Neethling helps Helpmekaar beat Clifton, St Andrew’s College outplays Hilton
Zander Neethling followed up his unbeaten 47 on the second day of the Standard Bank Independent Schools Cricket Festival with a crucial 53 on Saturday to take his tally for the event to 100 runs, and to steer Helpmekaar to victory over Clifton College on Cornwall Hill College‘s Parke de Terrace Oval.
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Neethling and his opening partner, Kyle Swanepoel, gave their side an excellent start to their run chase, putting on 85 for the first wicket, with Swanepoel contributing 38 runs. With Helpies needing 178 to win, that set them on course for a second victory after they easily defeated St John’s College (Harare) on Friday.
Although on the losing side, Clifton showed massive improvement after their loss to Diocesan College the previous day. Middle-order batsman Zach Williamson batted exceptionally well, especially after Clifton lost their first three wickets for only four runs, with the top three in the order all going out for ducks. Williamson, though, looked extremely comfortable at the crease.
He struck only four fours but ran well between the wickets to score an unbeaten 81. Byron Ward chipped in with 36, and Lawson Dinsdale contributed 25 as Clifton tallied 177/8.
Leg-spinner Sheraz Perumal led the way with the ball for the Durban school. He bowled tight lines and lengths to keep the Helpmekaar batsman guessing. His reward was a return of 4/25 from 10 overs, but Neethling and Swanepoel received good support from Heinrich Minnaar (32*) and Juandre Verwey (24*), which took Helpies to a four-wicket win with almost six overs in hand.
St Andrew’s College, and especially Myles Sansom, produced the goods as they downed Hilton College by 17 runs on St John’s College’s Rice Field. Sansom scored the Independent Schools Cricket Festival‘s first century, smashing seven fours and four sixes in an unbeaten innings of 102 runs.
The talented opener, Rhys Wiblin, lent his support with a classy 38, which helped lift St Andrew’s to 205/5.
Hilton’s Ben Erasmus stood out with the bat for his side, contributing a fighting knock of 58. Jayden Roux (38) and Luke Wilson (31) fought valiantly alongside him, but a solid bowling performance from the Makhanda side’s Oliver Johns (3/14) and Alastair de Kock (3/42) saw to it that Hilton was bowled out for 188.
FG Botha‘s bat can’t be kept quiet. The St Andrew’s School star added another 70 runs to his prolific season’s tally as the Bloemfontein boys bested St Benedict’s College by five wickets on Cornwall’s Land’s End Oval.
Botha appeared to be in a hurry and smashed seven sixes and four fours in an all-out assault that lasted only 29 balls. Jonathan Hickley assisted with a run-a-ball 41 not out as Saints took only 24 overs to chase down the victory target of 174 set by Bennies.
Playing a 30-over match to accommodate two matches on St Alban’s College’s TC Mitchell Oval, Bishops‘ Alex Vincent (56) and Cameron Macbeth (52) both scored half-centuries in the Cape Town school’s 95-run thumping of the Titans Invitational Hub XI.
Waco Bassick made the ball do his bidding and snapped up 4/21 to back up his team’s good batting, while Daniel Perold, with 3/27, also enjoyed success as the Titans Hub XI was bundled out for just 119.
Summarised scorecards
Clifton College 177/8 (Zach Williamson 77*, Byron Ward 35, Lawson Dinsdale 25, Extras 20; Heinrich Minnaar 2/18); Helpmekaar Kollege 178/6 (Zander Neethling 53, Kyle Swanepoel 38, Heinrich Minnaar 32, Juandré Verwey 24, Zuan Joubert 21; Sheraz Perumal 4/25). Helpmekaar won by four wickets.
St Andrew’s College 205/5 (Myles Sansom 102*, Rhys Wiblin 38, Benjamin Coventry 20; Ryan Jellis 1/18); Hilton College 188 (Ben Erasmus 58, Jayden Roux 38, Luke Wilson 31; Oliver Johns 3/14, Alastair de Kock 3/42, Rhys Wiblin 2/35). St Andrew’s College won by 17 runs.
St Benedict’s College 174 (Alex Johnston 38, Clayton Horlick 29, Extras 25, Matthew Feirtag 22; Cullen Kakora 3/19, Heindré Serfontein 2/30); St Andrew’s School 176/5 (FG Botha 70, Jonathan Hickley 41*; ED Smith 2/19, Mark Munava 2/24). St Andrew’s School won by five wickets.
Diocesan College 214/9 (Alex Vincent 56, Cameron Macbeth 52, Adnaan Lagadien 37, Kyle Strik 28; Mohammad Borabat 2/36); Titans Invitational Hub XI 119/10 (Keamogetswe Semenya 27, Gift Motlhasedi 25*; Waco Bassik 4/21, Daniel Perold 3/27). Diocesan College won by 95 runs.
