We, at Club Cricket SA, name our Team of the Tournament, after the recently-concluded 2017 Momentum National Club Championship in Pretoria…
1. Janneman Malan
North-West University Cricket Club (Pukke)
Runs: 251, Strike-rate: 76, Highest score: 111
The hard-hitting Malan struck the week’s first century, against the University of the Free State Cricket Club – and never really looked back to finish second only to the University of Pretoria Cricket Club’s Klaasen as the competition’s leading run-scorer.
2. Rubin Hermann
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Runs: 191, Strike-rate: 60, Highest score: 58
Resolute at the top of the order, in some tricky conditions, against a few challenging bowling attacks, Hermann’s strike-rate was rather pedestrian – but entirely required.
3. Heinrich Klaasen
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Runs: 289, Strike-rate: 108, Highest score: 139
The burgeoning Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman shook off a lack of game time in New Zealand by finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, thanks largely to a superb ton against the University of Fort Hare Cricket Club.
4. Janko Dreyer
University of the Free State Cricket Club
Runs: 231, Strike-rate: 82, Highest score: 72*
The only University of the Free State Cricket Club representative in this XI, Dreyer boasted the third-best average among the top 20 run-scorers – and justifiably beat Stellenbosch University Cricket Club centurion Jean Bredenkamp and North-West University Cricket Club star Marques Ackerman to this berth.
5. Jerry Nqolo
University of Fort Hare Cricket Club
Runs: 151, Strike-rate: 67, Highest score: 58*
Nqolo brought plenty of first-class and franchise experience to the Eastern Cape outfit’s campaign, which failed to bring a single victory, despite his string of valuable contributions.
6. Thomas Kaber
University of Pretoria Cricket Club (Tuks)
Runs: 130, Strike-rate: 96, Highest score: 74, Wickets: 7, Economy rate: 3.97, Best bowling: 3/21
The former South Africa Under-19 all-rounder just missed out on a top 10 finish among the run-scorers, but relished seventh position in the wicket-taking department.
7. Kyle Simmonds
Stellenbosch University Cricket Club (Maties)
Wickets: 8, Economy rate: 4.12, Best bowling: 3/45, Runs: 139, Strike-rate: 91, Highest score: 58
A superb all-rounder formally recognised by a recent invitation to Cricket South Africa’s spin-bowling camp in India, Simmonds was arguably the Western Cape team’s most valuable player in Pretoria.
8. Lesego Senokwane
North-West University Cricket Club (Pukke)
Wickets: 5, Economy rate: 5.13, Best bowling: 5/41
The talented off-spinner clinched the competition’s only five-wicket haul, against the University of Fore Hare Cricket Club – and scored a match-winning half-century against the Crusaders Cricket Club.
9. Brandon Glover
Stellenbosch University Cricket Club (Maties)
Wickets: 11, Economy rate: 4.66, Best bowling: 4/58
Second only to the Crusaders Cricket Club’s Hewer in the wicket-taking ranks, fast bowler Glover showed exactly why he was afforded a List A debut for Boland against Namibia last month.
10. Jovaun van Wyngaardt
North-West University Cricket Club (Pukke)
Wickets: 9, Economy rate: 4/23, Best bowling: 3.82
Seamer van Wyngaardt proved the most economical of the tournament’s top five wicket-takers – and was particularly impressive during a Man of the Match performance against the Stellenbosch University Cricket Club.
11. Nicholas Hewer
Crusaders Cricket Club
Wickets: 14, Economy rate: 4.70, Best bowling: 4/37
Named in Club Cricket SA’s Multiply T20 Community Cup Team of the Tournament earlier this month, seamer Hewer’s prolific April continued with the 2017 Momentum National Club Championship’s most wickets.