Coetzee stars in solid Kearsney win
Kearsney College‘s consistency and batting depth were on display on Saturday as they romped to a 127-run win over Glenwood on the AH Smith Oval in Botha’s Hill.
The Green Machine possesses a decent bowling attack, but Kearsney, batting first after being sent in, handled the challenge the visitors posed well.
Then, as has happened numerous times throughout the season, Ross Coetzee, who was recently named the captain of the Dolphins’ u18 team for the Khaya Majola Week, played a key innings and shared in a telling partnership to tilt the match his side’s way.
Up front, Jonty Wiggett and Jason De Gryse posted 26 for the first wicket before Ntando Soni caught De Gryse off the bowling of Bandile Mbatha for 10.
Keegan de Jager was kept quiet by the Glenwood bowlers, but his departure brought captain Coetzee out into the middle and he and Jonty Wiggett advanced the total to 71 before Wiggett exited after a solid 36 from 47 deliveries, which included four fours and a six.
Next, Aaron Blackburn and Coetzee joined forces and partnered for 105 runs for the fourth wicket before Coetzee fell victim to a run out. He made 77 from 71 balls, striking 10 fours and a six in another telling innings.
Blackburn was part of another significant partnership, putting on 53 for the sixth wicket with Sandiswa Yeni before being caught by Sibonelo Phewa off Ntando Soni for 59 from 99 balls.
With two overs remaining, Kearsney was on 228/6. They added a further 15 runs for the loss of the wickets of Yeni and Nic Comrie, with Dolphins’ paceman Yeni delivering a useful 33 from 34, with four fours and a six, to finish on 243/8.
Glenwood’s opening pair, Bandile Mbatha and Ntando Soni, picked up two wickets each in their 10 overs, with Mbatha going for 48 runs and Soni for 40. Although he didn’t pick up a wicket, Daniel Gunawardena did a solid job, sending down four overs while surrendering only 10 runs.
The challenge that faced Glenwood, who needed to bat at 4.88 runs per over to win, was that their bowling has been more consistent than their batting this season, and their run chase started in the worst way possible, with Litha Gonya bowling Karabo Ntsieng with the first ball of the innings.
Krian Jugoo followed for 10, with the total on 13, caught by Coetzee off Yeni, and opener Rehman Jugbathur became a second victim of Gonya, with Coetzee again bagging the catch, which left Glenwood in trouble in 23/3.
Kearsney skipper Coetzee continued to be at the centre of the action. Taking the ball, he removed Kreesan Pillai for nine before the visitors had reached fifty.
Ntando Soni stood firm, showing off his all-round skills, but Bonga Maphanga got through Kyle Bryan‘s defences, sending him packing for three. Three runs later, Glenwood was on life support, reduced to 60/6 after Aaron Blackburn caught Bandile Mbatha for a single off the bowling of Coetzee.
At last, when Sibonelo Phewa got to the crease, Glenwood’s innings stabilised. He’s been a strong performer lower down the order for the Durban school throughout the season and one wonders whether or not a promotion up the order is on the cards. He and Ntando Soni advanced the total to 99 before Soni’s resistance was brought to an end. He had made 32 from 51 balls, with four fours.
Phewa stayed around until the total reached 115, when he became the eighth wicket to fall. He was Glenwood’s top-scorer, tallying 37 from 57 balls, with five fours.
One run later, Glenwood’s innings was over, all out for 116 after 34.1 overs.
Keegan de Jager, who brought about Phewa’s downfall, finished with 2/2 in 1.1 overs, while Ross Coetzee, who has bowled less in 2024 than last year while taking his batting to a higher level, showed he’s still got it with the ball, snaring a miserly 2/9 in eight.
The opening pair of Litha Gonya and Sandiswa Yeni did their bit, with Gonya capturing 2/20 in five, while Yeni picked up 2/21 in nine.
Summarised scorecards
Kearsney College 243/8 (Ross Coetzee 77, Aaron Blackburn 59, Jonty Wiggett 36, Ntando Soni 2/40, Bandile Mbatha 2/48); Glenwood High School 116/10 (Sibonelo Phewa 37, Ntando Soni 32, Keegan de Jager 2/2, Ross Coetzee 2/9, Litha Gonya 2/20, Sandiswa Yeni 2/21).
Kearsney College won by 127 runs.
