Beamish steers St Andrew’s College to victory, Bukula shines for Kingswood
William Beamish produced a telling all-round performance to lead St Andrew’s College to an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Queen’s College in Makhanda on Saturday.
At Woodridge College, Sinawo Bukula bagged five wickets to help Kingswood College register a comprehensive 111-run win over the hosts.
Playing away from home, Queen’s won the toss, elected to bat first, and rued that decision almost immediately.
The visitors lost their first wicket in the fourth over and found themselves under pressure from that point on, stumbling to 95 all out in 29.4 overs. St Andrew’s wasted no time in overhauling that total, romping to 97/1 in just 12 overs.
Beamish led the way, clubbing an unbeaten 67 off 45 deliveries in an entertaining innings that featured six fours and three sixes. Through the first eight overs of his knock, the left-hander was watchful as Khazimla Simama and Mthoko Mbambo kept a lid on things for Queen’s with disciplined bowling.
In the ninth over, Beamish felt he had seen enough of Queen’s opening pair and went on on the offensive. He crunched two maximums off Mbambo to wrest control of the innings. That over turned out to be the most fruitful of the St Andrew’s reply as Beamish and Oliver Johns (18*) plundered 22 runs off it.
However, Beamish wasn’t done yet. He subjected Mangaliso Mbaligontsi to the same treatment in the next over, taking him for 21 runs to power St Andrew’s towards victory.
Earlier in the day, Beamish had taken the new ball for College and began proceedings with a maiden over. Alastair de Kock kept matters tight, too, and complemented Beamish by conceding only two runs in the second over.
The pair kept dialling up the pressure and it brought them a wicket, with both players being involved in the dismissal of Aiden van Jaarsveld, who was caught by Beamish off De Kock’s bowling. Three balls later, Beamish claimed the first of his two wickets when he got rid of Lihlume Luwaca.
Caleb Waller resisted, scoring a 39-ball 37, but he did not have enough support to lift Queen’s past the 100-run mark. His promising knock was cut short by Rhys Wiblin in the 23rd over.
Waller was one of four batsmen to fall to Wiblin, who was the most successful St Andrew’s bowler, claiming four wickets for 17 runs in 6.4 overs. Beamish, De Kock, and Thomas Bussaihn chipped in with two wickets each.
At Woodridge, Sinawo Bukula was in fine form as he bowled Kingswood to a dominant 111-run win. The visitors won the toss, elected to bat first, and grafted their way to 204 all out in 47.2 overs. In response, the home side stumbled and were bowled out for only 93 in 30.1 overs.
Bukula dominated proceedings. The paceman struck early for Kingswood with his second delivery of the day and also bagged the final wicket of the match.
Under attack from Bukula and Franco Klopper, Woodridge chewed up 36 balls as Keegan Collet (3) and Daniel Darlow (16) added 20 runs for the second wicket. That turned out to be the home team’s second-highest partnership. Their highest came late in the day when Mpumi Magwetshu (23) and Saliswa Masoka (17) tallied 49 runs for the ninth wicket.
Bukula ripped through Woodridge’s top order and stamped his authority against the middle-order batsmen. Then, he helped clean up the tail on his way to a decisive return of six wickets for 30 runs from 8.1 overs. He was well supported by Klopper and Patrick Mouton, who bagged a brace each.
Earlier in the day, Josh Loon had compiled an unbeaten and patient 70-ball 43 to shepherd the visitors to 204. His knock was built upon the foundation laid by Daniel Jakins (33) and Klopper (18), who put up 68 runs for the first wicket, which was, unfortunately for the hosts, assisted by an incredible 21 extras from their attack.
After that wicket, Kingswood struggled to establish substantial partnerships, but their batsmen did enough to keep the scoreboard ticking with individual contributions as only four of them failed to reach double figures.
Randy Syce was Woodridge’s most successful bowler, snapping up three wickets for 20 runs in 10 overs, while Jay Reece Madatt took three for 39 in his 10.
Scorecards
Queen’s College 95/10 (Caleb Waller 37, Rowen Miles 21, Rhys Wiblin 4/17, William Beamish 2/9). St Andrew’s College 97/1 (William Beamish 67*, Oliver Johns 18*, Khazimla Simama 1/19, Mangaliso Mbaligontsi 0/33). St Andrew’s College won by nine wickets.
Kingswood College 204/10 (Josh Loon 43*, Daniel Jakins 33, Randy Syce 3/20, Jay Reece Madatt 3/39). Woodridge College 93/10 (Mpumi Magwetshu 23, Saliswa Masoka 17, Sinawo Bukula 6/30, Franco Klopper 2/9). Kingswood College won by 111 runs.
