FORTUIN LEADS COCA-COLA SOUTH AFRICA TO SEVEN-WICKET WIN

CLYDE FORTUIN grabbed the opportunity given to him by coach Ray Jennings to open the batting to lead Coca-Cola South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over England at Boland Park on Wednesday in the first of five under-19 Youth ODI’s between the two countries. The second match takes place at Western Province Cricket Club on Friday.

South Africa, who had won the toss, had been set a testing target of 222 after restricting England to 221/9 in their 50 overs.

For the first time during this tour South Africa got away to a good start with Fortuin and Andries Gous adding 74 for the first wicket and Fortuin and his captain, Diego Rosier, a further 71 for the second. That broke the back of the target and the middle-order had little trouble in finishing the job with four overs to spare.

Fortuin was named Man of the Match for his innings of 75 (117 balls, 6 fours and a six). When he was dismissed 40 runs were still needed for victory and he might well have gone on to reach three figures but for a superb catch by Harry Finch in the covers.

It was one of two outstanding catches on the day as Gous took a superb running-and-diving catch on the extra cover boundary during the England innings.

Lizaad Williams took full advantage of a well-grassed pitch to give South Africa a perfect start. He took three wickets to put England on the back foot at 22/3 in an opening spell that read 6-1-12-3. It included an incredible 30 dot balls.

Ben Duckett, taking over as captain from Oli Stone, produced a real lead-from-the-front effort to re-establish the innings in successive partnerships of 60 with Finch for the fourth wicket and 47 for the fifth with Jonathan Tattersall.

The left-hander excelled with his ability to work the ball into gaps and the running between the wickets of the batsmen was also impressive. There were, in fact, only 11 boundaries in the first 30 overs but England still managed to get their run rate close to four to the over.

Duckett reached a well deserved half-century off 64 balls (6 fours) but then seemed to lose concentration as he holed out to mid-on against the spin of Bradley Dial.

England reached the second drinks break, leading into the last 16 overs with the batting power play still available, on 133/5.

The ball was starting to keep low which suggested that any total in the region of 200 would be very defendable.

England would have been pleased with their power play effort during which they scored 30 runs without losing a wicket.

South Africa lifted their game at the start of the last 10 overs when Jason Smith bowled Ryan Shaw with the first ball after the power play to halt a promising partnership of 36 and then Tattersall (41 off 55 balls, 2 fours) fell to a brilliant running-and-diving catch at on the deep extra cover boundary by Andries Gous off the left-arm spin of Yaseen Valli.

Jeff Overton laid in the long handle with some powerful hitting to enable England to finish on a very competitive 221/9.

Williams finished with 3/38 and Smith with 2/38.

Andries Gous and Clyde Fortuin started the South African innings very conservatively with a run rate of little more than one to the over during the opening power play. But once they had got through the new ball period their partnership started to flourish and they shared a productive partnership of 74 in 18 overs before Gous was bowled by a beautiful delivery from spinner Tom Shrewsbury.

Fortuin then went from strength to strength and he and Rosier gradually batted England out of the match during a second-wicket partnership of 71 in 15 overs.

Both were subsequently dismissed, Fortuin for a superb 75 off 117 balls (6 fours and a six) thanks to a fine catch in the covers by Finch.

But at that stage South Africa only needed 40 runs in 11.4 overs with seven wickets in hand.

David Bedingham and Murray Coetzee knocked off the required runs in 7.4 overs to give South Africa victory with exactly four overs and seven wickets in hand.

Tattersall (2/36) completed a good all-round match by being England’s most successful bowler.

Clyde Fortuin took part in the Powerade Performance Sessions against AB de Villiers. He proved that he is a good wicket keeper. Jennings believes that he is a huge talent.

Clyde Fortuin

Clyde Fortuin

Andries Gous

Tom Barber

Jason Smith

Jason Smith

 

COCA-COLA SA UNDER 19 CRICKET TEAM SHINE ON DAY 1 OF THE SECOND TEST AGAINST ENGLAND

It was a day of dominance for the fast bowlers – and not just with the ball – on the first day of the second under-19 Youth Test match between Coca-Cola South Africa and England at Boland Park, Paarl on Sunday.

An intriguing and fluctuating day of cricket saw South Africa make 228 all out and then England reply with 52/3.

At one stage the home side was 149/9 before Jan Frylinck and Kagiso Rabada sparked an inspirational fightback with a last-wicket stand of 79. The pair then took a wicket each when they shared the new ball.

Rabada was hugely impressive, beating and bowling one opening batsman with pace and hitting the other on the body. He might have had another bowled victim but for a no ball.

As for Frylinck, he has hardly played cricket in the last two months after suffering a hamstring injury and he was also mightily impressive.

England captain Oli Stone picked up a five-wicket haul as England dominated the morning session and at one stage had figures of 5/18 in 18 overs. Having also broken the back of the South African top order in the first Test at Sahara Park Newlands he has had an outstanding series to date.

