24 January 2023
The Michaelhouse 1st XI welcomed Kearsney College to the Roy Gathorne Oval for a showdown in nasty, hot conditions on Saturday, 21 January. The boys from Botha’s Hill, however, handled the weather and then dealt with Michaelhouse with aplomb to hand the Balgowan boys a seven-wicket loss, which came on the heels of a dominating win over the same opposition at the iHolobo Cricket Festival on 13 January.
The toss, at least, went Michaelhouse’s way and they opted to bat, but were soon on the back foot when opener Sebastian Hofmeyr departed for a duck with the total on eight.
He was clean bowled, leaving a peach of a delivery from Ryan Browning that tracked appreciably in off of the pitch. The unwanted clatter of the stumps left the batsman looking back at his splayed wickets in disbelief.
West Mitchell-Innes and Murray Baker steadied the innings before Browning also removed Mitchell-Innes, who was caught for 18 after trying to pull a ball that was a little too close to his body. His shot was squeezed and the ball found its way into the safe hands of Ross Coetzee.
A fine job
Baker did a fine job, though, smashing two sixes and seven fours in a 70-ball innings worth 54 runs. Unfortunately for Michaelhouse, he didn’t receive much support, with John Yeadon weighing in with 20, but there was nothing else of substance.
Browning was outstanding, sending down six overs, conceding only eight runs, and capturing three wickets. Hayden Bishop snared 3 for 39 in nine with his leg-spin, while Ross Coetzee claimed two wickets with his off-spin.
After just 35.3 overs at the crease, Michaelhouse were all out for 137, which looked light, and so it proved to be against Kearsney’s strong batting.
One good partnership
There was some early success for Michaelhouse, with Adam Zeiler falling to the tall Luke Jankowitz for four, caught by Sebastian Hofmeyr at first slip after edging a full delivery. However, chasing a small total, all Kearsney really needed was one good partnership and they got it from Hayden Bishop and Cameron Veenstra.
Together, the pair advanced the total from 15 to 96, tallying 81 runs together, before Veenstra fell for 22, caught by West Mitchell-Innes off of the bowling of Tom Mitchell.
Hayden Bishop followed Veenstra back to the changing room, without any addition to the scoreboard, mistiming an on-drive to be caught by Tom Mitchell off of Nathan Hoatson for a well-played 68, which came off of 79 deliveries and included seven fours.
Brief hope
Those two quick wickets might have given Michaelhouse brief hope of a dramatic change in fortunes, but the next men in, Michael de Beer and Ross Coetzee, were having none of it, and De Beer, especially, immediately took the fight to the ‘House attack.
In just 22 balls, he blasted a six and five fours, to finish unbeaten on 36, while Coetzee contributed nine as Kearsney got home by seven wickets after 29.2 overs.
Overall, it was a day of closely contested cricket, with the host’s, Michaelhouse, picking up five victories to the seven of Kearsney.
SCORES
1st XI
Michaelhouse 137 all out (M. Baker 54, R. Browning 3 for 8, H. Bishop 3 for 39, R. Coetzee 2 for 33)
Kearsney College 142 for 3 (H. Bishop 68, M.de Beer 36*, C. Veenstra 22)
Kearsney won by 7 wickets
2nd XI
Kearsney College 169 all out
Michaelhouse 170 for 7
Michaelhouse won by 3 wickets
3rd XI
Kearsney College 118 all out
Michaelhouse 120 for 3
Michaelhouse won by 7 wickets
4th XI
Kearsney College 156 all out
Michaelhouse 131 for 9
Kearsney won by 25 runs
5th XI
Michaelhouse 119 for 5
Kearsney College 120 for 3
Kearsney College won by 7 wickets
u16A
Kearsney College 166 for 6
Michaelhouse 128 all out
Kearsney College won by 38 runs
u15A
Kearsney College 233 for 8
Michaelhouse 213 all out
Kearsney won by 20 runs
u15B
Kearsney College 135 for 9
Michaelhouse 138 for 7
Michaelhouse won by 3 wickets
u15C
Kearsney College 135 for 5
Michaelhouse 106 for 4
Kearsney won by 29 runs
u14A
Michaelhouse 208 for 7
Kearsney College 179 for 6
Michaelhouse won by 29 runs
u14B
Kearsney College 163 for 6
Michaelhouse 143 all out
Kearsney won by 20 runs
u14C
Kearsney College 75 for 6
Michaelhouse 78 for 7
Michaelhouse won by 3 wickets
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