Tidbury steers Graeme College to victory
Corbin Tidbury produced a classy all-round performance to help Graeme College secure a 32-run win over Selborne College in a declaration match at Selborne on Saturday.
It was the second clash between the sides in two days. They also met on Friday evening in a thrilling T20 match.
Graeme batted first and totalled 155/5 in their 20 overs. Selborne replied with 155/7, which sent the contest into a Super Over, from where Graeme College secured a win.
On Saturday, the hosts won the toss and elected to bowl first. Graeme College responded with 209 all out in 64.2 overs. The visitors then produced a strong bowling performance to dismiss Selborne for 177 in 45 overs.
Tidbury, batting at four, made an early appearance at the crease after Graeme lost two early wickets, which left them on 7/2 after 5.3 overs. He and Sibabalwe Deliwe (18) stitched together a useful 66-run third-wicket partnership to provide the Makhanda school with a platform from which to build.
Tidbury’s contribution was 41 runs from 50 balls, which was bettered only by Kits McConnachie, who weighed in with 49 from 80 deliveries. He carried on from where Tidbury left off and shared in three partnerships worth 99 runs.
McConnachie built a 31-run fifth-wicket stand with Luphelo Mdyesha (13), added another 22 runs with Jordan Damons (11) for the sixth wicket, and then tacked on a further 44 runs with Andrew Muir (24) for the seventh wicket.
After having played a pivotal innings, Tidbury excelled with the ball. He claimed 3/35 in 13 overs to help his side to a battling win. Jordan Damons, though, was the visitors’ best bowler, knocking over 4/27 in seven overs, while Andrew Muir, Luphelo Mdyesha, and Lisekho Zinyane took a wicket each.
Josh Wilkie was Selborne’s top scorer with 48 runs from 45 balls. It was the latest impactful innings from the opener, who enjoyed an outstanding week. He had struck a match-winning 57 not out in a T20 win over Hudson Park mid-week, then followed that with a fiery 51 off 36 balls in Friday’s T20 against Graeme.
Summarised Scorecards
Declaration match: Graeme College 209/10 (Kits McConnachie 49, Corbin Tidbury 41; Titus Sweetnam 3/18, Matthew Hendry 2/40). Selborne 174/10 (Josh Wilkie 48, Afika Xuba 26; Jordan Damons 4/27, Corbin Tidbury 3/35). Graeme won by 32 runs.
T20 match: Graeme College 155/5 (Luphelo Mdyesha 51, Corbin Tidbury 41; Mathew Hendry 2/22, Rosh Els 2/27). Selborne 155/7 (Josh Wilkie 51, Mathew Hendry 28; Andrew Muir 2/27, Jordan Damons 1/17). Selborne won in the Super Over.
