Gauteng outfits earn victories at Wildeklawer T20
King Edward VII School vs Durban High
On Thursday, day one of the Wildeklawer T20, a good-looking clash awaited between King Edward VII (KES) and Durban High School at Sinoville Park, pitting one of Gauteng’s best against one of KwaZulu-Natal’s best.
The toss went the way of DHS, and they elected to bowl first. After a poor start to their innings, KES steadied the ship and posted a solid total, which they were able to defend and score a 17-run victory.
The Johannesburg side was on the back foot early, losing both of their openers within the first three overs, which left them on a shaky 12/2. Fortunately for KES, Luke Clark came in at three and took charge, blasting his way to 43 off only 26 deliveries, which included three fours and four big sixes.
Steele Grooteman, who came in at the fall of the fifth wicket, proved his mettle at the back of the innings, scoring an undefeated 33 off 27 to see KES to 149/7 after their 20 overs.
Left-arm spinner Dhilan Naraidu, who takes the new ball for the Horseflies, bowled superbly, snaring 3/12 in four overs.
DHS made a decent start to their run chase, with opener Ismaeel Omar playing well for 39 from 42 balls. When he was joined by Josh van Biljon, following the departure of Ethan Cooper, KES was made to sweat. Van Biljon, well organised, with a tidy technique, thumped seven fours and a six in tallying 64 off 46 deliveries.
KES bowled with discipline, however, to prevent the DHS batsmen from getting on top. Christian Sabela was to the fore, nabbing 2/15 from four overs, while Wade McQuinn pitched in with 2/28 from his four.
Together, the KES bowlers bowled economically, even those who weren’t rewarded with wickets, which led to DHS completing their overs on 132/6.
Die Hoërskool Menlopark vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
Local side, Die Hoërskool Menlopark won the toss at the Groenkloof Oval and chose to bat first in their clash with Paul Roos Gimnasium. A tightly contested match unfolded, which ended with Menlopark claiming a tight eight-run victory.
Opener Dian van Zyl got Menlo off to a good start, striking five fours in making 28 off 23 balls at the top of the order. Further useful contributions came from Matt van der Westhuizen, with 29, and Juan Lombard, with 26.
Dion Slabber and Marcus Conradie, however, put the skids on the home side’s innings, with Slabber knocking over 3/18 in four, and Conradie returning 3/22, which helped to restrict Menlopark to 128/6.
In the run chase, opener Luca Plekker gave Paul Roos a fantastic shove at the top of the order, stroking four fours and hitting two sixes in a sparkling 53 off 45 balls. but after he departed no one took over the reins.
Nonetheless, PRG was closing in on Menlopark’s total when Jordan van Eck struck with wickets off successive balls in the 19th over. Van Eck missed out on a hat-trick from the next delivery, but a run out from Murray Hofmeyr made it three wickets in succession.
Not only had Menlo picked up three wickets, but, as importantly at that late stage of the match, they had prevented Paul Roos from adding to the total. In the end, the Boland boys finished on 120/6.
Jeppe High School for Boys vs CSA Hub Invitational XI
Jeppe High School for Boys won the toss and decided to bat first in their match against the CSA Hub Invitational XI on the Affies Main Oval. They played well to put up a competitive total and then comfortably defended it with some equally strong bowling to record a 47-run win.
Jeppe opener, Vegas Scott, just missed out on a half-century, out for 49 from 44 balls after hitting five fours and a six. Ryan Young came close to a half-century, too. blitzing his way to 46 from 28 deliveries, five of which he sent to the boundary, with two others being deposited over the boundary.
Taywin Adams led the Hub bowlers, collecting 2/31 from four overs as Jeppe posted 155/5.
Opener Matthew Florence, and fourth batsman in Enathi Kitshini, both scored 22 to keep the Hub XI in the chase, but support was sparse and they were limited to only 108/8 in reply.
Zizi Mkhize’s 3/26 in four overs and Daniel Keating’s 2/9 in two overs were instrumental in disrupting the flow of runs for the CSA outfit.
At the tail end of the Hub XI’s batting, Awonke Mngini chipped in with an unbeaten 22, while Taywin Adams made 20 not out, but by then their side had fallen way behind the required run rate.
Summarised scorecards
King Edward VII 149/7 (Luke Clark 43, Steele Grooteman 33*; Dhilan Naraidu 3/12); Durban High 132/6 (Joshua van Biljon 64, Ismaeel Omar 39; Christian Sabela 2/15, Wade McQuinn 2/28). KES won by 17 runs.
Die Hoërskool Menlopark 128/9 (Matt van der Westhuizen 29, Dian van Zyl 28, Juan Lombard 26; Dion Slabber 3/18, Marcus Conradie 3/22); Paul Roos Gimnasium 120/6 (Luca Plekker 53, Nathan van den Berg 23; Murray Hofmeyr 2/11). Menlopark won by eight runs.
Jeppe High School for Boys 155/5 (Vegas Scott 49, Ryan Young 46, Lincoln Casais 32*, Zizi Mkhize 21; Taywin Adams 2/31); CSA Hub Invitational XI 108/8 (Matthew Florence 22, Enathi Kitshini 22, Awonke Mngini 22*, Taywin Adams 20*; Zizi Mkhize 3/26, Daniel Keating 2/9). Jeppe won by 47 runs.
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