Clifton charges into St John’s Rams T20 semis, Kearsney through to eliminator
Clifton College kept their challenge at the St John’s Rams T20 in Harare rolling on Saturday with a hard-hitting six-wicket victory over Peterhouse. Kearsney College, meanwhile, ran out the winners over Falcon College by 26 runs.
There was a tight escape for the Johannesburg Invitational XI, made up of players from King Edward VII (KES), Jeppe, and St John’s. They defeated the defending champion, St John’s (Harare) by five wickets, getting home off the last ball of the match after scoring 12 runs off the last over.
Clifton had no such difficulties against Peterhouse, batting second for the third match in succession and once again chasing down their opponent’s score in double-quick time.
The Marondera school tallied 131/8 from their 20 overs, led by 63 off 44 balls, with four fours and two sixes, from Tyler Chapman. Only two other batsmen made it into double figures, however, with Victor Watama contributing 24 off 17, and Cameron Rae making 18 off 20.
Watama and Rae shared the highest partnership of the innings, putting on 49 for the fourth wicket in 6.5 overs.
Left-arm spinner Blake Johnson continued his fine tournament, snaring 3/19 in three overs to lead the Clifton attack.
Cohen Naidoo, who had powered Clifton’s batting effort in their first two wins, missed out on this occasion, but captain Tim Saulez took charge, cracking nine fours and a six in an unbeaten 70, which took only 50 balls.
A useful 22 from 15, which included two sixes, from Cristiano Borrageiro was the little nudge that the Durban school needed to get across the line, which they did after only 14.5 overs to secure a solid five-wicket win.
Callum Scott Elliot picked up 2/26 for Peterhouse, but Saulez’s fine innings took the game away from the Zimbabwean side.
Facing Falcon College, Kearsney opted to bat first. After losing their opening pair cheaply, the Botha’s Hill boys repaired their innings and dictated matters, thanks to the efforts of Keegan de Jager, Cole Young, and Asher Hollister.
De Jager and Young added 42 for the third wicket before Young fell for 36 off 24 balls, caught by Liam Nel off the bowling of Darren Ncube. He had struck three sixes and two fours.
De Jager and Hollister, then, advanced the score to 136, partnering for 49 runs before De Jager departed with the total on 136. His contribution was a valuable 54 from only 39 deliveries, with seven fours and a six.
Hollister, meanwhile, laid into the Falcon bowlers. When he was the sixth man out, bowled by Dmitry Fatch, he had deposited four balls over the boundary, sent four into it, and charged to 52 off only 25 balls.
Kearsney was on 176/6 with nine balls to go. They added another 13 runs for the loss of a wicket to finish on 189/7.
Dmitry Fatch claimed 2/21 in two, while his fellow new ball bowler, Zach Gover, returned the most economical figures of 1/20 in three.
Falcon College captain Alastair Carle, who has been on an absolute tear, got stuck into the Kearsney bowling early, smashing 27 from only 14 balls, but he was caught by Cole Young off James Bishop‘s bowling before he could cause too much damage.
Brandon Ndikweni top scored with 40 from 38, with five fours, and further useful contributions came from Liam Nel, with 25 from 20, and Reed Merick, with 21 from 15. Three other batsmen made it into the teens, but Falcon was unable to match Kearsney’s rollicking run rate and came up 26 runs short, ending their 20 overs on 163/9.
Michael Groom‘s outstanding showing in Harare continued as he bagged three wickets for not many runs for a third match in succession, this time finishing with 3/16 from four overs.
Yusuf Basat, the seventh bowler used, played his part by capturing 3/25 in three.
After day two’s matches, Clifton stood atop the table with a haul of 15 points from their three matches and the best net run rate of 3.564. The Johannesburg Invitational XI was just behind them, on 14 points, while Kearsney occupied third place, on 12 points. All three South African sides remain unbeaten.
That means that Clifton and the Johannesburg Invitational XI are through to the semi-finals on Sunday. Kearsney will, meanwhile, play an eliminator against Wise Owl, while the second eliminator will feature St John’s College against Falcon College.
Scores
Peterhouse 131/8 (Tyler Chapman 63, Victor Watama 24; Blake Johnson 3/19); Clifton College 132/4 (Tim Saulez 70*, Cristiano Borrageiro 22; Callum Scott Elliot 2/26).
Clifton College won by six wickets.
Kearsney College 189/7 (Keegan de Jager 54, Asher Hollister 52, Cole Young 36; Dmitry Fatch 2/21); Falcon College 163/9 (Brandon Ndiweni 40, Alastair Carle 27, Liam Nel 25, Reed Merick 21; Michael Groom 3/16, Yusuf Basat 3/25).
Kearsney College won by 26 runs.
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