Morteza Manack sparkles in St David’s victory
Morteza Manack spanked a brilliant unbeaten century in St David’s Marist Inanda’s 85-run (DLS) victory over Queens High School when the two sides crossed swords at St David’s on Saturday.
As happened with most matches played in the Gauteng Lions region, the game included several stoppages due to rain.
St David’s lost the toss and were sent in to bat first. No problem! The hosts raced to 285/2 in their 37-over innings.
Queens’ innings was truncated to only 27 overs, and they were chasing a stiff Duckworth-Lewis-Stern adjusted total of 263. Three more overs were later lost to the elements and Queens, eventually, raised 177/5 in 24 overs.
Manack was in a belligerent mood, bludgeoning seven fours and nine sixes in his unbeaten 106 from only 51 deliveries. St David’s had laid a firm foundation of 139/2 when he arrived at the crease. That total included a 104-run opening stand between Roberto Mariano and Armaan Manack.
Both openers registered half-centuries, with Mariano scoring a fluent 67 off 83 balls, while Armaan Manack raced to 54 off 52 deliveries. Manack was the first to depart in the 19th over. Six over later, Mariano was back in the dugout.
St David’s skipper Samrat Basu joined forces with Morteza Manack in the 25th over and they shared an unbroken 146-run third-wicket partnership. Basu’s contribution was 42 not out from 41 balls.
Dimpho Sefoli and Precili Molapisi gave the Queens’ run chase a good start, batting at a decent clip to put on 102 for the first wicket in 13.4 overs. After Molapisi’s departure, though, they lost momentum.
Their cause was further undermined by Hayden Campbell’s double strike in the 20th over, which accounted for Bafana Mthunzi and Katlego Sekopane. From there, the Queens’ challenge petered out.
Campbell was the pick of the bowlers for St David’s with two wickets for 19 runs in three overs. Jared Stern and Morteza Manack took some stick but finished with 1/43 from six overs and 1/38 from five, respectively.
Scorecards
St David’s Marist Inanda 285/2 (Morteza Manack 106*, Roberto Mariano 67, Bafana Mthunzi 2/43, Katlego Sekopane 0/33). Queens High School 177/5 (Dimpho Sefoli 69, Precili Molapi 38, Hayden Campbell 2/19, Morteza Manack 1/43). St David’s won by 85 runs (DLS).
