Middies cap off historic season with Mpumalanga Schools SA20 title
Hoërskool Middleburg proved their cricketing superiority in Mpumalanga throughout the 2024 calendar year.
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They underlined those credentials on Saturday once more when they capped off an incredible season with a second Mpumalanga title, following on their success in the 50-over Mpumalanga League, by winning the provincial final of the Schools SA20 on Saturday.
Playing away from home against Hoërskool Secunda, whom they had lost to by eight wickets earlier in the competition, Hoërskool Middelburg opted to bat first, knowing that, with runs on the board, scoreboard pressure could play a key role in the final of the T20 competition.
The home side, however, bowled well up front, keeping the Middies’ openers quiet while picking up four wickets in the first 10 overs, which, in turn, exerted heavy pressure on the visitors.
Secunda star and Khaya Majola representative, Alonzo Blankenberg, was the pick of the home team’s bowlers, snapping up 2/12 in two overs.
Luan Swart produced a similarly good spell, conceding only 10 runs from three overs while also removing the Middies’ top scorer, Wian van Heerden. Van Heerden however, inflicted significant damage before he was sent back to the pavilion. With his side struggling on 71/6, the lower-order batsman added a match-winning 33 runs, batting at just over a run a ball.
Hendre Nel seemingly loves the fight as he, too, fought back with a quickfire 23 runs, while opening batsman, Daryl Chirumitikwa, kept things together, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 23 as the trio helped the visitors to 138-7 in their 20 overs, which gave them a fair total to defend.
Then, in the field, the Middies’ strong bowling attack took matters into their own hands. The partnership between Nel (2/19) and Gavin Genis (2/12) yielded success for the umpteenth time this year.
Genis picked up two quick wickets, while Nel got rid of Blankenberg to leave the home side wobbling within the first two overs. A run out of Live Betela, by Wian van Heerden, turned the screws even tighter as the scoreboard reflected a grim 18/4 for the hosts.
Walt Vorster, batting ninth in the order, gave Secunda a glimmer of hope. He blasted five sixes and one four in an innings of 39 runs, which came off only 18 balls, before he fell victim to the pick of the Middies’ bowlers, Herman Potgieter. He put the final nail into the Secunda coffin by knocking over three of the four remaining wickets to guide the visitors to a 16-run victory.
Summarised scorecard
Hoërskool Middelburg 138/7 (Wian van Heerden 33, Hendre Nel 23, Daryl Chirumitikwa 23*; Alonzo Blankenberg 2/12); Hoërskool Secunda 122/10 (Walt Vorster 39; Herman Potgieter 3/22, Gavin Genis 2/12, Hendre Nel 2/19). Hoërskool Middelburg won by 16 runs.
