Grey’s heads high despite just missing out on T20 final

WARRIORS representatives Grey High School just missed out on making the Coca-Cola Schools T20 national finals after an impressive weekend of cricket at Tuks University in Pretoria.

Grey claimed a comfortable sixwicket win over Rondebosch High yesterday, but despite having won four out of five games – finishing on level points with Knights representatives St Andrews College– they did not qualify for the final due to a loss against St Andrews on Saturday.

Grey can, however, be proud of a solid showing at the nationals, with just their unfortunate blip against St Andrews counting against them.

In their final match against Rondebosch, Grey bowled first and had the struggling Cape Town side in all sorts of trouble early on.

Rondebosch stumbled to 54/8 before a 50-run ninth-wicket partnership helped them get over the hundred-run mark, finishing on 105/9 at the end of their 20 overs.

Superb Tiaan van Vuuren continued his brilliant form, as he claimed 3/17 in his four overs, while Matthew Biggs (2/13) and L J du Preez (2/18) also impressed.

Grey then got off to a flying start, with Du Preez powering his way to 16 off 10 balls (3x4), but then fell in the second over, slowing the rate.

However, captain Tristan Stubbs put in another solid effort, leading his team home with an unbeaten 49 off 43 balls (3x4; 1x6).

Luke Belfort (16) and Van Vuuren (14) also chipped in.

The other Eastern Cape team on show, Coastal Focus School representatives Graeme College, ended the nationals with a fourth loss.

The underdogs can hold their heads high, though, as they played like a team with nothing to lose throughout the weekend.

Graeme gave almost every team they tackled problems, while also managing an upset win over Rondebosch on Saturday. In Graeme College’s final match, they went down by 56 runs to finalists St Andrews.

Graeme bowled first – and had St Andrews in a spot of bother on 48/3 at one stage as Mark Amm, Siphesihle Mdlongolwana and Liam Agnew removed the dangerous Garnett Tarr (14), Henre Koekemoer (10) and Gerald Coetzee (5) cheaply.

But a 92-run stand between Calvin Flanegan (64) and Ruan Cronje (44no) helped push St Andrews to a strong 165/6 – while Agnew finished with impressive figures of 4/31.

Openers Jeremy Beyleveld (17) and Romario Fritz (15) gave Graeme a fast start, but regular wickets throughout their innings hindered their chase.

Only Chris Gleaves (17) and Amm (27) troubled the bowlers further, as they were eventually all out for 109.

Despite getting just one win over the weekend, Graeme will take massive heart and experience from these nationals.

St Andrews Bloem won the final by six wickets.