Joe Macrobert’s heroics power St John’s to incredible victory
St David’s Marist Inanda and St John’s College delivered one of the most astonishing matches of the season on Saturday, with St John’s recording a convincing victory despite seeing two St David’s batsmen score centuries in their 50-overs-a-side clash.
St John’s captain Joe Macrobert was the match-winner, thanks to a sensational knock.
Batting first at home, St David’s lost an early wicket, but Armaan Manack and captain Matthew West then joined forces and put the visitors’ bowlers to the sword. Spending just shy of 40 overs together, they amassed 255 runs for the second wicket.
Manack’s 121-ball stay included 16 fours and a six and delivered 140 runs. He was out with the total on 271.
West lasted until the score had reached 299. He was, then, dismissed for 125 from 126 deliveries, which included 12 fours and a six.
An aggressive cameo from Morteza Manack, who smashed three sixes and a four in an undefeated 42 from 28 balls, then boosted Saint David’s to a daunting 346 for 5 from their 50 overs.
Viewed in the context of the onslaught, Alec Loveland‘s full complement of 10 overs at a cost of 49 runs was an outstanding contribution for St John’s.
Luthando Masando was the only bowler, meanwhile, to pick up more than one wicket, bagging 2 for 67 from his 10.
St John’s made a steady start to their massive run chase, with the openers, Nkosana Sibiya and Thomas Ievers, putting up 43 for the first wicket before Sibiya was sent on his way in the seventh over for 21 from 22.
Joe Macrobert joined Ievers out in the middle and immediately took charge. Ievers fed Macrobert the strike, yet still contributed 34 from 37 balls, before falling just before the century had been raised on the scoreboard. Macrobert, though, had barely begun his torment of the St David’s attack.
Receiving solid support from the men around him – Alec Loveland made 26, Jacob Smith 25, and Kago Masote a quickfire 35 not out from 21 deliveries – he delivered an immense innings.
Macrobert’s unbeaten knock lasted just 101 balls, but he deposited 10 of those over the boundary, and sent another 14 for four, as he struck an eye-opening 183 to power his side to victory with an astounding 10.3 overs to spare.
Given the carnage all around him, Jarred Baillings‘ return of 2 for 37 from five overs was remarkable, while Jason Rowles did a good job, taking 2 for 59 in seven. The runs, though, kept rolling in, with Macrobert dictating the direction of the match.
He was there at the end when St John’s reached 350 for 4 to record an extraordinary six-wicket win.
Earlier in the week, the same two sides had met on Mitchell Field at St John’s in a T20 clash. It was not nearly as dramatic, but the home side also won that one, thanks, once again, to another match-winning effort from MacRobert. How the St David’s bowlers must fear his broad bat!
St David’s tallied 152 for 7 in their 20 overs, with 39 from Jason Rowles and 38 from Matthew West, but MacRobert decided the outcome of the contest.
From only 60 balls, he made 92 not out, with three sixes and eight fours, which, together with Nkosana Sibiya’s 34, helped guide his side to a seven-wicket victory, with 11 balls to spare.
It was a splendid knock. Yet, it served only as an appetiser for a mind-blowing performance on the weekend.
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Summarised Scorecards:
50-over
St David’s Marist Inanda 346/5 (Morteza Manack 140, Matthew West 125, Armaan Manack 43*, Luthando Masinda 2/67); St John’s College 350/4 (Joe Macrobert 183*, Kago Masote 35*, Thomas Ievers 34, Jarred Baillings 2/37, Jason Rowles 2/59)
St John’s College won by 6 wickets
T20
St David’s Marist Inanda 152/7 (Jason Rowles 39, Matthew West 38, Luthando Masinda 2/19, Cole Francis 2/29); St John’s College 158/3 (Joe Macrobert 92*, Nkosana Sibiya 34)
St John’s College won by 7 wickets
