Menlopark outclasses Kempton Park in Finsbury League opener
It was a tough return to the top flight of the annual Finsbury League for Hoërskool Kempton Park on Saturday, with the visitors suffering a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat to Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria.
Parkies, perennial powerhouses in the competition, asserted their authority by brushing aside Kempies in a contest that lasted only 70.2 overs to claim their first victory of the new campaign.
Asked to bowl first on home soil, the Pretoria outfit made early inroads through Monré Koekemoer (1/16), before Jordan van Eck and Johan Bosch inflicted the bulk of the damage.
Van Eck, who shared the new ball with Koekemoer, was the home side’s leading bowler, claiming three wickets for 28 runs across two spells. He was ably supported by Bosch, who picked up 3/26 from his six overs.
With Kempton Park in deep trouble on 88/8, Kamogelo Matlala led a spirited resistance with a patient 39 runs. Useful contributions from Anthony Stockigt (25) and Hanroux Siemens (24) provided further support, which helped Kempies to a total of 146 all out.
In reply, Koekemoer once again played a decisive role, this time with the bat. He struck an unbeaten 45 from 65 deliveries, while Jacques de Villiers added a composed 25 not out as the pair’s unbroken 45-run partnership steered the home team to a comfortable victory.
The platform for the successful run chase had been laid by opening batsman, André Kruyshaar, who top-scored with a measured 49. His innings blunted the early threat posed by Matlala, who again impressed with the new ball, claiming two of the three wickets with successive balls in the sixth over, including the prized scalp of Jan-Willem Pienaar for a first-ball duck.
It was not enough to halt the momentum, however, as Hoërskool Menlopark opened their 2026 Finsbury League campaign with a commanding home victory.
Summarised scorecard
Hoërskool Kempton Park 146 (Kamogelo Matlala 39, Anthony Stockigt 25, Hanroux Siemens 24; Johan Bosch 3/26, Jordan van Eck 3/28); Menlopark 149/3 (André Kruyshaar 49, Monré Koekemoer 45*, Jacques de Villiers 25*; Kamogelo Matlala 2/26). Menlopark won by seven wickets.
