SA20 AUCTION STAR, LITTLE GOES BIG FOR TYGERBERG HUB

It was an afternoon of centuries as the Schools SA20 competition got underway in the Western Province region.

Last month Cameron Little claimed the batting award at the National LSEN Cricket Tournament, then he was front and centre - in his Vista Nova school blazer - at the SA20 Player Auction, picking names out of the bag before auctioneer Richard Madley invited bids.

On Wednesday, Little anchored the Tygerberg Hub innings against Mfuleni Cricket Club with an explosive 115 off 62 balls. Nathaniel Gerbach, 70 not out off 52 balls, played his part too in Tygerberg's 231/1 off their 20 overs.

While Mfuleni's opener Aluve Liwani scored 55 off 51, his fellow batters couldn't get going and Tygerberg's eventual margin of victory was 111 runs.

Victoria Hub ended the hopes of hosts Westerford High School with a comfortable 68-run victory at Imhoff Sports Complex in Newlands.

Victoria amassed 240/6 in their 20 overs, largely thanks to 105 off 51 balls from opener Umr Botha (who is a Second XI player at nearby Wynberg Boys' High School). Botha was well-supported by Ziyaad Adams, who scored an unbeaten 53 off 21.

During Westerford's reply, Ethan Gilham looked set to match Botha before he fell for a classy 83 off 51 balls. It marked the beginning of the end of Westerford's run chase as they eventually ended their innings on 172/8.

A couple of kilometres away at Rondebosch Boys' High School, home batter Josh Neill smacked Edgemead High School's bowlers to all part of the Cricket A field. Neill, selected for SA Schools rugby in winter, whacked an unbeaten 122 off 50 balls to guide 'Bosch to 256/3 off their 20 overs. Earlier, opener Daniel Cooke set the tempo with 43-ball 73.

Edgemead's run chase never got going, as Cooke showed his all-round skill with an incredible 4/8 off his four overs. While they were only bowled out with six balls of the match remaining, Edgemead only eked out 63 - 32 of which from Robert Waldeck's bat.