Kwena Maphaka’s five-wicket haul helped South Africa U19 beat Afghanistan U19 by five wickets at Old Edwardians Cricket Club in Johannesburg on Monday.
The 17-year-old Central Gauteng Lions sensation sent down nine overs, two of which were maidens, and claimed 5-25 to help blow away the visitors for 139 in 45 overs.
He was ably aided by Nqobani Mokoena (3-43), before the Junior Proteas knocked off the runs with nearly 25 overs to spare – securing a big win and big boost to their net run-rate as they moved ahead of Afghanistan to qualify for the U19 Tri-Series final on Wednesday.
It was also a first win of the competition for Malibongwe Maketa’s side after they lost their previous encounter with the same opponents and also fell to consecutive defeats to unbeaten India.
They will now take plenty of heart and confidence going into the decider against the log leaders as the teams wind down preparation for the U19 World Cup that begins in Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom on 19 January.
The South Africans were good from the get-go in their latest outing, winning the toss, bowling first and striking in the first over when Maphaka had Hassan Eisakhil caught behind for four from the fourth delivery.
Mokoena then removed Jamshid Zadran (six) the same way in the second over, before Usman Khan Shinwari (one) fell to speedster Maphaka in the third over leaving the score on 13-3.
After no wickets fell in the fourth over, Sohail Khan Zurmati had his stumps flattened by Maphaka in the fifth to put the hosts well on top.
Afghanistan captain Numan Shah finally arrested the slide and put on 61 with Rahimullah Zurmati for the fifth wicket with both batsmen hitting patient 35s to take the score up to 86-4.
But Juan James finally broke the stand in the 24th over and the rest of the innings then ambled to a close with wickets falling regularly as the away side was dismissed with five overs to spare.
Steve Stolk’s aggressive 40 off 21 balls at the start of the chase – an innings that included four sixes and two fours – put the hosts in the ascendancy early on.
They progressed nicely to 69-1 after the early loss of Lhuan-dre Pretorius (11).
And despite then losing four more wickets in Stolk, captain David Teeger (13), Richard Seletswane (eight) and Dewan Marais (two) to slip to 95-5, Oliver Whitehead (33*) and Riley Norton (17*) strung together a 45-run stand to take them home in 25.4 overs.
South Africa are drawn in Group B for the World Cup, alongside England, Scotland and the West Indies, who they begin their campaign against at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on 19 January.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
