Club Cricket SA selects its Team of the Tournament, after April’s 2018 National Club Championship in Pretoria.
1. Jean Bredenkamp
North-West University Cricket Club (Pukke)
Runs: 287; average: 71.8; highest score: 152*
Bredenkamp struck a big century against Yorkshire Cricket Club on the opening day, setting the precedent for a rather successful week in Pretoria.
2. Jiveshan Pillay
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Runs: 242; average: 48.4; highest score: 113
Titans batsman Tony de Zorzi required appropriate support at the top of the order – and Pillay dutifully delivered, scoring a fine century against Yorkshire Cricket Club.
3. Neil Brand (captain)
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Runs: 309; average: 77.2; highest score: 120; wickets: 7; average: 18.9; best bowling: 4/14
Crowned Player of the Tournament on the back of a superb campaign with bat and ball, all-rounder Brand, of course, captained Tuks to the title, too.
4. Johnny Riekert
Crusaders Cricket Club
Runs: 229; average: 45.8; highest score: 100
Riekert narrowly missed a century against the University of Fore Hare Cricket Club, but made sure he graduated to three figures against Yorkshire Cricket Club.
5. Grant Mokoena
Yorkshire Cricket Club
Runs: 324; average: 79.2; highest score: 124*
Named Batsman of the Tournament after scoring the week’s most runs, Mokoena’s great form was exemplified by a superb century in defeat to Wellington Cricket Club.
6. Aloysius Seleka (wicketkeeper)
Yorkshire Cricket Club
Runs: 167; average: 41.8; highest score: 65*
Solid with the bat and sound enough behind the stumps when handed the gloves by regular wicketkeeper Zakir Kathrada, who also bowled some spin, Seleka did the Northern Cape outfit proud.
7. Eathan Bosch
Crusaders Cricket Club
Wickets: 8; average: 18.5; best bowling: 3/36; runs: 193; average: 48.2; highest score: 107
Outstanding with bat and ball, Bosch was at his best with the former against Wellington Cricket Club and the latter versus Tuks.
8. Curtley Louw
Wellington Cricket Club
Wickets: 11; average: 20; best bowling: 4/81; runs: 136; average: 27.2; highest score: 35
The Western Cape-based club needed someone to stand out with the ball – and Louw duly obliged, finishing with the second most wickets in the tournament.
9. Ruan Haasbroek
North-West University Cricket Club (Pukke)
Wickets: 12; average: 13.6; best bowling: 4/26; runs: 114; average: 22.8; highest score: 57
Rightly named Bowler of the Tournament after taking the most wickets, spinner Haasbroek exploited conditions well, especially at Irene Country Club.
10. Ruan de Swardt
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Wickets: 10; average: 19.2; best bowling: 4/9; runs: 79; average: 79; highest score: 43*
A great support to Peters and Pretorius and entirely effective against Pukke, de Swardt also weighed in with some important runs.
11. Gideon Peters
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Wickets: 10; average: 9.3; best bowling: 6/34
Peters did well to effectively outshine fellow Tuks seamer Migael Pretorius – and was particularly impressive en route to the tournament’s best bowling figures against Yorkshire Cricket Club.