Hollister and Kearsney spinners too much for St Alban’s, Helpmekaar cruises
Kearsney College produced a solid team performance to secure a victory in their first outing of the 2025 Standard Bank Independent Schools Cricket Festival in Pretoria.
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After rain prevented play on Thursday, the Kearsney side was eager to get out in the middle and take on the tournament hosts, St Alban’s College‘s, on the TC Mitchell Oval, on Friday.
Instead of 50-overs-a-side games, T20s were played, because of the damage done by the rain. The TC Mitchell wicket was slow and sticky, but it didn’t appear to bother Asher Hollister, who batted superbly for a memorable half-century.
The grade nine batsman came in at six, with his side in a bit of trouble on 73/5, after St Alban’s Luke Ward (3/16) and Liam Basch (2/21) enjoyed success up front. He proceeded to make the crease his own. Batting at just over a run-a-ball, he faced 53 deliveries, smashed two sixes and two fours, and made his way to a crucial 54 not out.
Cole Young lent a valuable helping hand, making 27, as the visitors fought back to tally a testing 145/7 from their 20 overs.
When the St Alban’s innings kicked off, Basch looked to be in quite a mood with the bat in hand. Following his fine showing with the ball, he played some scintillating shots, including a wonderful six over cover, before he was sent packing by left-arm Chinaman bowler, Matthew Gorrie, for 28.
After Basch departed, Kearsney, led by their spinners, gained the upper hand as they put the squeeze on the hosts’ batting lineup. They weren’t able to dismiss St Alban’s but they bowled economically to see their side to a 16-run victory.
Opening bowler, Jason De Gryse, however, also deserves a lot of credit. The Kearsney skipper was his side’s most successful bowler, snapping up two wickets for only 14 runs from his four overs.
Helpmekaar Kollege, led by their opening batsmen, captain Kyle Swanepoel and Zander Neethling, obliterated the visitors from across the border, St John’s College.
After restricting the school from Harare to only 104/7, Swanepoel and Neethling smashed the ball to all parts of Cornwall Hill College’s Land’s End Oval.
The captain needed only 37 deliveries to reach his 50, which included seven fours, while his partner smashed six fours and a six in an unbeaten 47 as they shared a 94-run partnership, which took their team to a comfortable nine-wicket victory.
In a low-scoring match, played on the Van der Byl Oval, Cayden Sunker and Zakir Hanslo claimed three wickets each to lead St Stithians College to a 19-run win over the hosts, Cornwall Hill College.
Saints had only 88 runs to defend, but Sunker set them on course for victory by capturing 3/7 in a remarkable four-over spell. Hanslo was every bit as impressive, snaring three for 13 from 3.5 overs.
To rub further salt into the home side’s wounds, Tajandra Naidu (2/8) and Akhil Challa (2/12) also got in on the action by sharing four wickets cheaply as Cornwall folded for only 69 after a noteworthy bowling performance by the men from Johannesburg.
Summarised scorecards
Kearsney College 145/7 (Asher Hollister 54*, Cole Young 27; Luke Ward 3/16, Liam Basch 2/21); St Alban’s College 129/7 (Liam Basch 28, Ethan Nel 27, Mdudzi Mahlangu 26; Jason de Gryse 2/14). Kearsney College won by 16 runs.
St John’s College (Harare) 104/7 (Connor Lovatt 27, Riley Ettlin 20; Juandre Verwey 1/8); Helpmekaar Kollege 105/1 (Kyle Swanepoel 50, Zander Neethling 47*; Connor Lovatt 1/20). Helpmekaar Kollege won by nine wickets.
St Stithians College 88/7 (Matthew Anderson 24; Mohali Pitsi 2/15, Obakeng Mokonyane 2/15); Cornwall Hill College 69/10 (Rourke de Lange 23; Cayden Sunker 3/7, Zakir Hanslo 3/13, Tajandra Naidu 2/8, Akhil Challa 2/12). St Stithians College won by 19 runs.
