Rondebosch Boys’ High began their 10-match, two-week tour of India in Delhi on Monday, taking on the Talent Sports Academy in a 50-over contest.
The Capetonians won the toss, opted to bat first, and made a good start, with the opening batsmen, Nur Limbada and Ramano Pedro, sharing a 79-run opening stand.
Limbada contributed 22 runs off 37 deliveries, while Pedro hammered seven fours and a six in his 46 off 42.
Eli Aufrichtig, batting at four, top-scored with 79 off 98, which included six fours.
Lower down the order, at seven, Ethan De Heer Kloots struck an electric 44 off just 20 deliveries, blasting four sixes and two fours. He and Aufrichtig combined for a 66-run sixth-wicket partnership off only 38 balls.
Naman Rawal led the home team’s attack, claiming 4/31 in four overs, which included the wickets of Aufrichtig and De Heer Kloots. Rohan Diwakar was a touch expensive, but picked up 2/65 in eight overs.
The hosts, though, let themselves down by conceding 40 extras, 30 of them from wides.
After 47.5 overs, Bosch totalled a solid 283 all out.
Akshaan Dahiya, batting at six for RP Academy, led the home side’s reply. He struck four fours and two sixes, making 69 off 80 balls, before retiring.
Hridaan Mangotra and Dahiya put on 107 runs for the sixth-wicket before Mangotra was forced from the field by an injury. He’d hit four fours and chipped in with 43 runs.
None of the Rondebosch bowlers claimed more than one wicket. However, Schalk Fourie, with 1/11 in four overs, and Kyle Dionisio, with 1/2 in one, bowled economically.
Penalties for a slow over rate limited the home team’s reply to only 45 overs. They finished on 210/7, leaving Bosch the winners by 59 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
In their second outing, on Tuesday, Rondebosch faced the RP Academy, another Delhi side, in a second 50-over clash.
After the toss went the hosts’ way, they decided to bat first, but found the going tough. Number five batsman, Mani Dubey, contributed a patient 43 runs off 101 deliveries, stroking four fours, while Anubhav, batting at four, sent five balls to the boundary in his 38 off 56. Together, they added 75 for the fourth wicket.
Only one other batsman, Arnav Dhal, made it into double figures, chipping in with 24 off 40.
Bosch’s bowling left something to be desired after they sent down 21 wides, conceding 25 extras in total, which helped the RP Academy reach 158 all out after 46.5 overs.
Despite their flaws with the ball, Arin Spiller captured a tidy 3/31 in 9.5 overs, while Kyle Dionisio was again economical, nabbing claiming 2/18 in seven overs.
Schalk Fourie powered Rondebosch’s run chase by smashing two sixes and four fours in an unbeaten 71 off 61 balls. Eli Aufrichtig, with 23 off 45, was Bosch’s second-highest scorer. They combined for 75 runs for the sixth wicket.
Captain Lucky led from the front for RP’s bowling attack, collecting 3/32 in 10 overs.
Rondebosch, though, cantered across the finishing line, winning by four wickets, when they reached 159/6 after 32.3 overs.
Summarised Scorecards:
Rondebosch Boys’ High 283/10 (Eli Aufrichtig 79, Ramano Pedro 46, Ethan De Heer Kloots 44, Extras 40, Matthew Brooks 23, Luca Ghigone 22, Nur Limbada 22; Naman Rawal 4/31, Rohan Diwakar 2/65). Talent Sports Academy 210/7 (Akshaan Dahiya 69* (retired out), Hridaan Mangotra 43* (retired hurt), Ambhisha Jha 29; Kyle Dionisio 1/2). Rondebosch won by 59 runs.
RP Academy 158/10 (Mani Dubey 43, Anubhav 38, Extras 25, Arnav Dhal 24; Arin Spiller 3/31, Kyle Dionisio 2/18). Rondebosch Boys’ High 159/6 (Schalk Fourie 71*, Eli Aufrichtig 23, Matthew Brooks 20; Lucky 3/32). Rondebosch won by four wickets.
