Höerskool Waterkloof wrapped up a perfect Cricket South Africa T20 Schools Challenge, as they beat SACS by 15 runs in the final in Pretoria.
Hardus Coetzer was the star of the final, with a brilliant 77 from 54 balls, before his two wickets played a crucial role in restricting the visitors from the Cape.
Waterkloof were representing the Titans franchise, by virtue of winning the provincial Challenge, where they were joined by other franchise winners.
Richard Ackermann took four wickets, as Waterkloof dusted themselves off from a loss to Kearsney earlier in the day, to win the game that really mattered.
The CSA T20 Schools tournament, hosted by Northerns Cricket Union, had a very strong Sky Blues theme, with Proteas batsman Theunis de Bruyn giving the welcome address to officially open the tournament.
“We are very proud of Höerskool Waterkloof for their showing this week,” Northerns Cricket Union President Tebogo Siko commented.
A feather in the cap for Northerns Cricket, the quality of action was matched by the venues and the organisation, as Titans/Northerns Cricket Union put its best foot forward.
Waterkloof posted 186 for six in the final, getting off to a flying start. The carnage was started by SW Kemp, who bludgeoned his way to 45 from just 25 balls.
Coetzer then maintained the pressure, spraying his strokes all around the park. Ackermann also had fun with the willow, crunching 28 from only 12 deliveries. Ackermann’s four for 17 then ensured that SACS could not quite finish off their dream weekend of T20 performances, and sealed an excellent weekend of cricket.
Given the history of the event, there is every chance that some of the names seen at the tournament will go onto bigger things. “We have seen some of our finest Titans players come from this competition, and we have every expectation that some of these young players will be in our domestic structures in the near future,” Siko added.
The likes of Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi and De Bruyn have all graduated from playing in this tournament, so the portents are also very good.
