STELLENBOSCH: Southern Superstars and Western Legends are the only two unbeaten sides left after the second day’s play of Cricket South Africa’s Cubs Week 2025.
The competition is however still open as the defending champions, the aptly named Northern Champions, and Coastal Conquerors both still have a chance to make the playoffs with one round of pool matches left.
They are in the same pool as Western Legends. The Conquerors will face Namibia on Sunday and will be favourites to bag a bonus-point victory. The Champions and Legends will face each other in a match which could see the Legends lose out on a place in the semi-final if they suffer their first defeat in Stellenbosch.
The Legends’ opening batsman Muhammed Bulbulia (122) recorded the second century of this year’s tournament as his side eased to an 88-run victory over Namibia. Bulbulia faced 142 deliveries in his innings. He dispatched 11 of these past the boundary rope.
He and Ruben Maree (54) shared a 107-run partnership over the second wicket as they helped their side to reach 274/9 in their allotted overs. Namibia’s Junior Kariata picked up three wickets for 39 runs.
Legends’ Meyer Pretorius (3/19) was once again the pick of his side’s bowling attack. He received some good support from Nathan Rossouw (3/25).
Conquerors kept their chances alive with a four-wicket victory over the Champions on Coetzenburg Oval. They did however miss out on bagging a bonus point.
Champions were in deep trouble early on as they stumbled to 55/6 in the 19th over. A 98-run partnership between Jaden Govender (76*) and Charl Prinsloo (41) over the seventh wicket helped them to reach 196/9 in their allotted overs.
Bandile Mbatha (2/15), Rowan Rajah (2/16), Nqobani Mokoena (2/18) and Shahzaad Perumal (2/33) all caused the Champions batting line-up some problems. Mbatha also added 28 valuable runs with the bat.
It was however the second-wicket partnership of 110 runs between Semal Pillay (61) and Ross Coetzee (49) which laid the foundation for the victory.
The Superstars is the only side whose place in the semi-finals is certain. They defeated the Central Gladiators by five wickets.
SA Schools’ captain, Beni Hansen (83) and Unathi Magoloza (42*) shared an 112-run partnership over the fifth wicket. Paul James (24*) was also impressed when he joined Magoloza in the center to see their side home.
Raeeq Daniels removed four of the Gladiators’ batsmen for only 38 runs to make sure the selectors took notice. The national selectors must pick a South African u19-side which will face England in limited-overs cricket as well as in youth tests.
United States of America’s U19-side secured a convincing 181-run victory over the Eastern Warriors.
Their opening batsmen, Amrinder Gill (88) and Sahil Garg (73) shared a 128-run partnership to help their side reach a mammoth 281/7 in their allotted overs.
The second-wicket partnership of 88 runs between Gill and Utkarsh Srivastava (54) placed the Warriors under further pressure.
USA’s Advaith Krishna (5/17) picked up the first five-wicket haul of this year’s Cubs Week to bowl the Warriors out with only 100 runs on the scoreboard.
SUMMARISED SCORECARDS:
Northern Champions 196/9 (Jaden Govender 76*, Charl Prinsloo 41, Extras 25; Bandile Mbatha 2/15, Rowan Rajah 2/16, Nqobani Mokoena 2/18, Shahzaad Perumal 2/33); Coastal Conquerors 197/6 (Semal Pillay 61, Ross Coetzee 49, Bandile Mbatha 28, Extras 26, Chad Mason 22*; Wian Ruthven 3/28, Sandiswa Yeni 2/32). Coastal Conquerors won by four wickets.
Western Legends 274/9 (Muhammed Bulbulia 122, Ruben Maree 54, Extras 33; Junior Kariata 3/39, Nico Pieters 2/31, Peter Blignaut 2/46); Namibia 196 (Waldo Smith 49, Peter Blignaut 41, Extras 29, Zacheo van Heerden 23, Francois du Plessis 20; Meyer Pretorius 3/19, Nathan Rossouw 3/25). Western Legends won by 78 runs.
Central Gladiators 245 (Armaan Manack 62, Kamogelo Phiri 50*, Joe MacRobert 35, Jason Rowles 28, Pranav Raichetti 21, Extras 20; Raeeq Daniels 4/38, Sibulele Makeleni 2/25); Southern Superstars 246/5 (Beni Hansen 83, Unathi Magoloza 42*, Extras 30, Paul James 24*, Adnaan Lagadien 24, Johan Wege 23; Sipho Potsane 2/31). Southern Superstars won by five wickets.
USA 281/7 (Amrinder Gill 88, Sahil Garg 73, Utkarsh Srivastava 54, Extras 25; Likhona Gcora 3/51, Esa Gangat 2/42); Eastern Warriors 100 (Jacques van der Merwe 41, Randy Syce 22; Advaith Krishna 5/17, Ansh Rai 2/10). USA won by 181 runs.
Source: cricket.co.za
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