St Andrew’s put to test at cricket festival
St Andrew’s started their year off with declaration fixtures in the Grahamstown Schools Cricket Festival, being afforded an opportunity in how to handle Test-like conditions.
The longer match-day format, starting at 9am and sometimes finishing after 6pm, with no enforced declarations, provided a genuine examination for the players.
In their first game against Menlopark, the Pretoria side were 48/2 after 19 overs, but then stepped on the pedal in the next session to reach the commanding position of 130/2 at morning tea.
St Andrew’s struggled to claw their way back as Menlopark reached a final total of 248 all out. St Andrew’s debutant Tom Vermaak bowled superbly for figures of 3/39.
St Andrew’s started their run chase positively and were well-placed on 80/2 after 14 overs, James Mullins contributing 44 off 42 balls.
But the Pretoria boys took control of the match after Mullins was run out as St Andrew’s limped to 142 all out.
St Andrew’s elected to bat first against their Bloemfontein namesakes – St Andrew’s School – and were bowled out for 244, leaving 58 overs remaining in the afternoon session.
Mullins’s 62 and Guy Rushmere’s 69 provided quality runs for the Grahamstown side. Leg-spinner Ruan Cronje worked hard throughout the St Andrew’s innings and finished with sound figures of 4/83.
It was again Cronje who starred for the Bloem team, making a disciplined 90 off 142 balls.
Ryan Ford (4/18) and Miles Danckwerts (3/59) bowled beautifully with the new ball, but St Andrew’s College were not quite creative and disciplined enough in the afternoon as St Andrew’s School closed out a draw on 180/9.
On the third day St Andrew’s set up an exciting run chase against St Alban’s.
St Andrew’s declared on 235/7, with Nicholas Barlow (60no) and Miles Danckwerts (48) batting superbly.
St Andrew’s attacked for most of the innings, but Jonathan Barwick’s 102 not out off 152 balls held the St Alban’s innings together as St Andrew’s struggle to open up both ends.
The second new ball and Barwick’s search for his hundred provided excitement and drama on Lower field as St Alban’s lost a flurry of wickets.
In the end, Barwick finished the day off in fine style with two runs off the penultimate delivery of the day, raising his bat for a well-deserved ton.
Ford (2/35) and Danckwerts (3/22) were again among the wickets but it was not enough to force a victory as St Alban’s ended on 190/8.
● St Andrew’s played Stanley Cricket Club in a 50-over match to round off their preterm preparations.
Batting with maturity, they compiled 249/6 in their 50 overs. Callum Francis made a quality 101 and was well supported by Matthew Schaefer (52).
Brent Emslie’s 53 and Chris van de Meulen’s 41 were enough for a comfortable fourwicket win for Stanley.