Graeme pull loose with great intent
AN INCREDIBLE fightback from Graeme College blew Western Cape Sport School out of the water in the Coca-Cola T20 Coastal Focus Schools final held at Fort Hare University yesterday afternoon.
It was an amazing end to an entertaining day of cricket, with Graeme sealing a scarcely believable seven-run win, which sees them progress to the national finals as Coastal Focus School champions, to be held in Pretoria next weekend.
“It was a great day, we were so happy that the rain held off and we were able to play two full games,” said Border youth coordinator Loyiso Sibaca.
“We were disappointed that our Border team didn't make it to the nationals, but Graeme is from our neighbours EP, it was an amazing final and they were deserved winners in the end.”
After posting a below-par 114/7 in their 20 overs, Graeme were in danger of getting whipped as the Cape Town-based visitors powered their way to 86/1 within the first 12 overs before it all fell apart. Three wickets went down for three runs, including opener Seth Fledermans (42 off 34 balls, 2x4, 1x6) and number three Tatiwe Thorne (27 off 27 balls, 2x4) as they slipped to 89/4.
A 13-run stand then got them over the 100-run mark, but an amazing collapse then saw the final six wickets tumble for just five runs to stun the visitors who had been in great voice earlier in the innings cheering every run.
Graeme all-rounder Jeremy Beyleveld was the star with the ball, picking up 4/16 in 3.5 overs, while Romario Fritz (2/11), and Mark Amm (2/12), backed him superbly.
At the start of the match Graeme won the toss and elected to bat. A good bowling performance from WC Sport ended up limiting them to 114/7.
Openers Fritz (16) and Beyleveld (15), number four Chris Gleaves (28) and number five Amm (19) all got starts but couldn't kick-on and it took number seven batsman Liam Agnew (18 off 11 balls) to get them over the hundred mark.
Winslon Jooste, Sinro Gubeni and Anies du Toit each got two wickets for the Cape Town side.
In the morning Hudson Park High were upset in the final of the Eastern Cape focus schools section as they lost to Graeme by six wickets.
It was an impressive performance from Graeme as Hudson, who won the toss and elected to bat, managed 131/5 at the end of their 20 overs.
A top opening stand then gave Graeme the platform they needed to cruise over the line with nine balls remaining and a comfortable win.
Hudson will however look back on what could have been after some poor discipline with the ball saw them bowl too many no balls, including three from SA U19 star Akhona Mnyaka who would have picked up three wickets, letting off both openers in the end which proved costly.
In Hudson’s innings they got off to a bit of a slow start as openers Luke Dallas (17 off 18 balls) and Robbie Jones (10 off 24 balls) shared a 27-run opening stand, but were both back in the hut after Dallas was run out and Jones caught by Gleaves off the bowling of Likhanya Sam with the score 37/2.
Hudson’s next two batsmen Joshua Plaaitjies and Nonelela Yikha then upped the rate a bit and shared in a 39-run stand before Plaaitjies was caught by Gleaves off the bowling of Sihle Mginywa for a run-aball 21.
Yikha was next out for 30 off 28 balls, bowled by Amm with Hudson on 91/4.
Marc Hein then arrived at the crease and he struck the ball well from the get-go to give Hudson a competitive target, ending unbeaten on 30 off 17 balls (2x4, 1x6) while Nqaba Peter (9) was run out off the last ball of the innings.
An 88-run opening stand between Fritz, who was let off twice, and Beyleveld, let off once, then set Graeme up for the win.
Fritz scored 32 from 27 balls (5x4) and Beyleveld 45 from 34 (8x4) before both were caught off the bowling of Raheem Moonieyan and Dallas respectively.
Gleaves (14) was then Dallas second wicket and Bavu Manyakanyaka (one) was stumped off Yikha, but Amm finished unbeaten on 17 as Graeme cruised home.