24 February 2024
Kearsney College vs St Stithians College
Kearsney College slayed their third opponent in three outings on Saturday at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival in Pretoria. They handed St Stithians College – beaten by 10 runs the previous day by Bishops, ranked number one in South Africa – a 56-run loss, with captain Ross Coetzee (right in feature photo) delivering a special all-round performance.
Coetzee was the mainstay in Kearsney’s 218 all out, striking three sixes and six fours in his 87 from 94 balls. He was well supported by Matthew De Oliveira, who made 38, and Cameron Veenstra, who weighed in with 24.
Ethan Jacons caused Kearsney problems, however, snaring 5/30 from his 10 overs. Cayden Sunker, who removed Coetzee, bagged 3/39 from 8.3 overs, and the Player of the ICC u19 Cricket World Cup, left-arm paceman Kwena Maphaka, picked up 2/29 from nine overs.
The St Stithians’ reply got off to a strong start, courtesy of Emile Odendaal, who cracked eight fours and one six in an innings of 44 from 41 balls. He and Pranav Raichetti shared an opening stand of 60 before Odendaal departed, followed by Raichetti, three runs later.
The Johannesburg side didn’t appear to be in any sort of trouble and they reached 100 for the loss of only three wickets. Then Coetzee dismissed Chris Anderson, who had scored a century on the opening day. Soon, 100/3 became 110/7, as the off-spinner shredded the Saints’ middle order.
Cayden Sunker scored 21 and Josh Meyer 24, as Saints showed some life lower down their batting order but, after 45 overs, they were all out for 162.
Coetzee finished with a decisive 5/17 from nine overs, which included the wicket of SA u19 batsmen Richard Seletswane for 21. Ryan Browning struck twice to pick up 2/38 in 8, and the impressive Asavela Khambule returned 1/30 from his 10 overs.
Michaelhouse vs St Alban’s College
It was also a very good day for Michaelhouse as their top order came off against St Alban’s College, which set up ‘House for a 172-run victory over the hosts, who had won their previous two games.
Michael Spencer set Michaelhouse on track for a big total with 76 from only 64 balls, with 11 fours, opening the innings. His opening partner, West Mitchell-Innes made 41 from 53, and together they posted 115 for the first wicket.
Ethan Muir, batting third, struck 57 from 60, with five fours and a six, while Dylan Hewlett blasted 57 from 44, finding the boundary seven times, and clearing it on a further two occasions.
Later, captain Cameron Strudwick added 23 not out, and Radhesh Jhilmeet smashed two sixes in his unbeaten 20 from 11 balls, to boost Michaelhouse to 325/9 from their 50 overs.
Tim Hewitt did well to claim 2/33 in 6.1 overs, and Rohan Govind took 2/36 in six.
Facing a stiff run chase, St Alban’s were out of the match within the first five overs of their reply, after skidding out of the gate to 18/4, with Michaelhouse opening bowlers, Ross Moller and Luke Mitchell, picking up two wickets apiece.
That soon became 30/5, but Christian Visage and Layton Pullen then stopped the Michaelhouse onslaught in its tracks as they added 101 runs for the sixth wicket before they were parted. Pullen was caught by Ethan Muir off the bowling of Cival Rugbar for 59 from 99 balls, having hit six fours and a six.
Visage went on to make 42, which also included six fours, but once he was the seventh wicket to fall, with the total on 142, the rest of the St Alban’s batting lineup folded, and they were all out for 153 after 42 overs.
Ross Moller led the Michaelhouse attack, taking 3/19 in six, while his opening partner, Luke Mitchell returned 2/19 from four. Cival Rugbar sparkled with 3/20 from six, and Jean-Luc Rey continued on his wicket-taking ways, snaring 2/13 in three.
Kingswood College vs Clifton College
Kingswood College won the coin flip against Clifton College and chose to bat first, but Callum Watson had them questioning that decision when he dismissed David Loudon for one, with the total on 11.
Kingswood regrouped and took their score to 41 before losing another wicket, but it was the first of three in the space of three runs. The side from Makhanda needed to stop the bleeding and Chris Zimmerman provided a salve. He made 43 from 55 balls, with eight fours, to lead his team further from danger.
Alistair Knott contributed 21, but Kingswood were far from secure on 113/8. Then Matthew Loon took charge. He bashed 39 from 24 balls, drilling two fours and two sixes, to help Kingswood to 170 all out.
Shiraz Perumal snared 3/32 in nine overs to lead the Clifton attack, while Simon Hill knocked over 2/17 in four. Shahzaad Perumal added 2/27 in 5.4 and Callum Watson kept a lid on the Kingswood scoring, claiming 1/12 from his six overs.
