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Fast, Faster, Fourie Gerhardus Fourie (15) the lightning fast pacer from Merensky High school, delivers another of his 135 km/h balls into the nets. Photo: Joe Dreyer
The country’s fastest bowler at school level is a 15-year old speedster from Merensky High just outside Tzaneen. Gerhardus Fourie was timed at 135.4 km/h during the recent Audi Q5 Fast Track competition series held in conjunction with Cricket South Africa in all major provinces. According to their systems, his lightning attack makes Fourie the country’s fastest school-level pacer. “Though I am walking on the clouds right now, I am pretty sure that there must be one or two other bowlers in the country that match or even better the speeds that were recorded during the Audi Fast Track series,” said Fourie humbly. “They say however that this is the
fastest they recorded in all the provinces.” Fourie was born into cricket and grew up next to the oval in Louis Trichardt watching his father captain the Far North side. He is currently in Merensky’s hostel, but travels back home over weekends where he takes up his place in the batting and bowling line up for the Louis Trichardt club team, of which he is an active member. An outstanding wicket keeper, Fourie plays in both the Merensky First, and u/15 teams - captaining the latter. As a number four batsman, he sports a descent 44 average. It is his bowling stats that impress however. “My best innings was against the club team
from Phalaborwa (Frans du Toit High School does not have a cricket team) where I took 4 wickets for 20 runs in four overs. I did a bit better in primary school where I took 6 for 24.” During the Audi Q5 Fast Track event, Fourie not only secured a Kookaburra sponsorship, but had the chance to shake hands with his bowling hero (and former Plasie) Dale Steyn. “I was so motivated with Dale there, I bowled my best just to impress him. He is and has always been my aspiration, so having him there was just amazing.” We asked him if there were any local batsmen he was not able to better on the local
ovals. Without hesitation and with a sly grin on his face he mentioned Ben Vorster’s star batsman Johan Harms and the PHS maestro, Tiaan Enslin. “Johan and Tiaan are the best batsmen in our province by a long shot and the two of them are extremely difficult to face as a bowler. I think I may have managed to scalp Johan’s wicket once, but it doesn’t happen too often.” The three youngsters are also close friends and play in the provincial cricket team together. “Those two are to me what AB De Villiers is to Dale Steyn,” he chuckled. — Joe Dreyer
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