For the eighth game of their 10-game tour of India, Rondebosch Boys’ High travelled to Gurugram, Haryana, where they faced Pathways World School in a 40-over match-up on Thursday.
After winning the toss and taking to the crease first, the visitors made a strong start. Openers Matthew Brookes and Luca Ghignone posted a big first-wicket partnership, combining for 143 runs, with Brookes hammering five fours and two sixes in his 74 off 73 balls, while Ghignone struck a six and five fours in his 62 off 67.
Batting at five, Kyle Dionisio supercharged the run rate, smashing an incredible 10 fours and five sixes before retiring after racing to 100 off just 45 deliveries.
Kabila Jaiswal was the best of the Pathways’ bowlers, claiming 2/16 in three overs, while Viral Aggarwal took 2/45 in eight overs. They were, however, the only home bowlers to concede less than a run per ball. Manan matched them with two wickets, but they cost him 34 runs from five overs.
Rondebosch batted at over eight runs per over, accumulating 327/8 from their 40 overs.
Pathways struggled to build partnerships, and their run chase fizzled out. Bhavansh Saxena, the number five batsman, stuck around while others came and went, making 51 off 65 balls, which included four fours and a six. None of his peers stayed long enough to contribute more than 15 runs.
In seven overs, Bosch captain Schalk Fourie put pressure on the hosts, returning an economical 2/30. Scoring runs off Arin Spiller proved to be even more difficult, and he knocked over 2/27 from nine overs.
The Pathways’ innings lasted 36.5 overs, and they were all out for 144, resulting in a handsome 183-run victory for Rondebosch.
On Friday, the tourists again chose to bat first when the toss favoured them in a 20-over contest against the Bal Bhawan Cricket Academy.
Home bowler Yatin Solanki racked up 2/34 in his four overs, while Pranay Sharma made the visitors work hard for their runs, returning 1/22 from four overs.
At the top of the batting order, Ethan De Heer Kloots struck five fours, scoring 39 off 31 balls, while Ethan Strydom added 26 runs of his own to their 66-run opening partnership.
Batting at four and five respectively, all-rounders Eli Aufrichtig and Schalk Fourie shared a 56-run fourth-wicket partnership to give the Bosch innings a second wind.
When it came to a close on 178/6, Aufrichtig was unbeaten on 41 off 29 after hitting five fours, while Fourie was explosive, cracking two fours and three maximums in a rapid 38 off 22.
Bal Bhawan then became the first team to solve Rondebosch’s bowling, replying with 180/2 in 17.3 overs to hand the Cape Town school the first loss and only loss of their tour.
Opening batsman, Rudr Pratap, was the only player on either team to register a half-century. His solid 56 off 41 deliveries included four fours and a pair of sixes. Crucially for the local side, he enjoyed solid support from his fellow batsmen.
Captain Mohak Kumar and Priyanshu Chahal saw their side to victory with an unbroken 66-run third-wicket stand off only 25 balls. Kumar laid into the Rondebosch bowlers, slamming three fours and three sixes to tally 45 off 25, while Chahal was even more destructive, with his 43 taking only 16 balls and including four sixes and three fours.
Arin Spiller bagged 1/28 from 3.2 overs, while Eli Aufrichtig picked up 1/46 in four overs.
In their final fixture on Saturday, Rondebosch faced the Yuvraj Singh Centre for Excellence (YSCE), Noida, at the Power Play Sports Academy in a 50-over clash.
When Schalk Fourie called incorrectly, the hosts opted to bat, but they found the going tough. Eventually, Vandit Sharma, batting eighth in the order, provided some runs and stability, top-scoring with 39 from 57 deliveries.
Captain Kabir Sandhwar, with 23, and Ansh Kumar, who scored 20, were the only other home batsmen to exit the teens.
Bowling late in the YSCE innings, Kyle Dionisio enjoyed success, snapping up 3/16 from 6.5 overs, while the skipper, Schalk Fourie, nabbed 3/27 in eight overs as the home side was dismissed for 160 from 40.5 overs.
Responding, Rondebosch made easy work of the 161-run victory target, charging to 163/1 after only 16.2 overs.
Luca Ghignone faced the first ball and went on to end the tour on a high note with an undefeated 79 off just 55 balls, stroking 12 of those to the boundary. Fourie, at three, hit out, launching five sixes and adding four fours in a hasty and unbeaten 62 off only 33 deliveries.
Together, the duo shared an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 119 runs off just 68 balls to power Rondebosch to a rampant nine-wicket win.
Kushgara was the lone home bowler to snare a wicket, finishing with 1/29 in three overs.
After a jam-packed and demanding tour, Rondebosch will return home with a sparkling record of nine victories from 10 matches.
Summarised Scorecards:
Rondebosch Boys’ High 327/8 (Kyle Dionisio 100, Matthew Brookes 74, Luca Ghignone 62, Thomas Hoffmann 26; Kabila Jaiswal 2/16, Manan 2/34, Viral Aggarwal 2/45). Pathways World School 144/10 (Bhavansh Saxena 51, Extras 20; Arin Spiller 2/27, Schalk Fourie 2/30). Rondebosch won by 183 runs.
Rondebosch Boys’ High 178/6 (Eli Aufrichtig 41*, Ethan De Heer Kloots 39, Schalk Fourie 38, Ethan Strydom 26, Extras 20; Yatin Solanski 2/34). Bal Bhawan Cricket Academy 180/2 (Rudr Pratap 56, Mohak Kumar 45*, Priyanshu Chahal 43*, Abhishek Chahal 27; Arin Spiller 1/28). Bal Bhawan won by eight wickets.
Yuvraj Singh Centre for Excellence, Noida 160/10 (Vandit Sharma 39, Extras 27, Kabir Sandhwar 23, Ansh Kumar 20; Kyle Dionisio 3/16, Schalk Fourie 3/27, Arin Spiller 2/50). Rondebosch Boys’ High 163/1 (Luca Ghignone 79*, Schalk Fourie 62*; Kushagra 1/29). Rondebosch won by nine wickets.
