St Alban’s College won the toss and elected to bat against Affies in their rain Schools SA20 match on Tuesday, but not much else went the home side’s way. They suffered early and late collapses, resulting in a moderate total of 88/8.
Affies fielded well and ran out two batsman, while their bowlers kept things tight.
Dawie Barnard hurt the hosts by picking up 2/14 from four overs, while Nico Loggenberg, with 1/18 from four, and Lucas Cronje, with 0/16 from four, also bowled a full complement of overs and kept St Alban’s under pressure.
Further good returns from Zian Labuschagne, who claimed 1/14 from three, and Paul Bester, who took 1/13 from three, meant the home side was unable to break free of the shackles of the Affies’ bowlers.
Zayd Mohanlall was, by far, the best of the St Alban’s batsmen, making 30 from 43 balls before he was run out, but he hit only one four, and that told a story. In fact, the hosts hit only four fours in their 20 overs.
Three other batsmen made it into the lower teens, but it wasn’t the best day at the crease for the home side. Their best partnership was 44 for the fifth wicket between Mohanlall and Jesse Eckard, whose 14 was the second-highest score of the innings.
Affies confidently chased down the 89 they needed for the loss of only one wicket in 11.2 overs. The opening pair, Ethan Williams and AJ Morkel, were parted only one run short of the St Alban’s total, with Williams falling for 22 from 28 balls, with two fours.
A wide took Affies to victory, with AJ Morkel finishing on 44 not out from 40 deliveries. He, alone, hit more boundaries than the St Alban’s batsmen, striking six fours and a six.
Tristen Naidoo claimed the only wicket to fall, picking up a tidy 1/3 from one over.
Mamelodi Hub vs Eersterust Hub
At the Mamelodi Oval, the Mamelodi Hub claimed a hard-fought 18-run win over the Eersterust Hub.
After being sent out to bat, Mamelodi tallied 91/6 from their 20 overs, with opening batsman Lebogang Motau leading the way. He made 26 at a run a ball, hitting three fours. Partnerships were difficult to build, however, and three in the twenties were the best that the home side could muster.
Eersterust’s bowlers were mostly economical. Cameron Meye wasn’t one of those, going for 18 runs from his two overs, but he picked up two wickets. Jansen Olyn, with 1 /10 from four overs, and Aiden Olyn, with 1/12 from four, heaped pressure on the Mamelodi batsmen.
However, 22 wides and 25 extras came back to hurt the visitors.
Eersterust’s reply began poorly, with both their openers out early, leaving the visitors on 5/2 after two overs.
Vani Nel and Juvaan Combrinck then steadied the innings with a 32-run third-wicket stand from 29 balls. When Nel exited in the seventh over for 12, that was the start of a slide.
By the 11th over, Eersterust was in trouble, on 56/6, with Combrinck out for the innings’ highest score of 23. He had faced 30 deliveries and struck one six.
Eersterust needed someone to take the reins. Unfortunately for them, no one did. Kejandre Kajees scored eight, but the next best after him, Leano Jansen, made half that number of runs, and Eersterust’s innings lost steam, finishing on 73/9, with a boost of 21 runs from extras.
Boikhumo Ranala snapped up 3/10 in two overs, and Lwazi Skhosana grabbed 2/15.
Laudium Hub vs Atteridgeville Hub
The Laudium Hub comfortably dealt with the challenge of the Atteridgeville Hub, cruising to a big 103-run win after Atteridgeville’s decision to field first backfired. They claimed an early wicket, but the next four batsmen made telling contributions.
Opener, Ahmed Ebrahim, top-scored with a fiery 47, slamming five fours and two sixes in his 25-ball innings.
Areeb Qasim took only 20 deliveries over his 44, striking four fours and three sixes, while Sahl Mohamed played more conservatively, weighing in with 43 from 26 deliveries.
Maahir Patel provided late impetus, matching Areeb Qasim’s five fours and two sixes, and was 37 not out off 22 balls at the end of Laudium’s 20 overs, which brought them 194/4.
Throughout their innings, Laudium put partnerships together: 22 for the first wicket, 44 for the second, 54 for the third, and 55 for the fourth, and that added up to a robust total.
Kamogelo Molefe claimed two wickets, but went for 58 runs from his four overs, while Thato Sebanyoni did a tidy job, picking up 1/23 from four.
Atteridgeville’s reply started better than Laudium’s innings, with the opening pair, Tshepang Laka and Bongani Mkhwanazi, putting up 31 for the first wicket before Laka exited for 21, bowled by Perseverance Mhlari.
A mini-collapse soon followed, with Atteridgeville losing three wickets for two runs, leaving them on 45/4 after seven overs.
Relebogile Semelane and Thato Sebanyoni stopped Laudium’s attack for five overs, adding 27 runs, before Sebanyoni fell for 10.
He went on to finish with 20 not out from 22 balls, but Atteridgeville was limited to only 91/8, and Laudium won convincingly.
Areeb Qasim was their leading bowler, snaring 3/7 in only 1.5 overs, while Perseverance Mhlari returned 2/16 in three, and Sameen Patel 2/23 from four.
Summarised Scorecards
St Alban’s College 88/8 (Zayd Mohanlall 30; Dawie Barnard 2/14); Affies 89/1 (AJ Morkel 44*, Ethan Williams 22; Tristen Naidoo 1/3). Affies won by nine wickets.
Mamelodi Hub 91/6 (Lebogang Motau 26; Cameron Meye 2/18); Eersterust Hub 73/9 (Juvaan Combrinck 23; Boikhumo 3/10, Lwazi Skhosana 2/15). Mamelodi Hub won by 18 runs.
Laudium Hub 194/4 (Ahmed Ebrahim 47, Areeb Qasim 44, Sahl Mohamed 43, Maahir Patel 37*; Kamogelo Molefe 2/58); Atteridgeville Hub 91/8 (Tshepang Laka 21, Relebogile Semelane 20; Areeb Qasim 3/7, Perseverence Mhlari 2/16, Sameen Patel 2/23). Laudium Hub won by 103 runs.
