The Northern Champions lived up to their name as they emerged victorious on a nail-biting final day of the CSA Cubs Week in Stellenbosch.
The Champions needed to beat the Eastern Warriors with a bonus point on Sunday to walk away with the bragging rights.
To achieve this, they had to bowl the Warriors out for 218 or less after setting a total of 273-8 in the first innings.
In the end, they managed to restrict the Warriors to just 175, with Martin Khumalo (4-27) and Tristan Luus (3-30) starring with the ball.
The Champions and Southern Superstars both finished on 18 log points but the former walked away winners with a slightly better net run-rate (.68 vs .60).
Northern Champions (273-8) beat the Eastern Warriors (175) by 98 runs
Northern Champions: Divan Engelbrecht 64, Simele Maye 62, Dewan Marais 60, Modise Maloka 29, Mohammad Aslam 20*; Esa Gangat 3-58, Thozama Totana 2-18, Tyler Stagg 2-45
Eastern Warriors: Daniel Ristow 43, Tre Gilbert 39, Casey Keevy 20; Martin Khumalo 4-27, Tristan Luus 3-30, Divan Engelbrecht 2-37
The Superstars could not have done much more to win the title themselves after beating the defending champion Coastal Conquerors with a bonus point.
Gysbert Wege struck 128* off 115 balls, including 10 fours and six sixes. He shared an unbeaten 88-run partnership with SA Schools captain Juan James for the fourth wicket.
The Conquerors’ Romashen Pillay scored 44 to finish as the top run-scorer with 255 at an average of 51.
Southern Superstars (238-3) beat the Costal Conquerors (232-9) by seven wickets
Coastal Conquerors: Jonathan van Zyl 58, Jason Muirhead 45, Romashen Pillay 44, Jake Carstens 37*; Riley Norton 3-55, Cormey van der Watt 2-36, Raees Salie 2-48
Southern Superstars: Gysbert Wege 128*, Juan James 41*, Maahir Joseph 28, Meeka-eel Prince 20; Nqobani Mokoena 2-51
The Central Gladiators’ Sipho Potsane saved his best performance for the last day of the Cubs Week against the Western Legends.
Potsane took 6-46 to help his side secure a 59-run victory, including the Legends’ last three batsmen in just six deliveries – Tumelo Makume (two), Sicelo Matayi (nought) and Corné Prinsloo (85).
It took Potsane to the top of the wicket-taking list with 12. Leo Sadler (Champions) and Riley Norton (Superstars) both finished the week with 11.
Earlier, the Gladiators’ Thebe Gazide was devastated to be run out just one run short of what would have been a superb century.
Central Gladiators (249-7) beat Western Legends (190) by 59 runs
Central Gladiators: Thebe Gazide 99, Richard Seletswane 37, Gomolemo Phiri 29*, David Teeger 21, Reuben du Toit 20; Corné Prinsloo 2-35, Bathabile Mashigo 2-45
Western Legends 190: Corné Prinsloo 85, Naziel Adams 33; Sipho Potsane 6-46, Kwena Maphaka 2-41
