visitors managed just the wicket of Tino Mawoyo (30) in the final hour – the opener dismissed by Dane Piedt (1/23).

Vernon Philander’s return in national colours failed to produce any wickets, but his nine overs came at a cost of just 15. The Proteas’ seamer is playing his first game for his country since sustaining an ankle injury in November.

Zimbabwe’s hero of the day was Brian Chari with his 71 not out (152 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) as they closed 348 runs behind.

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COBRAS SECURE HOME FINAL

A blistering century from Dane Vilas ensured that the Cape Cobras will host the Momentum One-Day Cup final after they claimed a five-wicket win over the Warriors at St George`s Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Unbeaten Vilas crashed 5 sixes and 11 fours in his 70-ball assault as the visitors recovered from some early trouble to chase down a 258 target with 15 balls to spare.

The Proteas wicketkeeper – reaching his sixth List A century – shared in an unbroken record 161-run sixth-wicket partnership with Justin Ontong, who made 60 not out (81 balls, 2 fours, 1 six). The pair initially came together when their side was in a huge spot of bother at 96/5 and still needing 161 from 24 overs. But they smashed the previous record of 137 unbroken between Vilas himself and Sybrand Engelbrecht, set back in the 2014/15 season.

The pick of the bowlers was Colin Ackermann, who earlier top-scored with the bat to lift the Warriors to a competitive total. Ackermann struck 92 (125 balls. 10 fours) , while Yaseen Vallie hit 58 (72 balls, 5 fours) to give the home side a chance, they eventually surrendered.

Dane Paterson was the pick of the bowlers with 3/54.

The Warriors dropped to third with the result and are likely to stay there and qualify for the play-offs, unless the Unlimited Titans can secure bonus-point wins from their remaining two games.

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RAMELA SECURES COBRAS DRAW

Omphile Ramela scored a century as the Cape Cobras batted out the final day of their Sunfoil Series clash against the Sunfoil Dolphins at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday.

The visiting captain, who scored 89 in the first innings, made 107 with his side following on, helping them reach 361 for six before shaking hands with opposite number Khaya Zondo on the stroke of tea.

Only 64 overs were bowled on the final day, with the match seemingly going nowhere on a slow pitch and the Cape side 202 ahead.

It was only Ramela’s seventh career century and first of the season, while both his scores in the match improved on his previous best score of 46 during the current campaign.

He did not do it all by himself though, with the Cobras having good contributions from Justin Ontong (74), Dane Vilas (54) and an unbeaten 53 from 22-year-old Keegan Petersen.

Andile Phehlukwayo (2-37) and Keshav Maharaj (2-130) picked up two wickets apiece – the latter collecting seven in the match from a mammoth 93.2 overs.

Ramela was named man of the match and his Cobras side walked away with 5.2 points compared to the 7.9 for the Dolphins.

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