CAPITALS' STOLK ENDS SCHOOLBOY CAREER WITH SA COLTS SELECTION

Pretoria Capitals’ Steve Stolk has closed his schoolboy cricket career by being selected for the SA Colts team at the conclusion of the Khaya Majola Cricket Week in Cape Town.

A year ago, Stolk was one of three Grade 11 scholars alongside Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (both Paarl Royals) set to make their bow in Betway SA20 Season 2. Under-19 World Cup commitments with the Junior Proteas ultimately precluded their participation, but all three now-18-year-olds were retained by their franchises and will hope to finally show what they’re about when Season 3 of South Africa’s premier T20 cricket league gets underway on 9 January 2025.

Of course, Maphaka’s stock has risen so rapidly in the last 12 months that the left-arm speedster is a well-known name across the cricketing globe while wicketkeeper-batter Pretorius (who gave up his Royals Rookie berth to Nqaba Peter) is already churning out runs for the Titans in domestic cricket – both in white and red ball action.

Stolk, on the other hand, has largely turned out Die Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria in 2024 (apart from five matches for Titans in the 2023-24 CSA T20 Challenge). Now though, having matriculated, Stolk can focus on making as big an impression as his contemporaries in men’s cricket – starting with SA20 Season 3.

Capitals, who have undergone a coaching refresh with Afghanistan mentor Jonathan Trott joining as head coach and Mandla Mashimbyi (the recently appointed Proteas Women head coach) leaving Paarl Royals to be his assistant, ostensibly have a vacancy for an opener – alongside England’s Will Jacks. His compatriot, Phil Salt is unavailable for Season 3 but Capitals did pre-sign Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and West Indies’ Evin Lewis and secure Marques Ackerman at auction so they would be first choice replacements but should Trott and his staff need to leave out an overseas batter, Stolk could come into the reckoning.

He opened the batting for the Junior Proteas -  alongside Pretorius - during their run to the semifinals with his record-breaking 13-ball fifty (on the way to 83 off 37 balls) against Scotland being the standout. It also ended the campaign with a tournament-high 11 sixes.

Stolk’s SA Colts team is captained by Lethabo Phahlamaloka (Titans) and will play against the first-choice SA Schools team, captained for a second straight year by fellow wicketkeeper-batter Beni Hansen (Western Province) at Newlands on Saturday, 21 December. Both captains formed part of the SA20 Season 3 Rookie Draft, without being chosen.

NATIONAL TEAMS SELECTED AT KHAYA MAJOLA WEEK

TEAMS

SA Schools

Beni Hansen (Wynberg Boys’ High, Western Province – Captain), Ross Coetzee (Kearsney College, Dolphins), Christian Kind (Grey College, Free State), Jason Rowles (St David’s Marist, Central Gauteng Lions), Armaan Manack (St David’s Marist, Central Gauteng Lions), Divan de Villiers (Affies, Titans), Dakalo Leketa (St Andrew’s School, Free State), Raeeq Daniels (Rondebosch Boys’ High, Western Province), Enathi Kitshini (Thembalethu Hub, Garden Route Badgers), Chad Mason (Maritzburg College, Tuskers), Nqobani Mokoena (Northwood, Dolphins), Paul Matlala (Elands Park School, CSA Invitational XI).

SA Colts

Lethabo Phahlamaloka (Cornwall Hill College, Titans – Captain), Sabelo Mabanga (Actonville Hub, Easterns), Adnaan Lagadien (Bishops, Western Province), Pranav Raichetti (St Stithians College, Central Gauteng Lions), Steve Stolk** (Menlopark, Titans)**, Kashief Joseph (Bishops, Western Province), Charl Prinsloo (Hoërskool Centurion, Titans), Timothy Short (Rondebosch Boys’ High, Western Province), Cayden Wilson (Pearson, Eastern Province), Dayalan Boyce (Westville Boys’ High, CSA Invitational XI), Ryall Julies (Paarl RPC, CSA Invitational XI), Sandiswa Yeni (Kearsney College, Dolphins).