Maphaka bowling blitz takes SA U-19 into semis
Rising star Kwena Maphaka (below left) superbly picked up his third five wicket haul of the U19 World Cup to lead South Africa to a 119-run win over Sri Lanka in their final World Cup Super Six match at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom yesterday afternoon.
The result, coupled with the West Indies’ final Super Six game against Australia being washed out, secured SA’s place at second on the Super Six group two log, which sees them into the semifinals where they will face Super Six group one winners India next week.
In the match the hosts batted first and were on their way to a good score before a mid-innings collapse saw them stumble their way to 232/8 after 50 overs.
Sri Lanka’s innings was then torn apart by Maphaka, as he bowled seven straight overs at the start of the innings, picking up the first five wickets, and then nipping out the last to finish with brilliant figures of 6/21 in 8.2 overs.
His first three wickets were all lovely swinging deliveries that found the edge to keeper Lhuan-dre Pretorius, with opener Pulindi Perera and Supun Waduge falling for ducks, as well as captain Sinuth Jayawardena for six, leaving them on 13/3 in the fifth over.
Dinura Kalupahana (19) and Hirun Kapurubandara (16) shared in a 36-run stand, but Maphaka had both caught out going for big shots as they slipped to 51/5.
Rilee Norton (4/28), then took over from Maphaka and picked up the next four wickets, including Sharujan Shanmuganathan (29) and Malsha Tharupathi (21), who were the only other batters to show any fight.
In SA’s innings Pretorius, (71 off 77 balls), and Steve Stolk (22) got them off to a good start with a 63-run opening stand, but from 103/1 they crashed to 133/6.
Norton (41 not out) and Romashan Pillay (27) rescued their side with a 49-run seventh wicket partnership, while some lower order striking helped them reach what proved to be an easily defendable score.
Maphaka is now the outright top wicket taker at the tournament with 18 scalps at an amazing average of 9.55.