25 February 2024
Clifton College vs Uplands College
With both teams seeking a first win, Clifton College closed off their Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ISCF) journey with a victory on Sunday, defeating Uplands College by 48 runs in a T20 clash at St Alban’s College.
Batting first, after winning the toss, Clifton got off to a shaky start and, on 56/5, matters looked dicey. Something needed to change for the Durban boys and Rivan Moodley and Zach Williamson made it happen.
They shared a sixth wicket partnership of 90 runs, with Williamson smashing three sixes and four fours in a 41-ball stay before he was run out for 56 runs. Moodley struck one six and one four in his 35 from 29 balls, and Clifton tallied a strong 160/7 from their 20 overs.
Captain Leam van Zyl bowled well with the new ball, picking up 2/14 in four for Uplands, while Kai Naylor returned 2/29 from his four.
Then, when Uplands batted, Clifton ran out Luke Barnard and one run later Tim Saulez bowled his opening partner, Bruce Nel, for five, which put Uplands in a spot of bother on 11/2.
The next six batsmen all made it into double figures, but a united bowling effort by Clifton kept any of them from reaching 20, although Jack Robson and Luke Breero came close, with 19 each. But Uplands, needing to bat at just over eight runs an over, needed more.
Regan Radley claimed 2/17, while the rest of the Clifton bowlers kept it tight and shared four wickets between them. Another run out further dented the Uplands’ run chase and they ended on 112/8.
Kearsney College vs Helpmekaar Kollege
Kearsney College‘s ISCF campaign ended with a 35-run loss to Helpmekaar Kollege, but that shouldn’t put much of a damper on an outstanding festival for the Botha’s Hill boys.
A thrilling 56-run win over highly regarded St Stithians on Saturday had possibly left Kearsney vulnerable and open to a let-down in Sunday’s T20, a format which actually suits the side’s skills very nicely. Be that as it may, Helpmekaar were worthy winners.
They put up 139/5, batting first, with Hannu Marais crushing two fours and two sixes in a 39-ball knock, which delivered 43 runs.
Up front, Anrich Liebenberg, with 37 from 25, and Kyle Swanepoel, with 32 from 27, gave Helpies an outstanding start, putting on 64 for the first wicket in just over seven overs.
Ross Coetzee claimed 2/23 in three with his off-spin, while opening bowler, Ryan Browning, bagged 2/33 in four.
In reply, needing 140 to win, Kearsney lost one of their dangermen, Cameron Veenstra, in the first over. However, Ross Coetzee and Jack O’Donovan looked at ease at the crease and sped the score along to 39 in the fourth over. But Coetzee was then caught and bowled by Juan Minnaar, after hitting a six and a four, in making 20 from 13 balls.
Keegan de Jager weighed in with 23 from 27, but Kearsney slid from 39/1 to 55/5, and that fatally holed their reply. Sandiswa Yeni and Asavela Khambule just made it into the teens, but another three-wicket flurry, which reduced Kearsney from 78/5 to 96/8, pretty much sealed the deal for Helpmekaar.
In keeping with the pattern of their innings, Kearsney lost their last two wickets together, without adding a run, and they were all out for 104.
Henricus Meyer, a member of the Khaya Majola Week-winning Central Gauteng Lions last year, played a pivotal role, capturing 4/12 in 2.4 overs, while Anrich Liebenberg claimed 2/13 in four.
Hilton College vs St George’s College
Hilton College made easy work of St George’s College (Harare) in their T20 after restricting the Zimbabweans to only 77/8.
Takudzwa Mangena did well at the top of the order for St George’s, making 27, and slashing two fours and a six, from 38 balls. Abiraj Singh, the only other batsman to make it into double figures, was run out after reaching 16.
Leg-spinner David Hill enjoyed the conditions, returning 2/13 from four overs, while Luke Campbell took 2/19. Captain Ethan van Heerden also kept the St George’s batsmen on the back foot, knocking over 1/9 from four overs.
It wasn’t a difficult victory target and Hilton overhauled the 77 runs for the loss of only one wicket, with Ben Hockly falling to Munotido Ndoroh for 17. Robert Burman struck a run-a-ball 38, which included five fours, and Jayden Roux finished with 19 not out.
Michaelhouse vs St Stithians College
Michaelhouse, handsome winners against St Alban’s College on Saturday, faced St Stithians, who had gone down to Kearsney in their previous outing, but it was Michaelhouse who were on the receiving end this time, with Saints powering their way to a nine-wicket victory.
Within the first five overs of the match, ‘House were in serious trouble on 20/4 and their innings was doomed to mediocrity.
Cival Rugbar gave it a bit of a boost, with 23 from 17 balls, and West Mitchell-Innes made 20 from 19, but the Balgowan boys mustered only 101/9 from their 20 overs.
SA u19 fast bowler Kwena Maphaka led their downfall by removing the Michaelhouse opening pair and running out Murray-Hall Jones. He finished with 3/17 from his four overs, but it was Ethan Jacobs who enjoyed the most success, snaring 5/20.
Maphaka then took on the opening role again, but this time with the bat. He showed off his all-round skills by bashing six fours and a six in a 35-ball innings, which left him on 48 not out at the end.
His SA u19 colleague, Richard Seletswane, also moved up the order to open, and he unleashed two sixes and three fours in his 34. Seletswane was out to the last ball of the eighth over, but Saints were already poised for victory, having reached 76/1.
Emile Odendaal quickly crushed a six and a four, taking eight balls to make an unbeaten 16, as St Stithians won with 8.1 overs to spare.
SCORES
Clifton College 160/7 (Zach Williamson 56, Rovan Moodley 35; Leam van Zyl 2/14, Kai Naylor 2/29); Uplands College 112/8 (Jack Robson 19, Luke Breero 19, Regan Radley 2/17) Clifton College won by 48 runs.
Helpmekaar Kollege 139/5 (Hannu Marais 43, Anrich Liebenberg 37, Kyle Swanepoel 32; Ross Coetzee 2/23, Ryan Browning 2/33); Kearsney College 104/10 (Keegan de Jager 23, Ross Coetzee 20; Henricus Meyer 4/12, Anrich Liebenberg 2/13) Helpmekaar Kollege won by 35 runs.
St George’s College 77/8 (Takudzwa Mangena 27; David Hill 2/13, Luke Campbell 2/19); Hilton College 78/1 (Robert Burman 38*) Hilton College won by 9 wickets.
Michaelhouse 101/9 (Cival Rugbar 23, West Mitchell-Innes; Ethan Jacobs 5/20, Kwena Maphaka 3/17); St Stithians 102/1 (Kwena Maphaka 48*, Richard Seletswane 34) St Stithians won by 9 wickets.
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