Sibiya stands tall as St John’s overcomes KES
Nkosana Sibiya scored a brilliant century to lead St John’s College to a 59-run victory over King Edward VII School (KES) in their 50-over encounter at KES on Saturday.
St John’s won the toss, elected to bat first, and posted a match-winning 306 in 49.1 overs. The visitors then bowled out KES for 247 in 45.1 overs.
It was the second time that St John’s had defeated KES this year. The two sides previously met in a Johnny Waite Knockout contest, with St John’s winning that one by 32 runs, thanks to top knocks from Joe MacRobert and Alec Loveland.
On Saturday, in the contest’s key performance, Sibiya creamed 23 fours on his way to a match-winning 153 off 154 deliveries.
The number three batsman was the mainstay of the St John’s innings. After arriving at the crease in the first over, following the dismissal of Connor van der Walt, he shared a 51-run second-wicket stand with James Yuill (18). That stand proved to be St John’s second-highest partnership.
The visitors’ best partnership was for the seventh wicket, with Sibiya and Aiden Barberrini adding 84 runs. Barberrini also chalked up the second-highest individual score for the visitors, making 26 from 30 deliveries, while Malan du Plessis chipped in with 22 and Michael Stubbs with 16.
Christian Sabela was the pick of the KES bowlers, although he was a touch on the expensive side, picking up three wickets for 52 runs in 10 overs. Matthew Burgess and Wade McQuinn picked up two wickets apiece, and Connor Kuijers, Luke Clarke, and Eric Southey got in on the act by taking one each.
Set a daunting 307 to win, KES needed some of their batsmen to get in and make hay. Troy Gordon scored a valiant 73 off 85 deliveries to do his bit to keep KES in the contest. Batting third, his innings began in the eighth over and continued until his departure in the 39th.
Gordon and Zieg Roos, who made 36, shared a 57-run fourth-wicket partnership, which was the best of their side’s innings, and which also illustrated why they weren’t able to haul in the St John’s total.
Malan du Plessis was the pick of the bowlers for St John’s, snapping up three wickets for 46 runs in 9.1 overs. Ethan Robinson and Aiden Barberrini both removed two batsmen, and David Ireland picked up a wicket, too, to deny the hosts.
Sibiya, who played a proper captain’s knock, is leading St John’s in the absence of Alec Loveland, who is injured. He’s taken on the leadership role in his school’s last two matches and has come out on the right side of both. In the first, coach Bongani Ntini’s boys beat Steyn City by 30 runs in a Johnny Waite T20 fixture earlier in the week.
Summarised Scorecards
St John’s 306/10 (Nkosana Sibiya 153, Aiden Barberrini 26; Christian Sabela 3/52, Wade McQuinn 2/43); KES 247/10 (Troy Gordon 73, Zieg Roos 36; Melan du Plessis 3/46, Ethan Robinson 2/32).
St John’s won by 59 runs.
