Snipers secure summer silverware at Southern KZN cricket festival
The players displayed excellent sportsmanship.
Some exciting tournament cricket for junior players has come to an end for the year, culminating in the Southern KZN T20 Summer Festival.
Snipers, well captained by Oliver Smith, came to the fore against a slightly depleted RC Challengers team, dominating with the bat in the final played at Margate Primary.
They set the Challengers a massive total of 196, boosted by some immensely powerful late hitting from Langa Cele, following up on two beautifully crafted scores in the 60s from Quade Nicholls and Damion Bezuidenhout.
In reply, the Challengers got off to an adrenalin-infused start, with Elijah Langton finding the boundary seemingly at will, backed up by Stiaan Fritz.
With the score at 45 after three overs, the game appeared to be very much on.
However, they could not sustain the frantic pace and both succumbed to shots in the air.
After a collapse of sorts, which saw four wickets fall quickly, Daniel Rush, Marcel van Etteryk and Lutho Menziwa brought Challengers closer, but some tight bowling from Thuso Mavundla and Dian Schoeman put the brakes on.
In the end they fell 26 runs short in what had been an entertaining match.
The bronze medal final saw the RC Chargers beat the Sluipskutters by the exact same margin of 26 runs.
Chargers batted first and Shaden Ellapen cut loose with a superb 65, displaying an elegant array of shots. He was backed up Orlando Lombard and Haffiya Ebrahim as they totalled 159.
It could have been more had it not been for the incredible bowling antics of Eben Schoeman, still only nine years old, who scythed through the Challengers to take 7-27.
In response, Sluipskutters batted well but not fast enough and ended up short, despite a late rally from Melokuhle Khanyile and Imraan Khan.
All in all, it was another successful summer tournament, where friendships were strengthened, cricket was enjoyed and coaches endured the highs and lows the game inevitably produces.
SCORES
Snipers 196-3 in 20 overs: Quade Nicholls 66 retired, Damion Bezuidenhout 60 not out, Langa Cele 22 not out. Elijah Langton 1-26.
RC Challengers 170-8 in 20 overs: Elijah Langton 43, Marcel van Etteryk 39, Lutho Menziwa 26, Daniel Rush 17, Jacob Steynberg 3-43, Thuso Mavundla 2-24, Dian Schoeman 1-22.
* Snipers won by 26 runs.
RC Chargers 159 all out in 20 overs: Shaden Ellapen 65, Orlando Lombard 16, Haffiyah Ebrahim 15, Jesse Langton 10. Eben Schoeman 7-27, Kiaan Reddy 2-34, Alwande Ntombela 1-6.
Sluipskutters 133-4 in 20 overs: Melokuhle Khanyile 32 not out, Eben Schoeman 18, Imraan Khan 15 not out, Alwande Ntombela 11. Laaiqah Suleman 1-5, Shaden Ellapen 1-5, Ross Downham 1-17.
* RC Chargers won by 26 runs.
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