Luke Campbell lifts Hilton College to win over Westville Boys’ High
Hilton College claimed a nail-biting six-run win over Westville Boys’ High on the Hart-Davis Oval in Hilton on Saturday after successfully defending a modest total of 140/9.
The match was played over 40 overs and it, most definitely, favoured the bowlers, with no batsmen making it beyond the twenties.
After the toss fell their way, Hilton opted to bat first, but they made a miserable start and soon found themselves knee deep in the mud, listing on 23/4. The going was slow.
Kyle McGough got rid of Barack Munawa for four before Alex Pitman followed him back to the pavilion, caught by Tristin Delvin off left-armer Lwandile Bulose for a laboured six from 29.
Hilton suffered a further blow when Ben Wilson was run out for eight from 29, and Ben Erasmus lasted only three balls before being caught off Ashton Kidgell‘s bowling.
Ben Hockly and Cameron Hargroves halted the Westville onslaught by adding 43 for the fifth wicket before Hockly was caught off paceman Dayalan Boyce for 22 from 28. He hadn’t reached the boundary once.
Hargroves achieved that feat three times, however, but he was out only three runs after Hockly for 25 from 47, stumped by Aidan Baudach off the bowling of left-arm spinner, Ewan du Toit. With his exit, Hilton, once again, was in trouble, teetering on 69/6.
Matters looked even bleaker when Luke Wilson became Du Toit’s second victim, which left the home side in danger of missing out on reaching a hundred, on 80/7.
James Peattie and Luke Campbell, however, took them to 105, partnering for 25 runs, before Peattie was bowled by Boyce for 21.
Campbell went on to score 24 from 33, with three fours, which helped to lift Hilton College to 140/9 after the completion of their 40 overs. It was a crucial contribution.
Du Toit snagged 2/16 from his six overs, while Boyce shone with 2/18 from eight. His fellow new ball bowler, Kyle McGough, returned 2/30 from eight, while Lwandile Bulose kept Hilton in check with a tidy four overs, which brought him 1/13.
When Westville batted, Sechaba Gude – the hero of Hilton’s Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two semi-final win over Michaelhouse on Thursday – got rid of Aarin Rasmussen in the first over.
Ewan du Toit and Kyle McGough then combined for a 30-run second wicket partnership before McGough fell to a combination of Benoit Rey‘s catching and Sechaba Gude’s bowling for 19 from 20, with three fours.
Du Toit and Seth Simpson partnered for 34 runs for the third wicket, taking the total to 65, before Du Toit’s watchful knock came to an end when he was caught off by Alex Pitman off the bowling of Benoit Rey for 16.
Simpson didn’t last much longer, becoming the fourth man out when the total had reached 71 runs. He had struck three fours in his 21 from 25 balls. Soon, Westville’s run chase caught a wobble when Misbah Nair was trapped in front by Rey for four. The visitors were on 79/5.
Their sixth wicket went down just before the century came up when Tristin Delvin was caught by Gude off the bowling of Luke Campbell for a patient 14 from 34 deliveries. It was the first blow in a series struck by the spinner, which would prove to be match-winning.
Dayalan Boyce, then, became Luke Campbell’s second victim, out for three, which left Westville on 107/7 and the match finely balanced.
Liam de Villiers, though, battled away, keeping Hilton at bay while accumulating runs, but, tragically for Westville, he was run out for 23 from 39 balls, having hit two fours, with only 14 runs required for victory.
Campbell ensured Westville didn’t make it, dismissing Aidan Baudach LBW for eight before picking up the last wicket when he had Ashton Kidgell caught by Ben Erasmus for two. Westville was all out for 134.
Campbell was the difference between the teams, nabbing 4/19 in 6.4 overs after posting Hilton’s second highest score of 24.
He enjoyed good support from his fellow spinner, Benoit Rey, who captured 2/26 from eight, while Sechaba Gude knocked back 2/28 in six.
Summarised scorecard
Hilton College 140/9 (Cameron Hargroves 25, Luke Campbell 24, Ben Hockly 22, James Peattie 21; Ewan du Toit 2/16, Dayalan Boyce 2/18, Kyle McGough 2/30); Westville Boys’ High 134/10 (Liam de Villiers 23, Extras 23, Seth Simpson 21; Luke Campbell 4/19, Benoit Rey 2/26, Sechaba Gude 2/28). Hilton College won by six runs.
