Schools SA20 Final Showdown: Steyn City, Saints & Dr JL Dube Dominate Opening Day

Schools SA20 Final Showdown: Steyn City, Saints & Dr JL Dube Dominate Opening Day

The Schools SA20 Final Showdown girls’ division began with a thrilling first day at the University of Pretoria, where Steyn City School, Saints Christian School, and Dr JL Dube High School all secured crucial victories. With standout performances from national U19 players, the tournament is already shaping up to be a showcase of future South African cricketing talent.

Scorecard

• Dr JL Dube 29/3 (Zukiswa Msiya 9*) beat Nomandi 27 all out (Anelisa Mhlongo 3/8, Zukiswa Msiya 2/6) by 7 wickets.

• Saints Christian 34/6 (Tshegofatso Monyela 10) beat Nkowankowa 33 all out (Monyela 4/5, Duma 2/7) by 4 wickets.

• Steyn City 34/3 (Karabo Meso 26*) beat Victoria Hub 33/3 (Imaan van Schalkwyk 14; Jenna-Lee Lubbe 2/13) by 7 wickets.

Meso Leads Steyn City to Victory

Steyn City School sent a strong message to the competition, cruising to a seven-wicket win over Victoria Hub in a rain-affected five-over match. South Africa U19 wicketkeeper-batter Karabo Meso demonstrated her class, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 26 runs.

Meso, who was instrumental in guiding the junior Proteas to the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup final in Malaysia earlier this year, has once again proven why she is considered one of the brightest young talents in South African cricket. She will be looking to carry her form forward alongside teammate Diara Ramlakan as Steyn City aims for tournament glory.

On the bowling front, Jenna-Lee Lubbe (2/13), a non-traveling reserve for the national U19 squad, provided key breakthroughs for Steyn City. Victoria Hub had a promising start, with Imaan van Schalkwyk (14) offering resistance, while Zaurah Titus (2/17) delivered a strong bowling performance, but their total of 33/3 was not enough to hold back Steyn City’s charge.

Saints Christian School’s Spin Power

Saints Christian School from Potchefstroom began their campaign with a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Nkowankowa Hub. The game’s biggest highlight came from Tshegofatso Monyela, who produced a devastating bowling spell, taking 4/5 to restrict Nkowankowa to just 33 runs.

Monyela’s brilliance with the ball earned her the Player of the Day award, which will see her don the red cap during Friday’s fixtures. She was ably supported by Siphumelele Duma (2/7) and Gogontle Padi (2/11), whose disciplined spells further tightened Nkowankowa’s grip.

Despite the difficult batting conditions, Saints managed to chase the total down, with Monyela once again stepping up to top-score with 10 runs. Reabetswe Dithipe (7) also chipped in, helping the team cross the finish line. Nkowankowa’s Motlalepule Sebele (2/16) put up a fight with the ball, but Saints held their nerve to claim victory.

Dr JL Dube Impress in Low-Scoring Contest

KwaZulu-Natal’s Dr JL Dube High School started their tournament on a winning note, securing a seven-wicket win against Nomandi Junior Secondary School in a match dominated by bowlers.

Nomandi was dismissed for just 27 runs, thanks to a clinical display from Dr JL Dube’s attack. Anelisa Mhlongo (3/8) and Zukiswa Msiya (2/6) wreaked havoc, giving their team a comfortable target to chase.

Msiya also made a significant contribution with the bat, scoring 9 runs to help Dr JL Dube reach 29/3 and seal a well-deserved victory. Lungile Ngcobo (6*) played a supporting role as the KwaZulu-Natal champions got their campaign off to a flying start.

Schools SA20: A Stage for Future Proteas

The Schools SA20 Final Showdown continues to provide a platform for young players to showcase their potential. With South Africa’s U19 stars leading the charge, the competition is proving to be an exciting glimpse into the future of women’s cricket in the country.