Down to business for Border schools
EIGHT of the best cricketing schools in the country get down to business today as the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge is battled out with teams hunting national honours in Stellenbosch.
Selborne College and Hudson Park High School will be flying the East London flag, representing the Warriors and the Coastal Focus Schools respectively.
“The guys are ready for the competition. Our friendly games against Hudson earlier this week proved useful and helped us prepare well for this weekend,” said Selborne coach Chris Nevay.
The other top school teams taking part are St Stithians (Lions), Wynberg Boys (Cobras) and Prestige College (Inland Focus Schools), all in pool A along with Selborne.
H S Centurion (Titans), St Andrews (Knights) and Glenwood (Dolphins) are in pool B with Hudson.
“All the teams in this tournament are tough. They have all won their respective franchises so we know that we have to perform from the outset,” said Hudson coach Dave Alers.
Selborne’s schedule sees them taking on Prestige and Wynberg on the first day before playing against St Stithians tomorrow morning.
Nevay said he would have preferred to play one game today and two tomorrow.
“The first match will be vital as a win there will set us up well, so we need to put everything into that match.
“We don’t know much about Prestige, but having got here we cannot take them lightly, while we know Wynberg is a very strong team and they will be a big challenge for us,” he said.
“St Stithians are also going to be a massive test for the team and if we can get some positive results in the pool phase, I would back us to go on and get to the final.”
The Selborne team will be led by Jason Raubenheimer, whose impressive form over the Khaya Majola Week in December saw him selected for the SA Colts and Warriors cubs teams.
His good form will be integral in how Selborne does over the competition.
“Jason has been a fantastic ambassador for Selborne. He is a good batsman, a good bowler and just an allround good sportsman.
“I am expecting him to step up on the biggest stage and lead by example over this weekend,” said Nevay.
Hudson have the morning off today before taking on Glenwood in the afternoon.
They then front up against H S Centurion tomorrow morning and St Andrews Bloemfontein in the afternoon.
“We have been to some of the biggest school cricket festivals around the country and played some of these teams before, so I am confident that they can challenge the best teams in the country,” said Alers.
“The T20 game is a bit of a gamble because on the day one good performance can be the difference, but our T20 form has been good and I believe we have a good chance of going all the way.”
Hudson will be led by experienced captain Sinethemba Qeshile, who made the SA schools team after last year’s Khaya Majola Week, while SA U19 duo Jason Niemand and Akhona Mnyaka will also have massive parts to play.
However, it is a relatively young side and they will be looking to the senior players to lead by example.
“We have four matrics in a squad of 13, so it is a young side.
“However, we have some quality senior players leading the team, and the talent coming through is also very exciting and they will learn from this tournament,” said Alers.
After the pool stages conclude tomorrow, the top two teams from each pool will compete in the semifinals on Sunday morning, followed by the final on Sunday afternoon.
With Selborne and Hudson in different sections, there is a possibility of both teams making the final, which would make for an enthralling contest.
The action gets under way this morning, with Selborne taking on Prestige first up, then Hudson against Glenwood and Selborne against Wynberg in the afternoon matches.