Clifton lost Cohen Naidoo early in their reply, but Bryon Ward and Shahzaad Perumal added 27 runs before Ward was dismissed for 23. When Perumal followed for 13, Clifton found themselves on 63/3.
Tim Saulez came through with a good knock, making 36, before he was bowled by Daniel Jakins, while Callum Watson kept Kingswood at bay. Batting eighth, he scored 27 before he was the last man out, caught and bowled by Josh Loon, with the total on 153, which left Kingswood the winners by 17 runs.
Loon brought Clifton’s courageous fight to an end, snatching 2/5 in 3.2 overs, but Daniel Jakins was at the heart of Kingswood’s successes with the ball, taking 4/43 in 10 overs, including three of Clifton’s top six in the order. David Loudon weighed in with 2/30 from his 10 overs.
Hilton College vs St Andrew’s School
After two defeats, Hilton College came away with a win, defeating St Andrew’s School by 37 runs. They didn’t start well, however, losing two batsmen before a run was on the board after captain Ethan van Heerden opted to bat first.
Ben Hockly and Charles Swart then took on the responsibility of righting the ship and they did a fine job, producing a partnership of 83 runs for the third wicket before Dakalo Leketa dismissed Swart, LBW for 28.
Hockly stuck around until the total reached 99, then he was out for Hilton’s top score of 57, which had come off of 94 balls and included nine fours.
Still, the Hilton innings needed something more and Ben Erasmus delivered. His 38 not out boosted Hilton to 182/8 from their 50 overs.
The miserly Dakalo Leketa snared 2/22 for Saints, while the leg-spinner, FG Botha, snaffled 2/31, and Cullen Kakora, who had made the early breakthroughs for the Bloemfontein boys, ended with 2/30 from six.
St Andrew’s didn’t make a clean start in pursuit of 183 to win. They were 11/2 early on, and then 42/4 as Kyle Christie claimed a first wicket. He gave the St Andrew’s batsmen fits, excepting for FG Botha, who made a quickfire 25 from 21 balls, which included five fours. But Christie also ended his innings.
He was the spearhead as Saints tottered to 75/7. Then Johan Liebenberg showed great patience to compile an undefeated 30 from 92 deliveries, and CM Geel and Nikhil Sukraj helped extend the innings. The latter two, after scoring 15 and 16 respectively, were both finished by the combination of Murray Loughor-Clarke‘s safe hands and Luke Campbell‘s bowling.
St Andrew’s were all out for 145, with Christie excelling and capturing 4/26 from his 10 overs, while Luke Campbell, thanks to Loughor-Clarke’s assistance, finished with 2/26 in 10.
Scores
Kearsney College 218/10 (Ross Coetzee 87, Matthew De Oliveira 38, Cameron Veenstra 24; Ethan Jacobs 5/30, Cayden Sunker 3/39, Kwena Maphaka 2/29); St Stithians College 162/10 (Emile Odendaal 44, Joshua Meyer 24, Richard Seletswane 21, Cayden Sunker 21; Ross Coetzee 5/17, Ryan Browning 2/38) Kearsney College won by 56 runs.
Michaelhouse 325/9 (Michael Spencer 76, Dylan Hewlett 57, Ethan Muir 56, West Mitchell-Innes 41, Cameron Strudwick 23*, Radhesh Jhilmeet 20*; Tim Hewitt 2/33, Rohan Govind 2/36); St Alban’s College 153/10 (Layton Pullen 59, Christian Visage 42; Ross Moller 3/19, Cival Rugbar 3/20, Jean-Luc Rey 2/13, Luke Mitchell 2/19) Michaelhouse won by 172 runs.
Kingswood College 170/10 (Chris Zimmerman 43, Matthew Loon 39, Ross Thompson 21, Tapiwa Zhanda 20; Shiraz Perumal 3/32, Simon Hill 2/17, Shahzaad Perumal 2/27); Clifton College 153/10 (Tim Saulez 36, Callum Watson 27, Bryon Ward 23; Daniel Jakins 4/43, Josh Loon 2/5, David Loudon 2/30) Kingswood College won by 17 runs.
Hilton College 182/8 (Ben Hockly 57, Ben Erasmus 38*, Charles Swart 28; Dakalo Leketa 2/22, Cullen Kakora 2/30, FG Botha 2/31); St Andrew’s School 145/10 (Johan Liebenberg 30*, FG Botha 25; Kyle Christie 4/26, Luke Campbell 2/26) Hilton College won by 37 runs.
Leave a Reply