Elkington scores first century of 2024 Grey Fest
Grey High School‘s Nathan Howell and Xander Elkington stole the show on day two of the 2024 Sunrisers Grey Cricket Festival.
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King Edward VII won the toss and elected to bat first on Friday and, after two early wickets fell, Michael Holmes and Troy Gordon found their feet at the crease.
Holmes weathered 115 deliveries as he contributed 61 to the visitors’ total. However, after their partnership was broken, Howell’s 5/5 wreaked havoc on the rest of the KES batting lineup. Three of those dismissed batsmen were caught behind the wicket by ‘keeper, Mark Wolfe, who had a busy day at the office as Grey High bowled out KES for 167.
Josh Rennie (33) and Kian Cambier (44) gave Grey a steady start to their run chase, but it was Xander Elkington who wrestled control for the hosts with his excellent unbeaten innings of 102.
Eric Southey (34*) and Michael Holmes (48*) put up a spirited fight in the visitors’ second innings but, in the end, Grey needed only the one innings to secure victory.
Despite a slow start by the Menlopark batsmen in their match against Grey College, they were boosted by some phenomenal bowling from Matt van der Westhuizen, who took 5/12, and Gerhard Nico van Zyl, who dismissed the team from Bloemfontein’s opening three batsmen, as the Pretoria side edged out the Free Staters on the first innings.
Potchefstroom Volkskool earned a convincing win over St Andrew’s School from Bloemfontein.
Schalk and Kobus Pienaar were pivotal to their team’s success, combining to take 7/23 to pile the pressure on Saints from the off.
Louis van Wyk then scored 62 for Volkies to help them build a 103-run first innings’ buffer, which proved more than enough.
Christopher Elston starred in Jeppe‘s triumph over Selborne, capturing four wickets for a mere 16 runs as they kept the East London outfit from reaching triple figures.
Sibonela Phewa‘s 90 was the second highest individual score on a day that favoured the bowlers. He, along with Nathan Moodley‘s contribution of 76, did enough to secure a victory for Glenwood over Framesby on the first innings.
Taine Douw played well to score an undefeated 35 in a 99-ball stay, but Dhilan Naraidu‘s 5/13 stopped any hopes of a Framesby fightback.
After Jude Septoo (6/26) and Sulaymaan Gangat (3/28) restricted the Namibian Invitational team’s total to 143, it was left to Pearson captain, the older Gangat sibling, Esa, to lead from the front again, as he scored 81 to take his side past the visitors’ tally.
On Saturday, Pearson will test their mettle against Grey College in the first round of 50 overs matches, while the hosts will do battle with Glenwood on the Pollock Field.
Summarised Scorecards, Day Two
King Edward VII first innings 167 (Michael Holmes 61, Callum Richie 30, Troy Gordon 28; Nathan Howell 5/5, L Gcora 2/22, Zander Nutt 2/35); Grey High first innings 263 (Xander Elkington 102*, Kian Cambier 44, Joel Maree 39, Josh Rennie 33; Callum Richie 3/73); KES second innings 91/1 (Michael Holmes 48*, Eric Southey 34*; Tristan Grundling 13/1). Grey High won on the first innings.
Menlopark 139 (Gerhard Nico van Zyl 25, Ewald Miller 24, James Bronkhorst 23*, Willem Sevenster 23; Otto Krause 2/16, Janu Venter 2/19, Daniel Hattingh 2/38); Grey College 127 (Jaco Prinsloo 48, Adem Niewoudt 27, Cullen Marais 24; Matt van der Westhuizen 5/12, Gerhard Nico van Zyl 3/23). Menlopark 27/0. Menlopark win on the first innings.
St Andrew’s School first innings 78 (FG Botha 21; Schalk Pienaar 4/18, Kobus Pienaar 3/5); Potchefstroom Volkskool first innings 181 (Louis van Wyk 62, Berno de Klerk 44, Kobus Pienaar 23; Mosa Maqunqu 3/40, JC Young 2/20); St Andrew’s School second innings 119/5 (Leon Athanasiou 38, Dakalo Leketa 31, Reuben van Aarde 21*; Berno de Klerk 2/30); Potchefstroom Volkskool second innings 17/1 (Diaan van der Merwe 10; Cullen Kakora 1/3). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by four wickets.
Jeppe 180 (Munib Ayob 51, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 26; Adam Rogers 4/70, Thomas Marais 3/38, Tré Gilbert 2/12); Selborne 95 (Tré Gilbert 27, Thomas Marais 20; Christopher Elston 4/16, Jeremiah Marshall 2/13). Jeppe won by 85 runs.
Glenwood 240/5 (Sibonela Phewa 90, Nathan Moodley 76, Kyle Bryan 23, Krian Jugoo 23; Durandt Rootman 1/22); Framesby 112 (Taine Douw 35*, Hanro van Jaarsveld 24, JJ de Lange 21; Dhilan Naraidu 5/13, Kyle Bryan 3/24). Glenwood won by 128 runs.
Namibia Invitational 143 (Tiaan van der Merwe 50, Henry Opperman 36; Jude Septoo 6/26, Sulaymaan Gangat 3/28); Pearson 219 (Esa Gangat 81, Brayden Andrews 29, Leander van Rooyen 26, Jude Septoo 23, Extras 23; Geo Haasbroek 3/31, Dan Brussel 2/13, Max Heingo 2/23). Pearson won on the first innings.
