Wiblin’s and Melville’s fifties power St Andrew’s College and St Alban’s to wins
Rhys Wiblin and Josh Melville scored brilliant half-centuries to power their respective schools, St Andrew’s College and St Alban’s College, to victories over Steyn City and Peterhouse in their 50-over matches at the Makhanda Cricket Festival on Saturday.
After Connor Holder, the St Andrew’s captain, won the toss and chose to bowl first, his bowling attack responded by putting on a good show to bowl out Steyn City for 189.
Wiblin, then, took control of the chase and steered the hosts to 193/6 in reply, commandeering the innings with an 88 from 137 balls.
The opener dropped anchor to ensure that the hosts did not open up both ends to the Steyn City bowling attack. He was also part of two crucial partnerships that drove the local side to victory, sharing a 47-run second-wicket stand with Ben Scharges (16) and an unbroken 81-run seventh-wicket partnership with Ethan Malan (37*)
Earlier in the day, Matthew Barbour led the way for Steyn City with a wonderful 55 from 76 balls. He gave the visitors an ideal start by cobbling together two partnerships worth 97 runs at the top of the order.
His 68-run second-wicket stand with Josh Michau (40) was the biggest contributor to the Gauteng side’s 189-run total. Unfortunately, for Steyn City, the rest of the batting order didn’t come to the party. Only one other player, Keegan Smallbone (28), made it beyond the teens.
Thomas Bussiahn put the skids under Steyn City, knocking over 3/36 in 10 overs, including the all-important wicket of Barbour. Wiblin also showed his worth with the ball by dismissing Steyn City’s second-highest run scorer, Michau.
St Alban’s College vs Peterhouse
St Alban’s and Peterhouse produced the highest-scoring match of the Makhanda Cricket Festival on Graeme College‘s Marais Field., Between them, they produced 430 runs, with St Alban’s scoring more than half, 224, in an 18-run win over the Zimbabweans, who tallied 206 all out.
When the coin flip went their way, Peterhouse chose to bowl first. That decision was rewarded when the Zimbabwean side made rapid inroads into the St Alban’s batting order, dismissing four of the Pretoria school’s top seven batsmen for less than a combined five runs.
Reabetswe Mokoka (20), Kyle Block (49), and Ethan Nel (37) resisted, however, and gave their team a fighting chance. The tide then turned when Josh Melville walked out to the crease in the 37th over. He struck four fours and three sixes on his way to a match-winning 65 from 47 balls. Melville’s blitz also catapulted St Alban’s beyond the 200-run mark.
In Peterhouse’s reply, opener Ndiriwashe Munatsirei carried his bat to keep his team in the match. His defiant effort produced an unbeaten 79 from 132 balls, but it wasn’t enough to see the Zimbabwe boys over the finishing line.
Jesse Eckard and Kyle Earle were the best of the St Alban’s bowlers, returning 2/16 from eight and 2/30 from eight respectively. Tiashin Daidoo and Christopher von la Chevallarie played their part by also claiming two wickets each.
Corbin Tidbury, back from doing duty for the Eastern Warriors in the CSA Cubs Week, guided Graeme College to a four-wicket win over St David’s Marist Inanda, scoring an unbeaten 79 as Graeme chased down the Johannesburg side’s 163 all out to win by four wickets.
Kingswood College, meanwhile, won their third game on the trot, comfortably defending a modest 118 all out to hand Michaelhouse a 55-run defeat. Daniel Jakins snapped up 3/6 and David Loudon 3/12 as ‘House was skittled for only 63 in their reply.
Summarised Scorecards
Steyn City 189/10 (Matthew Barbour 55, Josh Michau 40; Thomas Bussiahn 3/36, Ethan Malan 2/22). St Andrew’s College 193/6 (Rhys Wiblin 88*, Ethan Malan 37; Austin van Jaarsveld 3/24, Gideon Coetzee 1/28). St Andrew’s College won by four wickets.
St Alban’s 224/10 (Josh Melville 65, Kyle Block 49; Victor Watama 2/28, Tawonashe Nyamasoka 3/45). Peterhouse 206/10 (Ndiriwashe Munatsirei 79*, Tawonashe Nyamasoka 33; Jesse Eckard 2/16, Kyle Earle 2/30). St Alban’s won by 18 runs.
St David’s Marist Inanda 163/10 (Sohail Seonath 56, Khutso Sekgobela 24; Luphelo Mdyesha 2/28, Jordan Damons 2/17). Graeme College 167/6 (Corbin Tidbury 79*, Luphelo Mdyesha 31; Christopher Emslie 3/39, Kai Davis 1/20). Graeme College won by four wickets.
Kingswood College 118/10 (Christopher Zimmerman 36, Matthew Spring 30; Preston Greene 4/36, Nathan Simmons 2/1). Michaelhouse 63/10 (Grayden Leslie 17, Preston Greene 14; Daniel Jakins 3/6, David Loudon 3/12). Kingswood won by 55 runs.
