Many underdogs flip the script on HJS Festival’s opening day
Paarl Boys’ High began their HJS Cricket Festival by hosting Hoërskool Noordheuwel on Tuesday. The declaration format fixture turned into a nail-biter.
It was tough going at the crease with Aden Batt, Boishaai‘s number eight batsman, grafting hard for 25 off 55 deliveries, which was the home side’s best effort against a consistent Nories‘ bowling attack.
Four of their bowlers claimed two victims each, with Tristan Helmand, the tidiest of them, snapping up 2/9 in six overs as Paarl Boys’ High was limited to 151 all out after 52.5 overs.
Noordheuwel was forced to scratch and claw for every run in their run pursuit but, after 40.4 overs, the Krugersdorp outfit snatched victory when they reached 156/9.
Meanwhile, Paarl Boys’ High’s arch-rivals, Paarl Gimnasium, hosted Pretoria’s Hoërskool Garsfontein in a game that was reduced to a 30-over-a-side bout.
Sent out to bat after the toss went Garsies‘ way, Gim posted 148/7, led by Wian Munnik, who made his way to the crease at the fall of the first wicket and hammered five fours in an innings of 58 off 72 deliveries.
In their successful run chase, all four Garsfontein batsmen achieved contributions of over 20, with opener Wikus du Preez top scoring with an unbeaten 44 off 74.
They won by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare when they reached 149/2 after 27.5 overs at the crease.
In the Hoërskool Bellville versus Hoërskool Outeniqua match on Bellville’s A Field, the sides felt they had enough overs in hand to turn their contest into a double-innings declaration match. However, that proved to be a little too optimistic.
The Kwaggas’ Ross Taljaard captured an emphatic 6/16 in 6.3 overs to help bowl out Bellville for only 65 in their first innings. The second time around, trailing by 89 runs after the first innings, Bellville was in trouble on 21/5, with Johalin Oosthuizen knocking over 5/4 in only 3.1 overs.
Stellenberg High was the first Western Cape team to defeat opposition from another province. They showed admirable resilience to edge out Boksburg’s Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen by one wicket in their declaration contest.
As he often does in the middle order, Jan-Jak Alberts came through in the clutch, cracking three fours in his steadfast 38 off 77 balls. His heroic effort helped the Jade Brigade to sneak by Jansies‘ 96 all out, but it took them a battling 41.3 overs to get there.
Hoërskool Parel Vallei is a school that has invested a lot of time and effort into their sport in recent years, and it’s shown in their continually improving results. They, perhaps, remain underestimated, however.
The Hoërskool Waterkloof XI, or second team, found themselves overwhelmed by the Somerset-West outfit’s clique of ferocious bowlers.
Daniel Leisegang collected 3/13 in four overs, while Chris Hughes picked up 2/1 in three overs as Klofies were knocked over for only 65 runs. Hughes then weighed in with an unbeaten 30 to help his side to 71/2 after 28 overs and a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
Grey High XI opener, Reece Bailes, has also turned out for the Gqeberha school’s 1st XI, and he showed why by scoring an undefeated 61 off 59, which included four fours and a six, against Curro Durbanville‘s 1st XI.
His effort helped to propel Grey to a 14-run win. They tallied 131/3 before bowling out Curro for 117.
Summarised Scorecards
Paarl Boys’ High 151/10 (Aden Batt 25, JP Immelman 24, Tom Krige 24; Tristan Helmand 2/9, JD Bezuidenhout 2/11); Hoërskool Noordheuwel 156/9 (Aden Batt 3/42, Ullrich Drotschie 2/24, Reese Petersen 2/31). Noordheuwel won by one wicket.
Paarl Gimnasium 148/7 (Wian Munnik 58, De Waal Vivier 25, Extras 23; Alzjandro Potgieter 3/16, Ruan Coetsee 3/22); Hoërskool Garsfontien 149/2 (Wikus du Preez 44*, Joshua De Villiers 38, Ruan Cuyler 29*, Charl van Staden 24). Garsfontein won by eight wickets.
Hoërskool Bellville 65/10 (Johan Bergh 23; Ross Taljaard 6/16); Hoërskool Outeniqua 154/10 (Hanno Swart 51, Daniel du Preez 41; Tiaan Hartman 2/20, Lehano van der Westhuyzen 2/22, Kian Joubert 2/31, Jay-C Dikella 2/32); Hoërskool Bellville 21/5 (Johalin Oosthuizen 5/4). Match drawn.
Hoërskool Dr. E.G. Jansen 96/10 (Gunther Hofmann 31, Henri Coetzee 21; JJ Rothman 3/12, Aidan Pienaar 3/29, Jan-Jak Alberts 2/25); Stellenberg High 97/9 (Jan-Jak Alberts 38, Ethan Vermeulen 23; Jayden Van Wyk 3/20). Stellenberg won by one wicket.
Hoërskool Waterkloof XI 65/10 (Daniel Leisegang 3/13, Chris Hughes 2/1, Daniel Dreyer 2/20); Hoërskool Parel Vallei 71/2 (Chris Hughes 30*). Parel Vallei won by eight wickets.
Grey High XI 131/3 (Reece Bailes 61*, Extras 27, James Bonnage 21); Curro Durbanville 117/10 (Reece Bald 42, Dylan Herman 41; Nathan Trytsman 3/11, Francois van der Walt 2/20, Jatin Nefdt 2/21). Grey High XI won by 14 runs.
