Queens take down Jeppe, KES make light work of St David’s
Queens High School produced a stellar team performance to secure a narrow victory over Jeppe High School for Boys in their Johnny Waite fixture on Wednesday.
Opening batsman Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi set the tone for his side, with a vital 55 runs from 45 deliveries. Mpho Nzala provided good support, with 21, but it appeared as if the Queens’ total might be a little on the light side.
The impressive Luke Cannon and Matthew Costa did most of the damage for Jeppe, with Cannon claiming 2/18 and Costa picking up 2/24.
The Queens’ bowlers, however, quickly showed Jeppe that their run chase would be anything but easy.
Right-arm seamer Komogelo Matji spearheaded the Queens’ attack, removing two batsmen at a cost of only 17 runs, while the side’s opening bowler Martin Willemse (2/19) set Queens on the path to victory by claiming two early wickets.
The dependable Kai van Aardt laid a decent platform for Jeppe, weighing in with 31 runs from 23 balls. Good bowling and fielding kept the run pursuit in check, however.
As Jeppe fell behind the required run rate, Christopher Elston (27*) and captain, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin (22), tried valiantly to make up the ground, but Queens’ disciplined efforts in the field sealed a historic six-run victory.
At home, on the John Hurry Oval, King Edward VII School (KES) made light work of St David’s Marist Inanda.
Callum Ritchie was, once again, among the runs, feasting on the opposition’s bowlers after St David’s chose to bowl first. He smashed the ball to all parts of the ground, blasting four sixes and six fours, in a 57-ball knock, which produced 87 runs.
Ritchie’s fireworks laid the groundwork for Tiaan Goosen to go after the St David’s bowling towards the end of the KES innings. Adding further insult to injury, the all-rounder clubbed five sixes in a blistering 56 not out from only 22 balls, which helped the hosts to 200/4.
Unfortunately for the St David’s batsmen, they failed to put together the meaningful partnerships that were needed to pursue a big total; KES had three of fifty-plus.
Reece Reddy was the pick of the visiting batsmen, top scoring with 31 runs from 30 balls, while Kamogelo Phiri contributed 28 and Jason Rowles 21, but that wasn’t enough.
Goosen followed up his destructive innings with a fine return of 3/18 to play a decisive role in the host’s victory.
Christian Sabela (2/24) chipped in with two wickets, as KES restricted St David’s to 134/9, leaving them the winners by 66 runs.
Helpmekaar also enjoyed a comfortable win, thumping Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge by eight wickets.
Helpies’ star, Juan Minnaar (3/14), got his team off to a flyer, sending three batsmen packing for only 14 runs. Henricus Meyer backed him up with an impressive spell of his own, closing out Trinityhouse’s innings with two wickets, costing only eight runs.
The Helpies’ batsmen, needing only 68 for victory, didn’t hang around, or maybe that should be Anrich Liebenberg didn’t hang around. He went after the Trinityhouse bowlers, blasting 56 runs from only 26 deliveries to power Helpmekaar to victory after just 37 balls of their innings.
Summarised scorecards
Queens High School 131/6 (Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi 55, Mpho Nzala 21; Luke Cannon 2/18, Matthew Costa 2/24); Jeppe 125/8 (Kai van Aardt 31, Christopher Elston 27, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 22; Komogelo Matji 2/17, Martin Willemse 2/19). Queens High School won by six runs.
King Edward VII School 200/4 (Callum Ritchie 87, Tiaan Goosen 56; Oliver Botha 1/22, Jordan Abrahams 1/37, Matthew West 1/39); St David’s Marist Inanda 134/9 (Reece Reddy 31, Kamogelo Phiri 28, Jason Rowles 21; Tiaan Goosen 3/18, Christian Sabela 2/24). King Edward VII School won by 66 runs.
Trinithyhouse Randpark Ridge 67/8 (Dylan Brown 19; Juan Minnar 3/14, Henricus Meyer 2/8); Helpmekaar 69/2 (Anrich Liebenberg 56*, Jean du Toit 1/8). Helpmekaar won by eight wickets.
