Opener Jorich van Schalkwyk broke the record for the highest score by an SA U19 batsman in the third Youth ODI against Bangladesh in Benoni on Tuesday.
The right-hander scored an electrifying 164* off 156 balls, including 14 fours and fours sixes, to almost single-handedly lift the hosts to a 14-run consolatory win on the DLS method after bad light brought a premature end to the contest at Willowmoore Park.
Van Schalkwyk’s exploits broke a record that had stood for 25 years as he toppled former Proteas batsman Jacques Rudolph’s 156* against Nepal in 2000.
The result also meant that the SA U19s at least managed to avoid a third straight loss and end the series strongly, despite going down 2-1 overall.
Victory in the third Youth ODI was built around Van Schalkwyk, but there were good performances too from co-captain Muhammad Bulbulia after he recorded another half-century – his 62 off 67 balls (five fours) forging a telling 181-run second wicket partnership with the centurion.
Then with the ball, Ntando Soni returned a Man of the Match six-wicket haul, though the tourists still managed to set an imposing 320-9, the highest score of the series to date.
Bangladesh, big winners in the opening two games that secured for them the series, won the toss and batted first, the third time they had done so in as many games.
Their top three were pivotal to the big total with half-centuries for Zawad Abrar (68 off 58 balls; six fours, five sixes), Rifat Beg (86 off 107 balls; seven fours, two sixes) and Kalam Siddiki Aleen (85 off 78 balls; 12 fours, one six).
Barring Soni’s six for 65 in 10 overs, almost all the other bowlers struggled leaving the home batsmen with a big task on their hands.
And their problems deepened with the early loss of Adnaan Lagadien for only 10 in the third over.
But that brought in skipper Bulbulia, and together with Van Schalkwyk, the pair rebuilt excellently, not just with a rapid scoring rate, but by also keeping their wickets intact.
The stand eventually came to an end in the 32nd over, leaving the score on 201-2 and SA needing 121.
Jason Rowles, the other man with leadership responsibility for the home side, was next to go three overs later for five, opening the door further for the Bangladeshis.
But all hope was then firmly shut out thanks to Vihan Pretorius (18*) and Van Schalkwyk, who ensured there was no further damage as they paired together to add an unbroken 62 for the next wicket when the weather intervened.
With the South Africans ahead on DLS, that was enough to earn them the win after the inclement weather meant the match was halted with a little over five overs still to go and the home side ending on 277-3.
That helped them finish the series on a high.
Both teams will travel to Zimbabwe on Wednesday for a Youth ODI Tri-Series starting on Friday at the Sunrise Sports Club in Harare.
Photo: @ProteasMenCSA/X
