In an extraordinary clash on the La Valla Oval on Saturday, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) conceded an unbeaten double century to St David’s Marist Inanda‘s Sohail Seonath, but then had two centurions, Zian Labuschagne and Paul Bester, counter the home side’s skipper as Affies recorded a remarkable five-wicket win with six overs to spare.
Seonath won the toss and backed his batsmen to put an insurmountable total on the board. However, he, almost singlehandedly, willed the home side to 303/6.
After being out of action for two weeks with an injury, Seonath made a sensational comeback, opening the innings and finishing it unbeaten on 206 from 173 deliveries, 17 of which he sent to the boundary, and nine that he deposited over it.
He shared time with six different batsmen, but the best the rest could muster was the 29 made by his fellow opener, Neo Qhu, in a 108-run opening stand.
Bester and Labuschagne countered Seonath’s ton, with their centuries worth 228 runs from 183 balls.
When they came together, Affies was struggling on 61/4 in the 11th over, with their top four batsmen out for single-digit scores. But they turned the game on its head, constructing a match-winning 160-run fifth-wicket partnership that left Affies within 83 runs of victory.
Bester top-scored for the visitors with an unbeaten 128 from 102 balls, striking 19 fours and a pair of sixes. Labuschagne took 81 deliveries to make 100, hitting 11 fours and three sixes.
He lost his wicket in the 34th over and was replaced by Dawie Barnard, who was happy to turn the strike over to Bester. They partnered for a hasty 84 runs from 10.3 overs to see their side to victory, with Barnard finishing the contest with an unbeaten 25 from 30 balls.
Daniel King, who got rid of Zian Labuschagne, was the pick of the St David’s bowlers, knocking over 3/39 in eight overs.
Summarised Scorecard
St David’s 303/6 (Sohail Seonath 206*, Neo Qhu 29, Matthew Nicholson 16; Nico Loggenberg 1/31, Lucas Cronje 1/47, Zian Labuschagne 1/51). Affies 305/5 (Paul Bester 128*, Zian Labuschagne 100, Dawie Barnard 25*; Daniel King 3/39, Kai Davis 2/52). Affies won by five wickets.
