
Picture: SUPPLIED
Lilyfontein batsman, 13-year-old Chad Henderson, is currently rewriting the record books as he continues to score heavily against all school opposition in the Border area.
Chad is a powerfully-built youngster, tall for his age, who is able to adapt to various conditions and can attack or defend as required.
And being an opener, much is depended upon him to get the Lilyfontein side off to a good start.
Chad comes with a good pedigree – his father, Tyron, is a former Border and Warriors all-rounder, a hard-hitting batsman and fast-medium bowler who represented SA in a T20 international on one occasion against India in 2006/07.
“I try, if possible to score at a run a ball,” Chad said.
On a tour of England with Lilyfontein during June and July, Chad excelled with an excellent 91 against Somerset-based Millfield School’s Under 14 team.
Earlier in 2019, he scored a fine century against George Randell, finishing with 107 off only 66 balls, and he also made 95 against Gonubie off 75 balls.
Overall, he bats at a rate of 107 runs per 100 balls faced, which is considered high for an opener.
In two trial games for the Border U13 squad, which is due to participate in an interprovincial competition in Pretoria from December 7 to 11, Chad made 40 retired and 49.
However, in the end, he wasn’t selected for the U13 squad.
During the final term of this year, he has scored 517 runs in 11 innings, with two not-outs and an average of 57.3 per innings.
His last five innings have been half-centuries, with a highest of 89 against Dale ,which was scored off only 48 balls.
Border U13s are the future stars for Border and there is no doubt that many will in future grace the vast cricket stage at provincial, franchise or even international level.
For Chad, the new year will produce many challenges.
He will need to continue to score heavily against schools on the Border and hopefully eventually gain selection for the Border squad at the end of 2019.
After that, who knows?
Ahead could be the life of a professional cricketer for Chad, should he prove good enough.