Merensky and Ben Vorster dominate rain-hit cricket
Merensky and Ben Vorster celebrated dominant school cricket wins, with standout bowling displays securing victories in rain-affected matches.
TZANEEN – On Saturday, September 20, the cricket teams from Merensky Agricultural Academy and Ben Vorster High School dominated their school league games, despite the rain-shortened matches.
Merensky’s first XI and u/15A teams both put in strong performances against Mohodi Hub. The Plasies batted first, scoring 61 runs all out in 21.5 overs of a planned 30-over match, with Luka Heinlein top-scoring with 19 runs. When Merensky bowled, they dismissed Mohodi for just 39 runs in 19.1 overs.
Ian Meyer was the standout bowler, taking 5 wickets for only 9 runs, while Rinaldo Borman supported well with 4 wickets for 14 runs. Merensky secured a convincing 22-run victory.
Meanwhile, the u/15A match was hosted at Tzaneen Primary School. Mohodi struggled again, being bowled out for 22 runs in 10.1 overs of a 35-over game. Willem Mostert took 5 wickets for 17 runs, and Altus Vorster added to the pressure with 4 wickets for just 5 runs.
Merensky chased down the target easily, reaching 24 for 2 in only 4.3 overs, with Mostert and Rijas Patel remaining unbeaten as the Plasies claimed an 8-wicket win. Merensky coach Steven Steyn noted that the wet pitch made batting difficult due to the rain.
At Ben Vorster, head of cricket Rynier de Jager praised both his teams for their wins.
“The u/15 match provided an exciting and tense final hour of play. The Vossies showed great determination, guts, and a ‘fight to win’ attitude that pulled them through. After a poor performance against Merensky the previous weekend, the Black Caps bounced back to secure a comfortable win against one of their biggest rivals. While we are happy with the win, there’s still room for improvement, especially in our batting. We are working hard and are confident that the players will soon show their full potential,” he said.
Looking ahead, Merensky’s first XI will face Louis Trichardt at Stanford Lake College, while their u/15A team will play away against Louis Trichardt on Saturday, September 27. On the same day, Ben Vorster’s first team will host Mohodi. Venue confirmation for Ben Vorster’s u/15 match was pending at the time of going to press.
