Wiblin guides St Andrew’s to Eastern Province Switch Schools SA20 title
Rhys Wiblin produced a sensational all-round performance to steer St Andrew’s College to a comfortable 24-run win over Grey High in the final of the Eastern Province leg of the Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two tournament.
Wiblin, the St Andrew’s captain, won the toss at Nelson Mandela University, in Gqeberha, on Friday afternoon and elected to bat first.
He, then, struck a rapid unbeaten half-century to shepherd his side to 174/4 in their 20 overs and followed that up with a tidy three-wicket haul to help restrict Grey High to 150/8 in reply.
Wiblin, who was recently included in the Eastern Province Khaya Majola side, struck nine fours and a pair of sixes in his unbeaten 87, which came off of only 56 balls.
He and Thomas Lake, who made 18, set St Andrew’s on course for a healthy total with a splendid 53-run opening partnership off 50 balls. Grey High fought by capturing three wickets for 21 runs from 3.5 overs, courtesy of good bowling from Matthew Marshbank and Matthew Tinley.
St Andrew’s counterpunched with a 32-run fourth wicket stand between Wiblin and Callum Taggart, who chipped in with 15. Their partnership proved to be the launching pad St Andrew’s needed as they headed into the death overs.
After Taggart exited, Wiblin and William Stevens unleashed a reign of terror upon the Grey High bowlers, adding 68 runs from only 26 balls to catapult St Andrew’s to a total that proved to be unassailable.
Both batsmen were aggressive and effective, with Wiblin blasting 31 runs from 12 balls during their unbroken fifth-wicket stand, while Stevens clubbed 32 from 14.
Set a target of 8.9 runs per over to win, Grey High suffered an early setback, losing their first wicket in the second over of their reply. They never quite found their way back into the contest.
Cullen Marais did his best to hold things together, but the fact that his other partners were scoring at a strike rate below 100 meant that his 27-ball 35 didn’t boost Grey High’s run chase enough.
Anfred Jansen, who made it to the crease in the 11th over, gave the Grey High innings some impetus with a gutsy 16-ball 30. However, the local side was behind the required run rate, and they were unable to close the gap
Jansen’s stay lasted only 3.2 overs, and it was cut short by Thomas Bussiahn, who has developed a knack for taking crucial wickets for St Andrew’s. He also accounted for Marais, Grey’s top scorer.
However, Wiblin was the most successful of the St Andrew’s College bowlers, with his leg spin undoing the Grey High middle order. He dismissed Matthew Marshbank and Logan Goddard-Ford before they settled in, on his way to a decisive return of 3/17 from four overs.
Thomas Bussiahn and James Badenhorst grabbed two wickets apiece, while Oli Whitaker nabbed one.
Summarised Scorecard
St Andrew’s College 174/4 (Rhys Wiblin 87*, William Stevens 32*; Matthew Tinley 2/33, Matthew Marshbank 1/24). Grey High 150/8 (Cullen Marais 35, Anfred Jansen 30; Rhys Wiblin 3/17, James Badenhorst 2/18, Thomas Bussiahn 2/39) St Andrew’s won by 24 runs.
