Hoërskool Jim Fouché (JF) earned their second win of the Free State rain Schools SA20, beating their Bloemfontein rivals, Hoërskool Fichardtpark, by 25 runs at the Joe Malherbe Sports Complex on Wednesday.
It was the host’s second rain Schools SA20 match and the first for Fichies, who chose to field first.
Opening batsman Joden Vorster set a strong early pace, smashing three fours and four sixes on his way to 51 runs off 40 balls.
Franco de Necker hit two fours and a six in his 33 off 31, and shared a 69-run third-wicket stand off just 41 deliveries with Vorster as JF tallied 136/8 from their 20 overs.
Jayden Geldenhuis and Heinrich Kemp led the visitors’ bowling attack, with Geldenhuis snaring a miserly 2/10 and Kemp returning 2/21.
Fichardtpark struggled against Johan van Dyk in their run chase, with Van Dyk sending three batsmen packing from his four overs, which went for only 18 runs. Late in Fichies’ innings, Nayden Viljoen nabbed 2/13 in 2.3 overs to seal victory for JF.
Batting at seven, Jayden Ontong was Fichardtpark’s leading batsman. He launched three sixes and a four in his 30 off 26 deliveries, while Dillon Geringer, who made his way to the middle when the seventh wicket went down, chipped in with 22 off 24. They were, however, the only two visiting batsman to score more than 15 runs.
Summarised Scorecard:
Hoërskool Jim Fouché 136/8 (Joden Vorster 51, Franco de Necker 33; Jayden Geldenhuis 2/10, Heinrich Kemp 2/21). Hoërskool Fichardtpark 111/10 (Jayden Ontong 30, Extras 23, Dillon Geringer 22; Johan van Dyk 3/18, Nayden Viljoen 2/13). Jim Fouché won by 25 runs.
