No, the Eastern Province Schools tennis selectors didn’t mess up their age groups.
Yes, a 14-year-old has indeed been selected as the number one player for the province’s u/19 boys’ team.
Riley Clark of Grey High in Gqeberha has proven he can mix it with the big boys, and it is certainly a huge achievement for a 14-year-old to be included in any u/19 squad as the top player.
Clark is just one of several talented players picked for the various EP age group squads for the upcoming inter-provincial tournaments.
Zoey Scriven of Despatch High has been named the number one player in the Girls u/19 team.
The EP players are now preparing to put their best foot forward from 10 to 13 January in Pretoria.
The EP teams:
Boys
u/19: IPT: Riley Clark, Elandré van Loggerenberg, Eben Peens, Dawid Vermaak, Asakhanya Jantjie, Luzuko Sipinana. Syn A: Lutkin Kemp, Jayden Olivier, Louwen Wolfaardt, Okuhle Makabe. Syn B: Lathitha Puwe, Luan Hanekom, JM Pieterse, Michael Opperman.
u/15: IPT: Keagan Grobbelaar, Petri Reynolds, Matthew Kingwill, Alexander Hurter, Prince Njajula, Anele Fana.
u/13A: Tyler Stanham, Drew Stanham, Lindokuhle Coko, Daniel Veldsaman.
u/13B: Sibawalba Yekani, Imanga Puwe, Zachary Jassen, Stefan van Molendorff.
u/12A: Erik Goedhals, Niel Coetzee, Andre Wolfaardt, Yanga Yekani.
u/11A: Harry Watson, Alutha Fulani, Luken Puren, Hermius Botha. u/11B: Ian Mare, Luyolo Nose, Ulrich Steynberg, Abel van Zyl.
Girls
u/19: IPT: Zoey Scriven, Keani Schoultz, Anné Adam, Nerissa Primo, Tara Ferreira, Zani Njikelana. Syn A: Chrisna Sterley, Chante Mulder, Lene Jeppe, Lianca Rose. Syn B: Une Bezuidenhout, Naruschka Conradie, Ineke van der Merwe, Sibulele Gedezana.
u/15: IPT: Cindy Duvenhage, Amy Leigh Stuart, Truby Willard, Carla van der Merwe, Alecia Louw, Aphelele Mpatha.
u/13A: Erin Doid-Chapman, Marizette Latengan, Dante Dercksen, Siposetu Mgxekwa. u/13B: Ancois Viljoen, Cloe Timmer, Emma Bouwer, Zara Wansink.
u/12A: Amelia King, McKenzie Tarn, Likuwe Matika, Natasha Weitsz.
u/11A: Neranze Nel, Mieke Adam, Emily Robert, Othandwayo Ketshengana.
u/11B: Nele Wolfaardt, Elmaré Naudé, Saskia van Loggerenberg, Taylor Jacobs.
Many talented players from Nelson Mandela Bay schools are involved in the various youth tournaments of Cricket South Africa which started this week. The big one is the Khaya Majola Week for u/19 Boys which only gets underway this coming Sunday in Makhanda.
Eastern Province will be captained by Jean Upman of Grey High in Gqeberha.
“I am proud and honoured to be representing the team and the province,” said Upman.
“It won’t be only me making the decisions,” he quickly added. “I will be using many other people’s input and aiming to make the correct decisions under pressure.”
Upman feels it is an advantage for his team that the matches are in Makhanda.
“A lot of us know the conditions there very well. We know how the pitches will play, what works well and what doesn’t. We don’t have as much homework to do as other teams. Some teams might use their first matches as a testing ground while we can start nice and strong, knowing what is going to happen. We are a well-rounded team. We have a good variety.
“There are different options in the bowling department and we bat really deep. The main strength of our team is the variety we have with the ball – a left arm spinner, right arm leg spinner, two off spinners, left arm seamers and right arm seamers,” the captain explained.
EP will take on Western Province in the first match on the Somerset Field of Graeme College.
Their next matches are against the Titans and KwaZulu-Natal. After these fixtures their opponents for the last two matches will be named.
