Lightning McQuinn sees Joburg Schools Invitational XI into semifinals
Wade McQuinn pulled off incredible final over heroics to help the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI secure a five-wicket win over St John’s College (Harare) in their St John’s Rams T20 Tournament clash on the Fisher Field, at St John’s, on Saturday afternoon.
The victory completed a clean sweep of Group A for the Johannesburg side – a team comprising players from St John’s College (Johannesburg), Jeppe High School for Boys, Queens High School, and King Edward VII (KES) – who moved through to the semi-finals, where they will meet the winner of the Eliminator tie between Kearsney College and Wise Owl.
Clifton College topped the table to book their semi-final berth against the winner of second Eliminator between St John’s and Falcon College.
McQuinn received the Player of the Match accolade for his all-round contributions to the Invitational XI’s victory. The KES learner, the team’s captain, led from the front. He won the toss, chose to bowl first, and rotated his bowlers well as the Joburg side restricted St John’s to 153/7 in 20 overs. It took the Invitational XI every one of their 20 overs to snatch victory.
McQuinn starred with the ball, taking three wickets for 17 runs in four overs. One of those three was the dangerous-looking Luca Spagnuolo, whom he dismissed for a 29-ball 44. That wicket provided a turning point. It slowed the hosts down and reduced a potential 170-plus total to 153.
St John’s was cruising at a rate of 8.6 runs an over before Spagnuolo’s dismissal, and they went at just over six runs an over after that.
Only four other batsmen from St John’s reached double figures. Connor Lovatt scored a brisk 31 off 17 balls, James Manning made 18 from 16, while Riley Ettlin and Tawana Nyandoro managed 14 runs apiece.
The Invitational XI made a poor start to their run chase, losing both of their openers in the space of four deliveries, which left them on 9/2 after 2.2 overs. That brought the day one heroes Troy Gordon and Lincoln Casais (38) to the crease. The pair set the Gauteng side’s innings on course with a 70-run third wicket stand from 50 deliveries.
Gordon played the lead role, tallying an outstanding 61 from 40 balls. When he was dismissed, the Invitational XI needed 33 runs from 23 balls.
The Johannesburg side advanced slowly and found themselves under pressure, requiring 25 runs from the last two overs. McQuinn scored 11 of the 13 runs they mustered in the 19th over. Then, the Invitational XI took singles off the first three balls of the 20th over and found themselves needing nine runs from three balls.
McQuinn held his nerve and slammed back-to-back boundaries before taking a single to seal the game off the last delivery of the match. He finished the contest unbeaten on 25 off 14 deliveries. His partner, Joshua Hall, was on 12 not out.
Scorecard
St John’s 153/7 (Luca Spagnuolo 44, Connor Lovatt 31; Wade McQuinn 3/17, Tapiwa Chikwava 2/22). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI 154/5 (Troy Gordon 61, Lincoln Casais 38; Connor Lovatt 2/27, Khulekani Nduku 2/28). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI won by five wickets.
