Young guns fire on all cylinders as Roodepoort Cricket Club defeat local rivals

Roodepoort Cricket Club made it two wins in as many weeks as they brushed aside local rivals.

The Human Rights Day public holiday was the perfect opportunity to squeeze a fixture in with Khosa Cricket Club obliging in travelling the short distance from Krugersdorp on March 21. Roodepoort’s Saturday One team features schoolboys from several prestigious schools across the province and they were in fine form against a visiting team who themselves were brimming with young talent getting a taste of senior action.

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Roodepoort lost the toss and was put into bat, captain David Olivier joined by JP Brewis in facing the new ball. A brisk start was quickly halted as the hosts went from 27/0 in the fourth over to 34/3 just 19 balls later. In walked 17-year-old Tiaan Goosen from King Edward VII School who would prove to be the glue of the innings. Chipping away a determined 73 off 77 balls, Tiaan stuck around until the 31st over, walking back to the old grandstand with his team on 159/8.

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Secure that a competitive total was already on the cards, Northcliff High School learner Nathan du Toit was joined by his older brother Jason. Together, they bashed 51 more runs in the final four and a half overs to get their team to an outstanding total of 210/8 in their allotted 35 overs. The Du Toits had an equal share of the damage, Jason scoring 25 off 17 and Nathan 24 off 15.

A young Khosa batting line-up was headed by veteran Juan Klusman. The big-swinging Klusman dealt only in boundaries and after being dropped twice was caught in the deep trying to take on the spinner. It would be all downhill from there as no Khosa batsman outside the opening pair could muster a double-digit score, Klusman top scoring with 22 as the visitors crumbled to 79 all out.

Nathan du Toit would add to his batting heroics with bowling figures of 3/11 in six overs while Juan van der Vyver, a matric learner at Hoërskool Waterkoof, matched that with 3/33 in seven overs. The young players are permitted to play for multiple teams so long as they are not in the same divisions and they are being primed for the upcoming Diadora Jozi Cup.

Excited for the months ahead, Roodepoort captain, David Olivier said, “It was a great win against Khosa. The youngsters that have played the last few games in preparation for the Jozi Cup have rejuvenated the older players after a long season. With two games left, I hope we can keep the intensity and performance levels high to take some momentum to the Jozi Cup for both our senior and junior teams.”