South Africa had won the toss on what looked like a good day for batting but found themselves 8/4 at the end of the ninth over. By then Stone had taken three wickets for four runs in five overs, four of which were maidens. He had only conceded two scoring strokes in his opening over.

He set the tone by bowling Murray Coetzee with the second ball of the match and, with Gavin Griffiths, also taking a wicket, the home side found themselves in deep trouble.

Worse was to follow when captain Diego Rosier was unnecessarily run out. South African collapsed to 54 for six after 29 overs before the only remaining specialist batsman, Vassilli Orros, led a recovery with Vincent Moore in a partnership that added 91 invaluable runs in 29 overs.

As often happens, it took the part-time spin of Jonathan Tattersall to break the partnership after Orros had made 69 off 109 balls (11 fours). He impressed with his driving down the ground.

Moore fell immediately afterwards to give Stone a well-deserved fifth wicket. He had the remarkable figures of 5/18 in 18 overs.

At 149/9 the innings looked all but over. The last-wicket pair, however, of Jan Frylinck and Kagiso Rabada, both making their youth Test debuts, responded with a partnership of 79 at a rate of almost five to the over.

They caused the tea interval to be delayed by almost half-an-hour and got South Africa to a respectable 228 all out. It was a partnership of resilience, exuberance and no little skill by two players who looked a great deal better than a No. 10 and 11. The two left-handers took the attack to all the England bowlers, including Stone.

Frylinck excelled on the pull and cut while Rabada hit a succession of quality cover drives. He produced two of these off successive balls from the leg-spinner, Tattersall, and then deposited the next ball, a no ball, into the advertising board at deep midwicket.

The pair hit 11 fours and a six between them and gave South Africa good momentum, heading into a shortened last session of a minimum of 20 overs.

In spite of the late onslaught Stone still finished with outstanding figures of 5/31 in 21 overs.

Frylinck and Rabada carried on the good work when they opened the bowling, dismissing two batsmen quickly before England regrouped to reach 52/3 by the close.

 

SA UNDER 19 CRICKET TEAM CONFIDENT OF A WIN IN THE SECOND COCA-COLA YOUTH TEST AGAINST ENGLAND

The Coca-Cola South Africa under-19 cricket team go into Saturday’s second Coca-Cola Youth Test against England under-19 in Paarl looking to put into practice the lessons learned in their 107 run defeat in the first Test last week.

SA coach, Ray Jennings says that, while it was disappointing to be so comprehensively beaten, there were some positives to take out of the game, and some important lessons.

 “Our youth play mainly limited overs cricket at schools and junior level and our batsmen were not quite sure how to handle the longer 4 day game,” said Jennings. “This showed in the way they were going for big shots at inappropriate times during the first Test and the result was that we were bowled out in less than 60 overs in both innings. We have been talking about it, and working hard at it ahead of the second game.”

The English players, on the other hand, play a lot more of the longer versions of the game, Jennings points out, and it showed in their patient approach to building their innings.

“We have made one or two changes to our batting order for the second Coca-Cola Youth Test, and we have been talking all week about shot selection and patience and I am looking for an improvement from our batsmen in those departments.”

Jennings feels that the impact of fast bowler Craig Kirsten, injury after bowling just four overs in the first Test, has been under-estimated. “It put tremendous pressure on the rest of our attack and led to England getting far more runs in their first innings than they should have,” he said.

“Our performance with the ball in their second inning was one of the most professional I have ever seen at under-19 level. To keep their run-rate down to 1.9 per over, with one bowler short was a great performance and something we can build on in the second Test.”

Jennings singled out the performance of quick bowler Lizaard Williams as the big highlight of the first Test.

“The smoothness of his action and the way he glides through the crease reminds me of Dale Steyn and I am confident that we are looking at a Proteas player within the next 18 month,” he said.

As far as the second Coca-Cola Youth Test is concerned, Jennings said he is looking for more patience from the batsmen and a better grip of what playing four day cricket means from the whole team. “I will be happy if the players go out and put into practice the information we have been giving them,” he said.

“It’s going to be very hot in Paarl, by all accounts. It will be interesting to see how the English players react if we put them under sustained pressure,” concluded Jennings.

Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager, Craig van Niekerk said of the brand’s involvement in the Coca-Cola Youth Series:  “The inclusion of an International component into our Under 19 sponsorship portfolio completes the development cycle.  Players start competing in our Coca-Cola T20 Schools tournament, which helps us reach a broader youth base and creates a platform to promote living active and healthy lifestyles.  The players then progress to the     Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket week and now the top 2012 achievers are Show casing their talents before the rest of South Africa and the World, which is expressed in our campaign around cricket development, ‘Show Your Class’.”

Andries Gous avoids a bouncer during day 4 of the U19 1st Youth Test match between South Africa and England.

Andries Gous drives through covers day 4 of the U19 1st Youth Test match between South Africa and England.

Clyde Fortuin of South Africa in action during day 4 of the U19 1st Youth Test match between South Africa and England