The defending champions of the Khaya Majola Cricket Week (for Under-19 players), the Lions, had to wait until the third day of the tournament to taste victory but a bonus-point win over KwaZulu-Natal Inland secured them a spot in the semi-finals.
Lions won by six wickets, reaching the victory target in only 32.3 overs, which earned the team that crucial bonus point.
KZN Inland, like the Lions, ended with five league points but since Lions won the direct contest between the teams, they claimed a spot in the semi-finals. On Thursday, the defending champs will tackle the Dolphins for a place in the final.
Armaan Manack (44), Tiaan Goosen (30*) and Jason Rowles (29) played a significant role with the bat in the Lions' successful run chase.
Corné Botha, who captured 3/10 in 10 miserly overs, also deserves praise. He led a tidy Lions attack, which restricted Inland to 130/8 in their 50 overs.
The hosts, Western Province, are the only unbeaten team remaining in the Platinum Division after they recorded a six-wicket win over Free State at the Bellville Cricket Club.
Free Staters were dismissed for 138, with Raeeq Daniels (3/19), Kyle van Santen (2/19) and Divan Linde (2/24) preventing their opponents from putting together meaningful partnerships. Dakalo Leketa (38*), who is usually one of the Free State's key bowlers, led the run-scoring to continue his good form with the bat this week.
Noah Heath (45*) and Adnaan Lagadien (45) impressed with the bat for the winning team as they claimed victory with well over 10 overs to spare.
WP will face their neighbours Boland in the other semi-final after Boland handed Eastern Province a six-wicket loss.
That victory also secured the Bolanders a bonus point and pulled them level with the Titans in the standings. However, Boland’s victory over the Titans on day one of the week meant they progressed to the semi-finals at the expense of the Titans.
The Wine Farmers' Christiaan Wege (5/24) shone with the ball in their win over EP. Stefan Conradie (66*), whose aggressive 54-ball knock included five fours and four sixes, also played a key role with his unbeaten half-century.
The Titans, meanwhile, achieved a convincing 64-run victory over the Dolphins in Durbanville but it wasn't enough to take them through to the semi-finals.
Marcus Bakker (51) and Charl Prinsloo (41) starred for the Titans in their innings of 192. The Titans' SA U19 opening batsman Steve Stolk, then, shone with the ball, claiming the first three wickets in the Dolphins' innings, on his way to a four-wicket haul (4/33).
There was also a perfect hat-trick by Paul Matlala (3/21) for the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Invitation Team in their contest against Northern Cape.
He dismissed Malan Lubbe (9) and Monnapule Jansen (0) with the last two deliveries of the 10th over, having both caught behind by Joe MacRobert. Then, with the first delivery of the 12th over, Matlala rearranged Luqman Gool's (0) stumps.
The CSA Invitation Team also remains unbeaten after a one-sided 216-run victory.
Ruben Groenewald (96) came the closest to scoring a century this week, despite batting only seventh in the Invitation Team's line-up. He is the son of the former Blue Bulls' scrumhalf, Coenraad Groenewald.
Easterns' Cayden Ramage (6/17) wrecked Mpumalanga's innings with his seam bowling, helping to limit them to a lowly 65 all out.
Scorecards
KZN Inland 130/8 (Siposethu Ngcobo 29, Kwanele Nqayi 24; Corné Botha 3/10, Cole Francis 2/30) v Central Lions 131/4 (Armaan Manack 44, Tiaan Goosen 30*, Jason Rowles 29; Chad Mason 2/24). Lions won by six wickets.
Free State 138 (Dakalo Leketa 38*, Khanyisile Nondwangu 25; Raeeq Daniels 3/19, Kyle van Santen 2/19, Divan Linde 2/24) v Western Province 139/4 (Noah Heath 45*, Adnaan Lagadien 45, Kashief Joseph 22; Kamohelo Mokoena 2/12, Darion Rabie 2/27). Western Province won by six wickets.
Eastern Province 115 (Xander Elkington 31, Kian Cambier 29; Christiaan Wege 5/24) v Boland 117/4 (Stefan Conradie 66*; Esa Gangat 3/21). Boland won by six wickets.
Titans 192 (Marcus Bakker 51, Charl Prinsloo 41, Wian Ruthven 26; Nqobani Mokoena 3/57, Sandiswa Yeni 2/8) v Dolphins 128 (Ross Coetzee 31, Nqobani Mokoena 22; Steve Stolk 4/33, Marcus Bakker 2/14). Titans won by 64 runs.
CSA Invitational XI 290/8 (Ruben Groenewald 96, Matthew Florence 49, Paul Matlala 40, Joe MacRobert 31; Danie van der Merwe 3/59, Malan Lubbe 2/37, Raul Williams 2/61) v Northern Cape 74 (Junaid Jacobs 19, Danie van der Merwe 19; Dayalan Boyce 3/10, Paul Matlala 3/21, Vihan Pretorius 2/0, Luke Kleinsmith 2/21). CSA Invitational XI won by 216 runs.
Border 95 (Tré Gilbert 46; Onalerona Senokwane 3/17, Barend de Klerk 2/19, Tumelo Makume 2/20) v North West 96/5 (Stephan Janse van Rensburg 34, Marneau Dreyer 24*; Lithemba Nomoyi 2/20, Tré Gilbert 2/34). North West won by five wickets.
Mpumalanga 65 (Vaughn van Zyl 16; Cayden Ramage 6/17, Tiaan Kuhn 2/7) v Easterns 71/6 (Sabelo Mabanga 23; Sibonelo Skhosana 3/10, Vaughn van Zyl 2/20). Easterns won by four wickets.
Limpopo Impalas 146 (Lukas van der Merwe 57; Enathi Kitshini 4/32, Corné Kennedy 3/19) v Garden Route Badgers 147/3 (Keano Coerecius 49, Camron Avontuur 42, Extras 30; Mahlodi Sekuba 2/20). Garden Route Badgers won by seven wickets.
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