Jordan van Eck bowled brilliantly to lead Hoërskool Menlopark to an 18-run win over Jeppe High School for Boys in their Wildeklawer North-South T20 Tournament encounter on the Waterkloof Oval on Friday morning.
The victory shot Menlopark to the top of Pool C, with eight points from two games, while Jeppe and Northwood are in second and third place, respectively, with one win each. Rondebosch Boys’ High, winless thus far, is fourth.
Menlopark batted first and scored 153/7 in their 20 overs, before bowling out Jeppe for 135 in 19.2 overs.
Van Eck stopped Jeppe in their tracks with a superb fourth over to tilt the game in the local side’s favour. He claimed two wickets in three balls and then made it three wickets in the powerplay when he accounted for Ethan van Dyk in the sixth over, on his way to a pivotal 3/15 in 3.2 overs.
In addition to his bowling, Van Eck also combined well with Verster Richter to complete a run out of Boitumelo Skunka in the final over of the match. He had good support from Richter, who dislodged two batsmen, while Murray Hofmeyr, Monré Koekemoer, and Jan-Willem Pienaar claimed a single wicket each.
Skunka top-scored for Jeppe with a handy 33 from 20 balls, while Lincoln Casais was their second-highest scorer with 24 runs from 25 balls.
Earlier, Jacques de Villiers shepherded Menlopark to a winning total with an unbeaten 29 off only 19 balls. The middle-order batsman profited from the work done by Jan-Willem Pienaar (21), Johan Bosch (20), Monré Koekemoer (23), and Heinrich Claassen (20).
Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Northwood
David de Bruyn top-scored for Northwood as they cantered to a comfortable five-wicket win over Rondebosch at the Harlequins Cricket Club.
The men from Cape Town went in to bat first and mustered only 103/9 in their 20 overs. Northwood took 17.2 overs to get to 105/5.
De Bruyn took charge of the chase. His 22-ball stay produced 29 runs to set his side up for victory.
He and Thomas Oosthuizen provided a solid opening stand of 45 runs, with Oosthuizen contributing 16 from 19 deliveries. Ryan Willis added a patient 23 from 30 balls, before Jamie Wimble saw the Knights to victory with an unbeaten 16 from 12 deliveries.
Northwood’s batsmen had a relatively easy target to chase down thanks to the wonderful work done by their bowlers. Oliver Anderson, James Searle, and Ryan van Zyl gave little away with the ball, and each was rewarded with a brace of wickets.
Anderson was the most successful with 2/13 runs in three overs, while Searle and Van Zyl conceded 14 and 17 runs, respectively, also from three overs.
Eli Aufrichtig was Rondebosch’s leading scorer with 26 runs. Ethan de Heer Kloots, who scored 20 from 15 balls, was the only other batsman to reach the 20-run mark.
Rondebosch will face Jeppe in their final Pool C match at Waterkloof, while Menlopark will battle Northwood at Harlequins.
Summarised Scorecards:
Menlopark 153/7 (Jacques de Villiers 29*, Monré Koekemoer 23, Jan-Willem Pienaar 21; Boitumelo Skunka 2/16, Phemelo Sekopane 1/21). Jeppe 135/10 (Boitumelo Skunka 33, Lincoln Casais 24; Jordan van Eck 3/15, Verster Richter 2/24, Murray Hofmeyr 1/17). Menlopark won by 18 runs.
Rondebosch 103/9 (Eli Aufrichtig 25, Ethan de Heer Kloots 20; Oliver Anderson 2/13, James Searle 2/14, Ryan van Zyl 2/15). Northwood 105/5 (David de Bruyn 29, Ryan Willis 23; Zion van Rensburg 2/13, Ethan de Heer Kloots 2/19, Timothy Short 1/20). Northwood won by five wickets.
