Sunker shines as St Stithians wallops Nelspruit
Cayden Sunker put in a brilliant all-round performance to help the St Stithians 1st XI register a dominant innings-and-115-run victory over Hoërskool Nelspruit in their Fasken Time Cricket match that finished on Sunday on the Jamieson 1 Cricket Oval at Saints.
With the bat, Sunker tore down Nelspruit’s bowling attack on his way to an unbeaten 99, which ensured that St Stithians needed to bat only once in the game. Then, he bagged three wickets for 26 runs across both of Nelspruit’s innings.
The Johannesburg side scored a mammoth 372/7 in their first innings and then captured 20 wickets, restricting Nelspruit to 63/10 in their first knock and then 194/10 in their second.
Sunker stroked 12 fours and two sixes on his way to 99 not out from 112 balls as he helped St Stithians romp to a commanding first-innings lead of over 300 runs in reply to Nelspruit’s low score. The number seven batsman is a dependable bowler for Saints, often taking vital wickets. However, on day one of their tie against Nelspruit, he let his bat make a case for his all-round abilities.
His outstanding 106-run sixth-wicket partnership with Aiden van der Westhuizen took the game beyond Nelspruit’s reach. Van der Westhuizen was in scintillating form, clubbing four fours and nine sixes, on his way to 88 off 65. When he arrived at the crease, Saints held a slender lead of 43 runs over Nelspruit.
That lead was in large part thanks to a 74-run opening stand between Rushil Bhulla (46) and Liam Mudenda (41). Ombesa Matsha (39) and Tendai Kadyamadare (23*) made decent lower-order contributions as they lifted Saints to an intimidating total.
St Stithians’ outstanding batting performance came on the back of a brilliant bowling display that saw their attack skittle Nelspruit’s batsmen for a meagre 63 runs. None of their bowlers came close to conceding more than four runs an over. Their most expensive bowler just happened to be their most successful. Kadyamadare bagged three wickets for 13 runs in four overs.
Akhil Challa took 2/8 in three overs, while Sunker, Bhulla, Oliver Wilson, Tajendra Naidu, and Thomas Collins claimed a single wicket each.
Vaughn van Zyl (22) and Janco Breyl (29) were the only Nelspruit batsmen to reach double figures in the Mpumalanga’s side first innings. Nelspruit performed better in their second innings, tallying 194. That total was built on the back of belligerent half-centuries from Nathan Duncan (63) and Waldemar Graham (50).
The pair’s performances needed to be supported by further innings of substance from the rest of the batting lineup, which did not happen. Van Zyl was the third-highest contributor to Nelspruit’s cause and no one else reached 15 runs.
As they did in Nelspruit’s first innings, the St Stithians’ bowlers performed as a unit to demolish their opposition. Challa, Wilson, and Sunker claimed two wickets each, while Hanslo, Collins, and Bayly also removed a batsman each.
Summarised scorecards
Nelspruit first innings: 63/10 (Vaughn Van Zyl 22, Janco Breyl 29 ; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/13, Akhil Challa 2/8, Tajendra Naidu 1/3, Thomas Collins 1/0); St Stithians first innings: 372/7 (Cayden Sunker 99, Aiden Van Der Westhuizen 88, Rushil Bhulla 46, Liam Mudenda 41; Gherdu Van Eeden 2/52, Duan Smal 2/93, Rico Nel 2/52); Nelspruit second innings: 194/10 (Nathan Duncan 63, Waldemar Graham 50; Cayden Sunker 2/18, Oliver Wilson 2/27, Akhil Challa 2/25)
St Stithians won by an innings and 115 runs
