St John’s kicks off Schools SA20 campaign in style
Nkosana Sibiya and Herman Basson charged to impressive half-centuries to set up St John’s College up for an emphatic 138-run triumph over Rand Park High in their Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two contest at Rand Park on Wednesday afternoon.
The contrast between the teams’ innings was chalk and cheese.
The Blues, who called incorrectly at the toss and were asked to bat, romped to 232/6 in 20 overs. When it was their turn to bat, Rand Park laboured their way to 94/9 after their 20 overs.
Basson, batting fourth in the order, shot the lights out with an outstanding 63 from 32 deliveries in an innings that featured five fours and four sixes. He had to make an early trip to the crease at the start of the fourth over, when he joined forces with Sibiya, who was carting the Rand Park bowlers left, right, and centre.
Together, the duo added 56 runs in 29 balls for the third wicket. Their stand was broken when Sibiya was dismissed for a brisk 30-ball 58. Basson, though, carried on the onslaught in a 60-run fourth-wicket partnership with Joshua Hall, who weighed in with 42.
The St John’s batsmen were relentless, taking the attack to the Rand Park bowlers. Even after Basson and Sibiya had departed, the high tempo of run scoring continued. Connor van der Walt was especially destructive as he rocketed to an unbeaten 41 off only 17 deliveries.
Then, when it was their turn to field, the Blues didn’t offer the Rand Park High batsmen room to express themselves. They bowled tighter lines than their hosts and conceded only nine extras compared to Rand Park’s 16.
That disciplined bowling also meant that none of the three Rand Park batsmen who reached double figures did so at a strike rate above 100.
Troy Morom, who top-scored with a valiant 42, faced 47 deliveries, while Alix Snyders and Kopano Ndlovu, who scored 10 runs apiece, needed a combined 27 balls to do so.
Basson showcased his all-round abilities by bagging a brace of wickets for 18 runs in four overs. However, Juan de Villiers was the most successful bowler for St John’s, by a nose, snagging 2/17 from his four overs. Tapiwa Chikwava‘s two-wicket haul cost him 21 runs.
Scorecard
St John’s 232/6 (Herman Basson 63, Nkosana Sibiya 58, Joshua Hall 42, Connor van der Walt 41*; Troy Morom 3/37, Liam McFarlane 2/33). Rand Park 94/9 (Troy Morom 42, Alix Snyders 10*, Kopano Ndlovu 10; Juan de Villiers 2/17, Herman Basson 2/18, Tapiwa Chikwava 2/21). St John’s won by 138 runs.
