South African players celebrate a wicket against the West Indies. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
South Africa put all their off-field issues behind them to beat the West Indies by 31 runs in a thrilling opening match at the U-19 Cricket World Cup in Potchefstroom on Friday.
The home team had been disrupted in the build-up to the tournament following the changing of captains, with Juan James replacing David Teeger, who’d been relieved of the leadership following comments he made last year about the war between Israel and Hamas. There were also threats of protests at the ground.
The big hero for the South African team on Friday was left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka who took 5/38 in 9.1 overs to help his side bowl out the West Indies for 254 in their chase of 286 after South Africa had posted 285/9 earlier in the day.
Maphaka ripped the heart out of the West Indies batting, taking three early wickets to leave them 17/3 and then 73/5.
Middle order batter Jewel Andrew waged something of a loan battle to get his team back in the contest, scoring a brilliant 130 off 96 balls, and with the men from the Caribbean well-placed at one stage on 225/6 it looked like they’d coast home.
But, the loss of some quick wickets late in their chase, including that of Andrew, left the West Indies short of their target and all out, with just under 10 overs to go. Riley Norton, with 3/66 including the key wicky of Andrew, backed up Maphaka superbly.
Earlier, Dewan Marais, with 65 runs off 38 balls, and captain James, with 47 off 54, rescued the South Africans innings, after the hosts had slumped to 145/6.
Marais was especially impressive, playing a wonderful knock with shots all around the wicket, to help his side get to 285/9, a decent total on a tricky pitch.
Lhuan-dre Pretoruis (40) and Teeger (44) also contributed with the bat for the South Africans, who lost wickets at regular intervals, until much later in the innings.
The West Indies’ Nathan Sealy took 3/34 and he was backed up well by Nathan Edward (2/63) and Deshawn James (2/38).
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