Splendid hundreds by Jason Rowles and Muhammed Bulbulia and a dominant performance from their bowlers and in the field, enabled South Africa to crush Tanzania by a lopsided 329 runs in their ICC Under-19 World Cup match at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek on Monday.
It was the perfect way for South Africa to bounce back after their 28-run defeat by Group D leaders Afghanistan last week. Although it was an inspirational effort by the Tanzanian minnows to qualify for the tournament, the gap in quality between the teams was palpable.
South Africa should face a far sterner challenge on Thursday as they attempt to confirm their place in the Super Sixes when they meet the West Indies at the same venue.
The match was realistically over as a contest after South Africa posted their highest total in a youth international, 397 for five, and so it proved as Bulbulia’s youngsters dismissed Tanzania for 68 in 32.2 overs with Rowles also excelling as an allrounder, claiming 2-14 with his left-arm spin as well as effecting two run-outs. It was no shock that the prodigiously talented 17-year-old from St David’s Marist in Johannesburg – who still has to write his matric this year – was made player of the match.
To make their prospects even bleaker, Tanzanian opener Dylan Thakrar was unable to bat after injuring his left hand in the field. Simba Mbaki top-scored with 17, including three bold boundaries, before becoming one of Rowles’ victims.
Pace bowler Bayanda Majola bowled with real fire to claim 2-6 in 6.2 overs and there were also wickets for Michael Kruiskamp, Bandile Mbatha and Corne Botha.
Earlier, South Africa made a lightning start to their innings after Tanzania had won the toss and put them in to bat. Opener Jorich van Schalkwyk slammed five sixes and two fours in his 47 in 34 balls as South Africa recorded the highest total in the opening power play (77 for one) in the competition to date. Van Schalkwyk perished in the eighth over, hooking paceman Alfred Fungamtama to Khalidy Juma on the long-leg boundary, where he held a juggling catch.
South Africa’s run-rate settled back a little after that with fellow opener Adnaan Lagadien being run out for 32 after a mix-up with Bulbulia. After four runouts in their opening defeat against Afghanistan, it was a moment of concern.
The concern soon vanished, however, as Bulbulia was joined by Rowles with the little left-hander continuing his purple vein of form that saw him make an outstanding 98 in the Afghanistan game.
The pair added 201 in 176 balls for the third wicket as they took an increasingly severe toll on a flagging Tanzanian attack on a dry, relatively grassless pitch that nevertheless played pretty well. Bulbulia eventually holed out for a clinical 108 in 101 balls (10x4s, 1x6), a dismissal that signalled an explosive end to the innings with Paul James blitzing 46 in 18 balls (2x4s, 5x6s) as he and Rowles crashed 82 in 35 balls for the fourth wicket.
The elegant Rowles remained unbeaten at the end with a superb 125 in 101 balls, including 10 fours and five sixes. The left-hander picked length quickly and was particularly destructive through the legside, although he was productive all round the wicket.
SOUTH AFRICA UNDER-19: Jorich van Schalkwyk, Adriaan Lagadien, Muhammed Bulbulia (capt), Jason Rowles, Armaan Manach, Paul James, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (wk), Bandile Mbatha, Corne Botha, Michael Kruiskamp, Bayanda Majola
TANZANIA UNDER-19: Dylan Thakrar, Darpan Jobanputra, Ayaan Shariff, Augustine Mwamele, Laksh Bakrania (capt), Simba Mbaki, Karim Kiseto, Acrey Hugo (wk), Alfred Fungamtama, Khalidy Juma, Raymond Francis