Collins’ century sets up St Stithians win, Helpmekaar edges St Benedict’s
Thomas Collins scythed a classy unbeaten century to guide St Stithians College to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over St David’s Marist Inanda at St David’s on Saturday.
At St Benedict’s College, Aiden Pretorius bowled a brilliant spell at the death to secure a tight six-run win for Helpmekaar over Bennies.
Samrat Basu, the St David’s captain, won the toss and chose to have a bat. The hosts put together a decent effort, navigating their way to 230 all out in 48.5 overs. St Stithians, though, made short work of the run chase and raced to 231/3 in 36 overs to secure victory.
Collins, in his match-winning innings, nudged and worked the ball around for singles and twos and punished the bad balls when they were offered to him. St David’s presented eight such deliveries and he flayed three for four and lofted five over the ropes for sixes on his way to a brilliant unbeaten 101 off 107 balls.
His outstanding knock earned him the Player of the Match gong. Batting at three, he was the mainstay for Saints and was part of three crucial partnerships for the visitors. He strode to the crease in the first over and had to face the fifth delivery of his side’s innings, which he consolidated with a 59-run second-wicket partnership with his captain, Liam Mudenda. The Saints’ skipper contributed a brisk 37 off 26 deliveries.
That partnership was succeeded by a 49-run stand between Collins and Bertie Michael. Like Mudenda, Michael played a brisk knock, contributing a fluent 28-ball 32.
The visitors’ best partnership was the fourth-wicket collaboration between Collins and Nicolas Bayly. They shared an unbroken 119-run stand to shepherd St Stithians to a convincing win. Bayly ended with an unbeaten 52 runs off 51 deliveries.
Earlier in the day, when St David’s batted, Collins had played his part with the ball. He struck a crucial blow when he claimed the prized wicket of Basu in the 22nd over. The host’s captain had held the St David’s innings together with a 65-ball 51 and had just teamed up with Kamogelo Phiri.
Following Basu’s exit, Phiri struggled to find someone with whom he could form a meaningful partnership. Instead, he was left to fight a lone battle until the end, with five of the six batsmen who came in after Basu dismissed for single-digit scores. Only Hayden Campbell, with whom he shared a 59-run fifth-wicket stand, scored more than 10, making 17 off 38 balls. At the end, Phiri was left stranded just short of a century, on 96 not out from 95 balls.
Jason Joiner was the pick of the bowlers for St Stithians with four wickets for 48 runs in 9.5 overs. Collins finished with two wickets for 35 runs from 10 overs, and Nqaba Matunda also bagged a brace while conceding 30 runs from seven overs.
In Bedfordview, Aiden Pretorius put on a clinic of death-bowling to help Helpmekaar snatch a narrow six-run win over St Benedict’s. His effort helped the visitors, who had scored 236 all out in 35.3 overs after being put in bat first, to restrict St Benedict’s to 230/9 in 50 overs in reply.
Kyle Swanepoel, the Helpmekaar captain, needed a breakthrough when he first introduced Pretorius into the attack in the 30th over.
St Benedict’s was cruising along with Marco Mendes and Alex Johnston at the crease. They were in the middle of a 94-run fifth-wicket partnership that threatened to take the game away from the visitors and they remained on track as Pretorius delivered a wicketless four-over spell that cost 18 runs.
When Pretorius returned for a second spell, St Benedict’s required only 28 runs from 30 balls for victory, with five wickets in hand. Pretorius, though, made an immediate impact, dismissing Matt Feiertag with the third delivery of the 46th over. Pretorius made it two wickets in two overs when he sent Chris Burnham’s stumps cartwheeling in the 48th over.
The coup de grâce was delivered when Pretorius, bowling the last over of the innings, captured his third wicket in three overs by clean bowling Marco Mendes for 99 off 158 balls. Pretorius led the Helpmekaar bowlers with a decisive return of three wickets for 31 runs in seven overs. He was ably supported by Hanno Steyn and Juandré Verwey, who each bagged a brace of wickets.
Earlier in the day, Anthony Stone struck seven fours and a single six on his way to a quickfire 30-ball 51, which helped launch Helpmekaar to 236 all in just 35.3 overs. His knock had shades of Anrich Liebenberg‘s brisk 49 off 36 deliveries, which had preceded his innings. Zander Neethling and Heinrich Minnaar produced useful contributions, too, scoring 31 and 38 runs, respectively.
Clayton Horlick was the most successful bowler for St Benedict’s with four wickets for 53 runs in 8.3 overs. Matthew Steel removed three Helpmekaar batsmen in three overs while conceding 20 runs.
Scorecards
St David’s Marist Inanda 230/10 (Kamogelo Phiri 96*, Samrat Basu 51, Jason Joiner 4/48, Thomas Collins 2/35). St Stithians College 231/3 (Thomas Collins 101*, Nicolas Bayly 52*, Kyle Butler 2/33, Morteza Manack 1/34). St Stithians won by seven wickets.
Helpmekaar Kollege 236/10 (Anthony Stone 51, Anrich Liebenberg 49, Clayton Horlick 4/53, Matthew Steel 3/20). St Benedict’s College 230/9 (Marco Mendes 99, Alex Johnston 47, Aiden Pretorius 3/31, Hanno Steyn 2/22). Helpmekaar won by six runs.
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