The South African U19 team was knocked out of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup semifinal running after crashing to a six-wicket defeat to the Australian U19s in their Super Six match at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek on Sunday.
After coming into the Super Six phase with no points, after suffering defeats against the Afghanistan U19s and West Indies U19s in the pool stage, the SA U19s had to win to keep themselves in the semifinal hunt.
But a disastrous batting performance cost them dearly as they were skittled for a dismal 118 all out, which although their bowlers made a fist of defending, wasn’t enough of a challenge as the Australian U19s eased to 122/4 in the 33rd over to clinch a comfortable win.
In the chase the Aussies were tested by SA U19 opening bowlers JJ Basson, 3/41, and Bayanda Majola, 1/23, who was incredibly unlucky not to get a couple more wickets, as both were bowled out as they chased an unlikely win.
Opener Steven Hogan, 43 off 73 balls (5x4), top scored for his team, while Alex Lee-Young, 21no off 33 (1x4; 1x6), and Jayden Draper, 21no off 23 (2x4; 1x6), guided their side home at the end.
The SA U19s did striker early, as Basson had opener Will Malajczuk (4) stunningly caught by a diving Armaan Manack in the third over with the score 7/1.
But Nitesh Samuel (16) and Hogan added 38 for the second wicket to calm things down and get their side on track.
Majola was finally rewarded for some fantastic bowling when Samuel hit him straight to Jorich van Schalkwyk at cover point, who managed to take a sharp catch after juggling the ball, leaving them on 45/2 in the 12th over.
Captain Oliver Peak (10) was in next, and after continuing their very slow progress, adding 22 to the total, Peak was removed by Basson as he chased a short and wide ball, only to feather an edge to keeper Lethabo Phahlamohlaka, as they slipped to 67/3 in the 20th.
Hogan and Lee-Young combined for a 27-run stand to calm any nerves, before the Basson-Manack combination removed Hogan with the score 94/4, leaving Draper to accompany Lee-Young over the line.
At the start of play the Australia U19s won the toss and chose to bowl, and it could have been even worse for the SA U19s if the Australia U19s had held onto their catches, dropping a slew of them over the innings
But that didn’t make too much of a dent, as Paul James, 34 off 60 (1x6; 1x4), and Van Schalkwyk, 26 off 55 (3x4) top scored and were two of just three batters to reach double figures.
It was a dismal start to the SA U19s innings, as just the second ball of the match saw opener Manack pinned in front by Charles Lachmund and sent on his way for a first ball duck with the score 1/1.
SA U19 captain Muhammed Bulbulia, 19 off 14 (3x4), who is usually a pretty circumspect batter, clearly had a different game plan and was targeting unsettling the Aussie bowlers with some positive play.
He looked decent in striking three fours, before being surprised by the bounce and pace from William Byrom, with the ball pinging off his stationary bat and rebounding onto his stumps to send him on his way in the sixth over, with the score 28/2.
Things then went from bad to worse for the SA U19s as star allrounder Jason Rowles (6), got a leading edge to a ball from Lachmund and was caught by Malajczuk at mid-off.
He was followed soon after by Daniel Bosman for a nine-ball duck, chasing a Byrom ball down the leg side and feathering an edge to keeper Lee-Young, leaving the SA U19s in huge strife on 37/4 after 10 overs.
But that brought James in to join Van Schalkwyk and they tried to give their side hope with a fighting 30-run partnership, which was the biggest of the innings.
But just as they were settling in, Van Schalkwyk was run out trying to nick a quick single by some superb fielding from Draper, as they slipped to 67/5 in the 18th over.
Phahlamohlaka (4) was the last recognised batsman for the SA U19s, and when he shouldered arms to an in-swinging ball from Lachmund in the 22nd over, that clipped the top of off stump, their chances of a good score were gone with them on 80/6.
James tried to martial the tail as best he could, but regular wickets continued to fall and he was finally last man out trying to hit out, only to end up skying Aryan Sharma to Lee-Young at the start of the 33rd over.
Lachmund, 3/29, was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, backed up well by Byrom, 2/16, and Sharma, 2/27.
SOUTH AFRICA U19s: Armaan Manack, Jorich Van Schalkwyk, Muhammad Bulbulia (c), Jason Rowles, Daniel Bosman, Paul James, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (wk), JJ Basson, Ntandoyenkosi Soni, Enathi Khitshini, Bayanda Majola
AUSTRALIAU 19s: Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Steven Hogan, Oliver Peake (c), Alex Lee Young (wk), Jayden Draper, Aryan Sharma, Hayden Schiller, Kasey Barton, William Byrom, Charles Lachmund