Selborne make T20 national finals

SELBORNE College sealed a nailbiting six-wicket win over St Andrew’s College in the Eastern Cape final of the Coca-Cola Schools T20 competition at Selborne yesterday.

Selborne will now represent the Warriors at the national schools finals in Stellenbosch this month, after a superb unbeaten campaign.

Needing just 104 for victory, the hosts struggled in the middle overs and were in a bit of trouble, needing 24 off the last three overs to win.

But Matt Dewar (33no) and captain Jason Raubenheimer (9no) kept their heads, and took it to the last over, with Dewar then smashing the second ball back over bowler Christian Roebert’s head to claim the win with a boundary.

Selborne’s chase got off to a solid start as openers Matthew Ferrant and Josneil Long shared 33 off the first six overs.

A superb seventh over by James Quarmby was then a maiden and put some pressure on the Selborne batsmen, which told in the next over as a double strike saw them slip to 33/2.

Ferrant (12) and Stuart Els (0) were both caught off the bowling of Peter Jarvis.

A 20-run stand between Long and Dylan Deetlefs ensued, before Long was caught behind off Quarmby for 27. Selborne looked to have been put back on track by 25 runs between Deetlefs and Dewar, only for Deetlefs (9) to be caught off the bowling of Roebert.

The 18th and 19th overs saw Selborne firmly turn the match back in their favour as 13 and nine runs respectively came off them, with them needing just four off the final over, which they easily managed.

St Andrew’s scored a below-par 103/6 after their 20 overs.

Their total was largely down to the effort of opener Jarvis who batted through the innings, only going out in the final over for a patient 52 off 54 balls (4x4).