Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI delivers a masterclass in Harare
Troy Gordon, Lincoln Casais, and Lebone Ramedupe produced superb T20 batting and bowling performances on the Honey A Field to inspire the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI to back-to-back victories over Prince Edward and Christian Brothers College – Bulawayo (CBC), on the first day of the St John’s College (Harare) Rams T20 Tournament on Friday afternoon.
The wins catapulted the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI to the top of Group A.
Their next assignment is against the hosts, St John’s (Harare), on Saturday.
They are guaranteed a top two finish in their pool. However, a first-place finish sees them through to the Super Six stage, while a second-place finish will send them through to the Eliminator round.
The Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI, a team comprising players from St John’s College (Johannesburg), Jeppe High School for Boys, Queen’s High School, and King Edward VII (KES), pummelled Prince Edward by 128 runs in their first outing and then thrashed CBC by 55 runs later in the day.
“We have a good group of players. They are wonderful people, great characters, and this has made it easy for them to gel and play for each other on the field,” Bongani Ntini, the touring side’s coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
In the game against Prince Edward, Troy Gordon and Lincoln Casais plundered a combined 154 runs from only 98 deliveries. Gordon, from KES, and Casais, from Jeppe, joined forces at the start of the fifth over after Shayne Garwe struck a double blow, dismissing Tiago Dias and Bafana Mthunzi in the space of five deliveries.
Gordon and Casais consolidated over the next five overs before unfurling their power-hitting, smashing 19 runs in the 11th over. They were unstoppable thereafter. Gordon, who reached his half-century in just 35 balls, lofted seven sixes and five fours on a 53-ball innings that brought him 84 runs. He was named the Player of the Match for his performance.
Like Gordon, Casais also reached his fifty in 35 balls and ended unbeaten on 70 off 45 deliveries after the completion of 20 overs. Their efforts helped to catapult the SA Invitational XI to 193/3.
“One of the best things about this tour is that the boys play without pressure, and so they express themselves freely. It’s good to see. I constantly remind them to do the best they can because they are ambassadors of their schools,” Ntini said.
Lebone Ramedupe, Shreshth Kumar, Keegan Hendey, and Wade McQuinn took two wickets each as the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI bowlers skittled Prince Edward for only 65 runs in 15 overs. The total would have been lower if the Joburg side had not boosted their score with 11 extras through wides and no-balls.
Later in the day, like Prince Edward, CBC won the toss and opted to bowl first when they met the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI. The CBC bowlers performed reasonably well, picking up wickets at regular intervals, but the South African side still posted a more than useful 185/6.
“We did not maintain the same batting order in both matches because we wanted to take the boys out of their comfort zones. Besides winning matches, we want the boys to learn to adapt to different situations,” Ntini said about his team’s batting effort.
Tiago Dias (36) and Joshua Hall (39) played the conditions well and mounted a 77-run second-wicket partnership off 58 deliveries to provide a springboard from which their explosive middle order could capitalise.
McQuinn strode to the middle after Dias’s departure and scored a brisk 33 off 24. Then, Bafana Mthunzi (13 off nine), Luke Clarke (13* from eight), and Casais (13 off three) maximised the remaining deliveries.
When they bowled, the Joburg outfit made better use of the conditions than CBC, dismissing the Bulawayo school for 130 runs in 17.1 overs.
Ramedupe and his new ball partner, Connor Kuijers, set the tone with two early wickets before Clarke bagged 3/23 to push CBC onto the ropes.
Joshua Armstrong (34), Lee Ellerman (29), and Rowyn Konson (28) provided resistance for the Bulawayo boys, but their efforts were futile.
Right-arm paceman Ramedupe starred with the ball, capturing 4/25 from four overs. He was well supported by Clarke’s three-wicket haul and a brace of wickets from Kuijers.
Scorecards
Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI 193/3 (Troy Gordon 84, Lincoln Casais 70*; Shane Garwe 2/25, Junaid Nyawasha 1/41). Prince Edward 65/10 (Mike Takodza 9*, Keith Mabhena 9; Shreshth Kumar 2/4, Keegan Hendey 2/7). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI won by 128 runs.
Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI 185/6 (Joshua Hall 39, Tiago Dias 36; Rowyn Konson 3/22, Dylan Saudan 2/18). Christian Brothers College 130/10 (Joshua Armstrong 34, Lee Ellerman 29; Lebone Ramedupe 4/25, Luke Clarke 3/23). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI won by 55 runs.
