Hammanskraal Cricket Club were crowned champions of the 2023 TITANS U16 Hub Challenge on Monday the 26th of June at Mandela Oval. The in-form side successfully defended their title defeating arch-rivals Atteridgeville Cricket Club by 6 wickets to clinch their second consecutive TITANS U16 Hub Challenge title.
Hammanskraal Cricket Club won the toss and bowled first. A surprising new opening bowling pair took Atteridgeville’s opening batsmen by surprise. It was Lesedi Mabena who got the first breakthrough in the third over sending Kagallo Kobe back to the pavilion.
Atteridgeville Hub found it difficult to score runs with Hammanskraal Hub’s opening bowling attack. This limited the opening batsmen to scoring under 4 runs per over. Batsmen Aiden Maredi and Mohau Mahlangu steadied the ship with a 50-run partnership.
Hammanskraal Hub got their second breakthrough shortly after the 50-run partnership when Mohau Mahlangu was stumped by a Boitshelo Mabitsela delivery in the 11th over.
Things got nailed for the visitors 5 balls from the stumps when Neo Makwela produced a peach of a delivery to bowl out new batsmen at the crease Mahlohonolo Sebelebele and 67/3 it was with 8 overs to spare. Atteridgeville Hub’s team continued to struggle for boundaries, scoring just under 5 runs per over. Neo Makwela struck again in the 18th over with one of his golden deliveries to bowl out Omphile Maredi.
Atteridgeville Hub’s long-awaited boundary finally came with Mduduzi Mahlangu hitting down a six to reach the 100 mark with two overs to spare. The boundary saver was shortly bowled out by Masego Motlhala and Atteridgeville Hub entered the last over on 109/5.
An overstretched last over by bowler Keabetswe Semenya proved costly for the home team as they conceded 14 runs in the last over. Semenya bowled 7 wides in a single over. Atteridgeville Hub ended their innings on 123/5 posting a total of 124 for the home side to chase. Aiden M finished the innings top-scored with 41 runs not out.
Atteridgeville Hub’s opening bowling attack made life difficult for the home side at the start of their innings chase. A great piece of fielding from Mohau Mahlangu led to Obakeng Mokonyane’s run out in the second over. The visitors struck again two balls later when Kamogelo Moloto trapped batsman Tlotlang Kobe into an LBW and was dismissed. Hammanskraal Hub were 17/2 after 4 overs scoring just under 4 runs per over.
Batsmen Keabetswe Sememya swayed his team back into the contest with two consecutive boundaries hitting Thato Sebanyoni with two fours. With momentum shifting to the home side, Atteridgeville Hub got their third wicket of the game when Thami Matlhlokoane was dismissed by Boikanyo Makhubela.
Batsmen Thabang Khuthumela and Keabetswe Semenya took the game to Atteridgeville Hub ‘s bowling attacking scoring at over 6 runs per over.
