Michaelhouse edges out Hilton in a gripping stayers’ T20
The Hilton College and Michaelhouse stayers’ teams did battle in a T20 on Thursday on the Roy Gathorne Oval in Balgowan and, when the dust had settled on a riveting contest, only three runs separated the sides, with ‘House clinching the win.
They elected to bat first after winning the toss and that worked out well for the home side as Ethan Muir and Graydon Leslie put on 59 for the first wicket in 7.4 overs. Leslie, then, departed, stumped by Alex Pitman off the bowling of Luke Campbell for 26 from 19 deliveries, five of which he dispatched for four.
Nicholas Baker and Ethan Muir teamed up for a 61-run partnership from 46 balls, advancing the total to 120 before Baker fell for 25 from 21.
Hayden Hewlett didn’t stay long, and when Muir was caught by Jayden Roux off the bowling of Jacques Olivier for 65 from 58, with eight fours and a six, ‘House had lost three wickets for 17 runs in two-and-a-half overs. That left them on 127/3 after 16.2 overs.
A rapid unbeaten 18 from James Mallett, off only eight balls, with two fours and a six, helped boost Michaelhouse to 166/5 after their 20 overs.
Simon Steyn was the most successful of the Hilton bowlers, picking up 2/18 in two, while Luke Campbell delivered a neat spell, returning 1/18 from four overs.
Needing to bat at 8.3 runs per over to win, Hilton made a strong start to their run chase, with Alex Pitman and Robert Burman sharing a hasty opening stand of 44 in four overs before Burman fell LBW to Jean-Luc Rey for 12 from nine balls.
Pitman joined him back in the pavilion a run later, caught by Radhesh Jhilmeet off the bowling of Harry Vickery for a quickfire 30 from 16 deliveries, which included three fours and a six.
Simon Steyn was dismissed with the total on 55, which left the visitors three down after 5.4 overs. In the 10th over that became 75/4 when Jayden Roux exited, caught by Hayden Hewlett of the bowling of Ethan Muir for 18.
Hilton needed to build some momentum and Ben Erasmus and Stewart Falconer joined forces to deliver it. In 9.2 overs, they boosted their side’s total by 73 runs, but they were running short of balls. When Erasmus fell, caught by Vickery off Thandanani Zuma for 49 from 41 deliveries, with four fours and a six, only 13 balls remained in the Hilton innings and they still needed 18 runs to win.
There was nothing in it. The match was balanced on a knife’s edge.
Michaelhouse struck a blow with the very next ball when the new man in, Obakeng Motsepa, was run out by a combination of Hayden Hewlett and Henry Love, without scoring.
Falconer was still out in the middle, however, and he farmed the strike to push Hilton closer to the finishing line. It came down to the last ball.
Luke Campbell, at the other end, in a desperate bid for the winning runs, was run out, with Hilton three runs short of victory, on 163/7.
Falconer was unbeaten on 45 after a 30-ball stay. He’d smashed three sixes and a four, but his valiant knock didn’t quite get the visiting side over the line.
Those two late run outs proved to be crucial in House’s win, as were extras, with the hosts conceding only six to the 13 of Hilton.
Jean-Luc Rey claimed 2/24 in four overs, while Ethan Muir lent good support with a return of 1/25 from his four.
Summarised scorecard
Michaelhouse Invitation 166/5 (Ethan Muir 68, Graydon Leslie 26, Nicholas Baker 25, Simon Steyn 2/18); Hilton College Stayers 163/7 (Ben Erasmus 49, Stewart Falconer 45*, Alex Pitman 30, Jean-Luc Rey 2/24)
Michaelhouse won by three runs.
