SuperSport Schools Plus

Fortmann fires St Charles to win over Kearsney

By Brad Morgan , in Cricket | Featured Cricket | News , at 2024-11-11 Tags: , ,

St Charles College opening batsman Cian Fortmann. Photo: Brad Morgan.
St Charles College opening batsman Cian Fortmann. Photo: Brad Morgan.

Openers Cian Fortmann and Connor Riley set St Charles College up for a healthy 80-run victory over a young Kearsney College lineup on Saturday in Pietermaritzburg, with the pair putting on 158 for the first wicket.

Saints‘ skipper Marcell Wellmann won the toss and elected to bat. Fortmann and Riley repaid his faith in them by delivering a mature and measured partnership, which lasted almost 36 overs.

It was, eventually, brought to an end by Kearsney College captain Ross Coetzee, who took a caught and bowled to claim Riley’s wicket. He’d scored 58 from 103 deliveries, striking seven fours.

Almost immediately, Saints suffered a collapse, losing another three wickets for the addition of 20 runs, with Rico Honiball run out and Jason De Gryse grabbing the big wickets of Marcell Wellmann and Brendon Sunguro.

Fortmann went on to a century before becoming the sixth wicket to go down, caught by Asavhela Khambule off Keegan de Jager for a splendid 116 from 152 balls, one of which he dispatched for six and another nine for four.

Apart from the openers, though, only Sunguro, with 12, made it into double figures. From 158 without loss in the 36th over, St Charles finished with 236/9, with their third-highest score coming from extras, of which there were 26.

The key cause of the destruction was Keegan de Jager, who ripped through the Saints’ lower order, capturing 5/35 in just six overs. Jason De Gryse picked up 2/43 in 10, while Ross Coetzee claimed 1/43.

Kearsney made a steady start to their reply, with Jonty Wiggett and Jason de Gryse partnering for a 43-run opening partnership. Ryan Clarke brought it to an end, bowling Wiggett for an attacking 28 from 33 balls, which included four fours. De Gryse followed 10 runs later, and, much like Saints had experienced, a collapse followed.

From 52/1, very quickly, Kearsney slumped to 62/6 in the 18th over. They had a mountain to climb and their chances of victory had all but vanished. Not quite, though, because Ross Coetzee was still out in the middle.

The Kearsney captain contributed 30 from 43 balls, smashing a six and two fours while sharing in a 65-run stand with Asavhela Khambule for the seventh wicket. Tristan Montile claimed Coetzee’s valuable wicket, courtesy of a catch by Brendon Sunguro, reducing Saints to 127/7.

Khambule continued his resistance, finally falling with the total on 146, for the innings’ top score of 43 after being bowled by Cian Fortmann. Khambule’s stay had lasted 62 balls and brought him a six and six fours.

Brendon Sunguro claimed the tenth wicket to send Kearsney packing for 156. He finished with 1/17 from five overs, but Tristan Montile led the way for the home side, knocking over 4/39 in nine overs, while Ryan Clarke heaped pressure on the visitors, snapping up 2/12 in six.

After a comfortable win, St Charles will be in a confident mood ahead of their last match of the season against Michaelhouse on 16 November.

Summarised scorecards

St Charles College 236/9 (Cian Fortmann 116, Connor Riley 58, Keegan de Jager 5/35, Jason De Gryse 2/43); Kearsney College 156/10 (Asavhela Khambule 43, Ross Coetzee 30, Jonty Wiggett 28, Tristan Montile 4/39, Ryan Clarke 2/12).

St Charles College won by 80 runs.

Brad Morgan
error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.