Central Gauteng Lions did not just win the Khaya Majola Cricket Week, they controlled it.

At the Johan Volsteedt Oval in Bloemfontein, Gauteng were simply too strong for the Tuskers, winning the final by nine wickets. It was their sixth title in the past ten years, a level of success usually seen in top teams across major sports.

Like dominant teams in rugby and football that win season after season, Gauteng have built a culture where winning is normal.

South Africa U19 players Jason Rowles (76)* and Armaan Manack (38)* finished the job with calm confidence. Their 114-run unbeaten partnership made the chase look easy. Both players are expected to play important roles for South Africa at next year’s U19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Rowles was especially powerful, facing just 34 balls and hitting 14 boundaries, including four sixes,  a clear sign of his attacking class.

Earlier in the match, the Tuskers were in trouble at 68/6 after Corné Botha ripped through their batting with figures of 3/24. From that point on, the final felt one-sided.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Reuben van Zyl of the Titans finished as the top run-scorer with 352 runs, while Easterns spinner Abdullah Tadwala led the bowling charts with 13 wickets.

Once again, the message was clear, Central Gauteng Lions are not just winning titles, they are setting the standard, just like the great teams in other sports before them.