Namibia and the USA Under-19 teams added an exciting international flavour to the 2025 Cubs Week, Cricket South Africa’s prestigious annual tournament for U19 teams, which got underway on Friday in Stellenbosch.
Featuring the top talent from across the country and beyond, this year’s competition promises to deliver more cricket and showcase the future stars of the game.
On the opening day, the Eastern Warriors sounded a clear warning to the rest of the teams with a nail-biting two-run victory over the Central Gladiators, while the USA and Namibia showed flashes of promise despite tough starts against strong local sides.
Warriors narrowly defeated the Gladiators by two runs on Friday after posting a massive total of 293/5 in their 50 overs on Maties' C-field.
Randy Syce (105) recorded the only century of the day in his side's winning effort. He and Jean Upman (77) shared a decisive 141-run partnership for the third wicket.
Gladiators' tail-end batter Tahseen Hanslo almost spoilt the Warriors' day with his defiant knock of 78 not out coming from only 54 deliveries.
Southern Superstars defeated the USA U19 team by four wickets on the Coetzenburg Oval. Americas' Arjun Mahesh (82) helped his team to a total of 233/8 with his half-century.
Superstars’ opening batsman Adnaan Lagadien (90) and Daniel Bosman (65), led their team's charge by responding with half-centuries of their own. Together, they put on a 150-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Before their collaboration, their team had been in deep trouble on 12/3.
Last year's winners, the Northern Champions, will be satisfied after they started their campaign off with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Namibia.
Namibia was restricted to just 137 all out, but it could have been worse after they stumbled to 28/5 in their first nine overs. Ben Brassell (42) and Waldo Smith (36) led the recovery and shared an 89-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Tshegofatso Nthara (3/21) and Sandiswa Yeni (2/17) were the pick of the Champions' bowling attack. It took them 26 overs to overhaul the Namibians' total, with Jorich van Schalkwyk (64*) and Jaden Govender (44*) sharing an unbeaten 92-run second-wicket partnership.
Western Legends secured a hard-fought two-wicket victory over the Coastal Conquerors. The team’s middle-order batters, Meyer Pretorius (89) and Dakalo Leketa (52), contributed vital innings and enjoyed a 106-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Pretorius also shone with the ball, picking up three wickets for 46 runs.
Scorecards
USA 233/8 (Arjun Mahesh 82, Utkarsh Srivastava 34, Amrinder Gill 27, Rahul Basu 26, Extras 22; Divan Linde 2/25, Enathi Kitshini 2/37, Raeeq Daniels 2/40); Southern Superstars 236/6 (Adnaan Lagadien 90, Daniel Bosman 65, Paul James 29*, Divan Linde 26*; Utkarsh Srivastava 2/41). Southern Superstars won by four wickets.
Coastal Conquerors 277/7 (Semal Pillay 57, Joshua van Biljon 50, Bandile Mbatha 49*, Nqobani Mokoena 32, Mfanafuthi Shange 26, Extras 28, Chad Mason 20; Meyer Pretorius 3/46, Carl Fryer 2/40); Western Legends 279/8 (Meyer Pretorius 89, Dakalo Leketa 52, Ruben Maree 31, Extras 30, Naudé Botha 26; Chad Mason 2/41, Ntando Soni 2/50, Nqobani Mokoena 2/50). Western Legends won by two wickets.
Eastern Warriors 293/5 (Randy Syce 105, Jean Upman 77, Extras 33, Zuko Pontshi 26, Tré Gilbert 23, Jacques van der Merwe 20; Curtleigh Koetzee 2/51); Central Gladiators 291/8 (Tahseen Hanslo 78*, Kamogelo Phiri 40, Pranav Raichetti 39, Siyabulele Radebe 38, Jason Rowles 35; Luphelo Mdyesha 3/24, Dawid Vermaak 2/41). Eastern Warriors won by two runs.
Namibia 137 (Ben Brassell 42, Waldo Smith 36, Extras 32; Tshegofatso Nthara 3/21, Sandiswa Yeni 2/17, Jorich van Schalkwyk 2/18, Parth Patel 2/42); Northern Champions 141/1 (Jorich van Schalkwyk 64*, Jaden Govender 44*, Sabelo Mabanga 23; Henry Grant 1/23). Northern Champions won by nine wickets.
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