HTS Middelburg seals back-to-back wins to close out Finsbury League run
HTS Middelburg capped off their 2026 Finsbury League campaign with a second consecutive D Section victory on home soil in Middelburg on Saturday.
Wet weather had the final say in two of the three scheduled fixtures, with the match between Hoërskool Dr Malan and Merensky Landbou Akademie being abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Before the weekend’s games were played, though, Dokkies had already booked a place in the promotion/relegation playoff on 21 February.
In a low-scoring encounter in Middelburg, HTS produced a well‑rounded performance to overcome Hoërskool Ben Vorster by four wickets.
The hosts bowled first after the Black Caps won the toss and elected to bat.
Hugo Bierman responded well to the challenge, leading the home side’s attack, with an excellent opening spell helping him to 3/19 from 6.2 overs, while the reliable Brussow de Wet sent down seven overs and knocked over 3/22.
Only Dirk Nortman and Ruben Pohl bettered 20 runs for Ben Vorster. Nortman top‑scored with 23, while Pohl contributed 21 as the visitors posted a modest 127 all out.
Henco Britz led the home side’s reply with a well‑constructed 29 at the top of the order. Jandré de Clerq added 25, and Armand Kotze tallied 24, to see HTS Middelburg to a four-wicket win.
Sontag Ramatsoma almost turned the match on its head, snaring 3/6 in only three overs to sow some seeds of doubt in the hosts’ run chase, but, by then, the job had almost been completed.
In Heidelberg, Michael Kinnear’s five‑wicket haul, supported by the all‑round efforts of Ethan Walker and the ever‑impressive Jeandré Greyling, saw Hoërskool Wesvalia home with a nail‑biting two‑wicket victory over Heidelberg Volkskool. Bowling first, Kinnear ensured that the Volkies could muster only 148 all out.
Opening the bowling, he inflicted the bulk of the damage, claiming five wickets while conceding a modest 39 runs in the nine overs he delivered. Walker (2 for 16) and Greyling (2 for 32) backed him up with two wickets each, conceding a combined 60 runs in their spells.
They then followed up with match‑winning contributions with the bat. Walker top‑scored with 26, while Greyling’s 22 proved pivotal in the narrow victory, the visitors reaching their target on the first ball of the 35th over. Kehan Baird and Jaco Botha were the home side’s standout all‑round performers.
Baird added a valuable 30 with the bat and followed it up with figures of 2 for 22, while Botha contributed 20 runs before returning 2 for 32 with the ball. The Wessies were ultimately undeterred by the efforts of Vaughn Steynvaart, who recorded the highest individual score of the match with 31. His innings was not enough, however, to prevent Wesvalia from sealing an impressive away victory in their final Finsbury League outing.
Summarised scorecard
Ben Vorster 127 (Extras 28, Dirk Nortman 23, Ruben Pohl 21; Hugo Bierman 3/19, Brussow de Wet 3/22); HTS Middelburg 128/6 (Henco Britz 29, Jandré de Clerq 25, Armand Kotze 24; Sontag Ramatsoma 3/6). HTS Middelburg won by four wickets.
Heidelberg Volkskool 146 (Vaughn Steynvaart 31, Kehan Baird 30, Extras 21, Jaco Botha 20; Michael Kinnear 5/29, Ethan Walker 2/16, Jeandré Greyling 2/44); Wesvalia 147/8 (Ethan Walker 26, Jeandré Greyling 22, Extras 20; Kehan Baird 2/22, Francois Smith 2/29, Jaco Botha 2/32). Wesvalia won by two wickets.
