IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK.

Day 1 (Jan. 3) of the 2019 Cubs U19 Cricket Week involving the 6 franchises in Stellenbosch saw captain and man of the match Matthew Montgomery’s Hollywoodbets Dolphins come away from the Maties grounds with a 7-wicket victory over the Multiply Titans.

Feature image: Be it bat or ball, captain Monty will answer your call.

The Titans opted to bat after winning the toss and were immediately under pressure thanks to the potent Dolphins pace attack.

 

 

One wicket for 6 runs became 30 for three and with batsmen coming and going at regular intervals the Pretoria lads were back in the hut for 144 after 43.2 of their allotted 50 overs.

Maritzburg College quick Mondli Khumalo who is soon to begin his matric year, knocked over the first and last batsmen for next to nothing while 2011 Glenwood and SA Schools grade 11 fast bowler Lifa Ntanzi was at his immaculate best in returning figures of 6.2 overs, 2 maidens for just 10 runs and a top-order and two lower-order batters to his name.

Matt Montgomery’s off-spin picked up 2 of the top 6 batsmen including the prolific Affies and Cole Week batter Dian Forrester.

 

 

The Dolphins Academy’s finger spinner Yves Kamanzi (ex-DHS), the Glenwood fast bowler Sanele Mnqayi who, like Mondli begins grade 12 Wednesday, and productive Northwood 2018 batting all-rounder Andile Mogakane picked up a wicket apiece.

Glenwood 2017 keeper Nikhil Prem snapped up 3 catches behind the stumps.

The Dolphins timed their chase to perfection and hauled in the 145-run target with 20 balls to spare and 7 wickets still in the kitty.

Westville and SA Schools 2018 opener Caleb Pillay (17 off 58 balls with 3 fours) and Glenwood 2018 SA Schools top-order Thamsanqa Khumalo added 41 runs for the first wicket with great care to set the platform.

 

 

Enter man-of-the-match and captain Monty to join Thamsanqa (44 off 117 with 3 fours and a six) and the pair took the Dolphins Cubs within reach in adding 65 for the second wicket.

At 106 for 2 and then 119 for 3 it was a matter of the responsible, reliable Monty (38* 81b 3×4) steering the Dolphins home to 145/3 alongside the big-hitting Mogakane (21*, 9b, 2×4, 2×6).

 

 

Dolphins Cubs coach, the astute Westville director of cricket and first XI coach Fabian Lazarus had this to say to KZN10.com

“Jono the boys played really well in winning key moments. It was a deserved man-of-the-match performance from our captain Monty in taking 2 key wickets and his unbeaten 38 steering us home.

“Lifa Ntanzi bowled really fast and looked by far the quickest bowler on show.”

SCORES IN BRIEF

Titans 144 (Ximus du Plooy 46; Lifa Ntanzi 3/10, Matt Montgomery 2/18, Mondli Khumalo 2/22)
Dolphins 145/3 (Thamsanqa Khumalo 44, Monty 38*)
Dolphins by 7 wickets

 

 

* Other results

Warriors 224/5 (Luke Beaufort 103, Matt Dewar 51; Gerald Coetzee 3/30)
Knights 175 (Ruan Cronje 31; Nonelela Yikha 4/33)
Warriors by 49

Lions 243/8 (Cameron Shekleton 98, Michael Copeland 59; Anele Matya 3/32)
Cobras 246/4 (Ruan Terblanche 116*, Bonga Makhakha 66; Jarred Goncalves-Jardine 4/45)
Cobras by 6 wickets

 

 

DOLPHINS CUBS U19 SQUAD
Captain Matt Montgomery (Clifton College 2018)
Caleb Pillay (Westville 2018)
Thamsanqa Khumalo (Glenwood 2018)
Jason Krafft (Dolphins Academy ex PBHS)
Andile Mogakane (Northwood 2018)
Nikhil Prem (Dolphins Academy ex Glenwood)
Gareth Schreuder (Hilton College 2018)
Sanele Mnqayi (Glenwood 2018 grade 11)
James Ritchie (Hilton College 2018)
Yves Kamanzi (Dolphins Academy ex DHS)
Mondli Khumalo (Maritzburg College 2018 grade 11)
Lifa Ntanzi (Glenwood 2018)
Michael Booth (Hilton College 2018 grade 11)
Colby Dyer (Hilton College 2018 grade 10)

Coach: Fabian Lazarus (Westville director of cricket and first XI coach)
Assistant coach: Mduduzi Mbatha (KZN cricket)