Rondebosch victorious in captivating Momentum Friendship Game
A half-century from Fayaad Daniels and an unbeaten 46 from Jacques Jooste proved to be the difference as Rondebosch Boys High School clinched an exciting 10-run triumph over the Tygerberg Standard Bank Regional Performance Centre (RPC) in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The two sets of teams put on a thrilling contest in front of family and friends, including the Western Province Cricket Association’s management and coaching staff.
Daniels led from the front, smashing eight boundaries at a strike rate of 140 for his well-played 59 off 42 deliveries. By contrast, Jooste played an anchoring knock towards the end of his side’s innings, hitting four fours and a six before finishing just four runs short of his fifty.
Despite losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Rondebosch made a bright start. Openers, Daniels and Maahir Joseph, put on a 58-run partnership for the first wicket before the latter fell for 18. Jooste joined Daniels at the crease, as the pair began to take control of the game thanks to their 47-run, second-wicket partnership before Daniels became the second batsman to fall, with the score on 105/2.
As the senior batsman, Jooste controlled proceedings to help his side to a competitive total before the under-15 A school side lost three wickets within 12 balls to leave them 135/5. Alexander Blows (3) was the first man to go, removed by Yaseen Mohamed (2/29) before promising fast bowler Taahir Fredericks struck twice in consecutive deliveries to skittle out Azaan Hussain (3) and Jamie Ricketts (0). Jooste and Bongile Mfunelwa (7*) navigated the final two overs, adding 16 runs to end on 153/5 in the allotted 20 overs.
Abdullah Adams (1/19) was the other wicket-taker for the RPC outfit.
Although they lost opening batsman, Mateo Herman for a duck, the Tygerberg RPC began their chase in confident fashion with Kieran Bowers and Caleb Schoulas combining brilliantly for a 74-run partnership for the second wicket. After the loss of Bowers for 26 off 23 balls, the away side started to lose wickets at regular intervals, as Stefan Kemp (1/21), Joseph (2/25) and Ricketts (2/18) teamed up to deadly effect, taking five wickets at the cost of just 26 runs.
Amid the tumbling wickets, Schoulas showed his mettle with the bat, recording a hard-fought 50 (off 42 balls, 7 fours) before he fell to an inspired spell of bowling from the home side.
Defending 49 runs from the remaining five overs, the Rondebosch bowling attack controlled the run-rate superbly, as they restricted their opponents to two boundaries while picking up two more wickets. Tygerberg eventually finished on 142/8 after their 20 overs as the hosts got over the line by 10 runs.
