It’s Selborne vs St Andrew’s College for a place at the Schools SA20 National Final
Josh Wilkie struck a brilliant half-century to guide Selborne College to a three-wicket win over Alice RPC when they crossed swords in an Eastern Cape region Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Phase Two semifinal tie on Selborne College’s Main Oval on Saturday.
In the other semi-final, St Andrew’s College thumped Grey High by nine wickets at Old Selbornian Club to set up a meeting with the local side, Selborne, in the regional final on Sunday morning.
Alice won the toss and, after electing to bat first, was restricted to 92/7. Wilkie, then, powered Selborne to 93/7 after only 11.4 overs.
He struck 53 runs from 26 balls, blasting five fours and four sixes in his 8.5-over stay in the middle. With those runs making up more than half of the required total, Wilkie ensured that the mini-collapse that followed his exit did not deny the host team victory.
He shared two crucial partnerships, with Cian O’Neil and Reid Drake. His second-wicket stand with O’Neil (18) was Selborne’s highest and produced 46 runs. Then, his 26-run third-wicket partnership with Drake (10), took them to the brink of victory.
When Alice batted, they lost two wickets in the fourth over and were unable to stage a strong recovery from there. Imange Nkubevana led their batting effort, top scoring with 24 from 33 balls. Only Yonela Mkholiswa (16) and Ambesa Linda (15) joined him with double figures.
Matthew Hendry was the most successful bowler in the match, capturing 3/7 for Selborne.
Grey High vs St Andrew’s College
At Old Selbornians, Grey High won the toss but battled at the crease and mustered only 90/9 from their 20 overs. St Andrew’s clinically chased that total down, reaching 91/1 after 17 overs.
Rhys Wiblin, the St Andrew’s captain, led from the front with both bat and ball to set up his side’s victory. With Grey taking to the crease first, he ripped through the Gqeberha school’s middle order, capturing 3/10 from four overs, to force them firmly onto the back foot.
Alejo Nota, with an unbeaten 29 from 34 balls, and Logan Groch, with 18 not out from 16, put up a valiant fight from numbers nine and 11, after Grey had stumbled to 48/9, but the tailenders’ efforts were too little too late after the top and middle order failed.
Despite their poor showing with the bat, Grey High might have thought that they, too, could cause Selborne problems at the crease when Nota dismissed Thomas Lake for nought with the last ball of the first over. However, Wiblin and Connor Holder responded with an unbeaten 91-run second-wicket partnership to see St Andrew’s home.
Wiblin struck an unbeaten 46 from 47 balls, while Holder finished not out on 40 from 52 balls.
When St Andrew’s and Selborne met in a round-robin match, it was the East London school that won, but that result will count for nothing when they meet for the title of champions of the Eastern Cape on Sunday.
Summarised Scorecards
Alice RPC 92/7 (Imange Nkubevana 24, Yonela Mkholiswa 16; Matthew Hendry 3/7, Avetandwa Manyongo 1/17). Selborne College 93/7 (Josh Wilkie 53, Cian O’Neil 18; Akhanya Bontsi 3/20, Unakho Njalisa 2/10). Selborne won by three wickets.
Grey High 90/9 (Alejo Nota 29*, Logan Groch 18*; Rhys Wiblin 3/10, Thomas Bissiahn 2/13), St Andrew’s College 91/1 (Rhys Wiblin 46*, Connor Holder 40*; Alejo Nota 1/9). St Andrew’s College won by nine wickets.
Alice RPC 76/10 (Akhona Ntlathi 18*, Ambesa Linda 12; Luthando Gwazela 3/13, Bulumnko Didi 2/8). Mqanduli Village 70/10 (Siphumeze Nonwana 16, Sibahle Bango 11; Yonela Mkhohliswa 2/10, Awonke Ngini 2/13). Alice RPC won by six runs.
Nomandi 34/10 (Lelam Mdumba 20, Aphelele Ruze 7; Alejo Nota 3/3, Connor Parry 2/0). Grey High 35/0 (logan Goddard-Ford 16*, James Upton 13*; Aphelele Ruze 0/17, Thobela Sibonda 0/18). Grey High won by 10 wickets.
St Andrew’s College 104/8 (Thomas Lake 42, Oliver Whitaker 21*; Lwando Gwaza 3/10, Avetandwa Manyongo 2/16). Selborne College 107/6 (Josh Wilkie 49*, Cian O’Neil 15; Rhys Wiblin 3/26, Thomas Bussiahn 1/26). Selborne won by four wickets.
