Tinley sees Grey High past Graeme College in a tight thriller
Matthew Tinley spun his way to a four-wicket haul to help Grey High record a nail-biting eight-run win over Graeme College on the Pollock Oval, in Gqeberha, on Saturday.
Teun Kloppenberg, the Grey High captain, made a good call to bat first when the toss went his way. The pitch played slow, which made batting difficult and forced the players to graft hard for their runs, but the hosts fought their way to 197 in 45.4 overs.
Tinley, then, tore through Graeme’s middle order to help the hosts bowl out the visitors for 189 in 47.4 overs.
Grey High wore pink caps for the match as part of an initiative raise money for breast cancer awareness. It was one of two parts of a by the Grey Union, which also includes an awareness walk.
“In 2013, the 1st XI wore pink caps to raise awareness of breast cancer. The newly elected prefect body decided to create a breast cancer awareness week,” James Upton, a member of the Grey Union, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“All money raised from the sale of the ribbons and caps, and the walk is going to be donated to an organisation to help cancer patients.”
The Grey High team received their caps from Fred Swarbrook, a former coach at the school, who was part of the group that started the initiative in 2013.
James Upton, with 28, and Cullen Marais, with 33, laid a solid platform for Grey with a 54-run opening stand. Unfortunately for the other batsmen, they were unable to match that partnership, but Grey was fortunate that their captain stayed in the middle long enough to push them to a winning total.
Kloppenberg made his way to the crease after the fall of the second wicket, which left Grey on 63/2. He proceeded to top-score with a patient 42 from 66 deliveries and stuck around for 20.3 overs.
Some might have expected that the match would hinge on the batting exploits of Connor Parry, for Grey, and Corbin Tidbury, for Graeme. Instead, the spinners, Matthew Tinley and Ajay Jeggels stole the spotlight.
Jeggels delivered a superb spell, knocking back 4/16 in 4.4 overs to help keep Grey High below 200. He received strong support from Lisekho Zinyane, who clamped down on the home side with a neat return of 2/28 from 10 overs, while Jordan Damons claimed 2/24 in four overs.
Tinley, though, was the difference between the sides. The leg-spinner struck at a crucial moment when he dismissed Luphelo Mdyesha in the 42nd over, with Graeme on 160 and requiring 38 runs in 48 balls. Mdyesha had been large and in charge, playing as if he was batting on a different surface to the other batsmen as he worked his way to 60 from 81 balls.
Jeggels tried to keep the Graeme College chase alive and showed off his all-round ability with an unbeaten 42 off 50 balls, but he ran out of partners.
Kitts McConnachie was the only other Graeme College batsmen to reach double figures, contributing a useful 53-ball 37.
Tinley spun a web around the visitors from Makhanda, snaring 4/22 from 10 overs, while Logan Groch did well, too, picking up 3/41 in 7.4 overs. Kloppenberg, Alejo Nota, and Nathan Howell took a wicket each.
Summarised Scorecard
Grey High 197/10 (Teun Kloppenberg 42, Cullen Marais 33, James Upton 28; Ajay Jeggels 4/16, Lisekho Zinyane 2/28, Jordan Damons 2/24). Graeme College 189/10 (Luphelo Mdyesha 60, Ajay Jeggels 42*, Kitts McConnachie 37; Matthew Tinley 4/22, Logan Groch 3/41). Grey High won by eight runs.
