After opening with two wins in Delhi, Rondebosch Boys’ High travelled to Jaipur for the third and fourth matches of their 10-match tour of India.
On Thursday, they took on the Jaipuria Cricket Academy in a 50-over fixture in the Rajasthan capital.
After the hosts won the toss, they decided to field first against their visitors from the southern suburbs of Cape Town.
Number three batsman, Luca Ghignone, was up for the challenge and in good form, hammering 10 fours and a six in an innings of 88 off 109 balls.
One spot below him, all-rounder Eli Aufrichtig struck six fours in his contribution of 53 off 69 deliveries. Together, the pair shared a 91-run third-wicket stand.
After their overs were up, Bosch had tallied 257/8.
Mihir Beniwal and Vatsal Parikh led the Jaipuria attack, with Beniwal capturing 2/39 in seven overs, and Parikh collecting 2/51 from 10 overs.
Captain Vansh Sharma valiantly led his side’s run chase, cracking six fours and five sixes in his 83 off only 73 balls. He and opener Pranay Agrawal built an 80-run partnership for the third wicket, but Agrawal was far more conservative, scoring 35 off 83 deliveries.
Matthew Brooks was on song with the ball, capturing 3/24 in eight overs. Opening bowler Zion van Rensburg performed well, returning 2/18 in four overs, while Eli Aufrichtig picked up 2/55 from 10 overs, which included the wicket of the dangerous Sharma.
After 48.2 overs, Jaipuria was bowled out for 228, leaving Rondebosch with a 29-run margin of victory.
Friday’s fourth match of the tour, the second in Jaipur, was a shorter 40-over tie against the Jayshree Periwal International School (JPIS) U19 side. Again, the toss failed to favour Rondebosch, and the home side chose to field again.
Bosch’s Kyle Dionisio, batting at five, was the cornerstone of the tourists’ innings, smashing 10 fours and six sixes in a 65-ball innings that produced an unbeaten 115 runs.
Ethan de Heer Kloots also gave the innings momentum, blasting three fours and four sixes in a speedy 60 off 40, while Matthew Brooks chipped in with 55, and Nur Limbada scored 45.
The biggest partnership of the innings belonged to Dionisio and Ethan Strydom, who added 82 for the fifth wicket, with only 11 of them coming off the bat of Strydom while Dionisio made hay.
JPIS opening bowler Vedant Bajaj was the most successful of the home team’s bowlers, claiming 2/44 from six overs.
After 40 overs, Bosch totalled 315/5, bounding along at a scoring rate of 7.88 runs per over.
Faced with a steep mountain to climb, JPIS was unable to mount a challenge. Their run chase quickly fizzled out in the face of Rondebosch’s relentless bowling attack.
Eli Aufrichtig showed off his all-round game, knocking over 4/18 in seven overs, while opening bowler Zion van Rensburg made early inroads, capturing 2/13 in four overs.
Uday Vir Narang, batting at two, dug in and scored 28 off 56 balls, while number five batsman, Jahaan Ahuja, scored 21 off 24, but they were the only batsmen to make it into the twenties.
After 30.5 overs, JPIS was bowled out for 102, resulting in a handsome 213-run win for Rondebosch.
Summarised Scorecards:
Rondebosch Boys’ High 257/8 (Luca Ghignone 88, Eli Aufrichtig 53, Extras 29, Thomas Hoffman 20*; Mihir Beniwal 2/39, Vatsal Parikh 2/51). Jaipuria Cricket Academy 228/10 (Vansh Sharma 83, Pranay Agrawal 35, Abhishek Balot 32, Neerav 29, Extras 27; Matthew Brooks 3/24, Zion van Rensburg 2/18, Eli Aufrichtig 2/55). Rondebosch won by 29 runs.
Rondebosch Boys’ High 315/5 (Kyle Dionisio 115*, Ethan De Heer Kloots 60, Matthew Brooks 55, Nur Limbada 45; Vedant Bajaj 2/44). Jayshree Periwal International School (JPIS) 102/10 (Uday Vir Narang 28, Jahaan Ahuja 21; Eli Aufrichtig 4/18, Zion van Rensburg 2/13). Rondebosch won by 213 runs.
