Stellenberg High hosted Hoërskool Swartland in a 50-over clash on Saturday and ground out a 23-run victory after batting first.
Number three batsman, Aidan Pienaar, played a patient innings to revive the Jade Brigade’s innings after both openers were dismissed within the first 11 overs, leaving the hosts on 24/2.
Pienaar hit three fours and two sixes in a crucial knock of 45 off 76 balls. After his dismissal, Ruan Boshoff, at seven, and John Naudé, at nine, combined for a 67-run eighth-wicket partnership, taking the score from 85/7 to 152/8.
Boshoff played conservatively for 33 off 82 deliveries, while Naudé was more adventurous, striking five fours in his 38 off 51 deliveries.
Damian Starkey bowled well for the visitors from Malmesbury, capturing 4/26 in nine overs. Stiaan Kotzé chipped in with 2/29 from 9.2 overs.
After 48.2 overs, Stellenberg was all out for 152.
While the hosts started hesitatingly, the visitors began strongly. Their openers, Liam Campbell and Lian Dipaola, shared a 42-run stand for the first wicket, with Campbell compiling his side’s highest score of 29. He took 63 balls to get there, striking four fours. Dipaola made 14.
Batting at seven, Christian Mocke bludgeoned a six in his 21 off 22. Stellenberg, however, did well once they got into Swartland’s lower order, picking up the last five wickets for only 37 runs as the visitors tallied 129 all out in 40.4 overs.
Aidan Pienaar, Liam Saal, and John Naudé collected two wickets each, with Naudé the tidiest of the trio, snapping up 2/11 in 4.4 overs. Pienaar almost matched him, returning 2/11 in four overs, while Saal finished with 2/17 and also ran out Dipaola.
Another northern suburbs’ school, Hoërskool Durbanville, enjoyed a far easier outing against Hoërskool Strand, winning their 50-over match by an emphatic 136 runs.
Durbies won the toss and chose to bat first, but limped to 69/5 with just over 20 overs bowled. Then, they gained traction.
Matthew van Staden and Johan Potgieter, who entered the fray at five and seven respectively, built a 96-run sixth-wicket partnership to rescue their side’s innings. Van Staden produced a circumspect 28 off 57 balls, while Potgieter added impetus to the Durbanville innings with three fours and three sixes in his 39 off 34 deliveries.
Farrel-Leigh Dido arrived after Van Staden’s dismissal and provided a late boost, clobbering four fours and two maximums in his speedy 30 off 20, while Kruger Kirsten, another tailender, hit two fours and a six in his unbeaten 25 off 24 as Durbies mustered 213 all out in 41 overs.
The Eagles’ opening bowlers, Keathon Gertze and Aqeeb Fanie, stood out. Gertze was miserly, bowling four maidens and knocking over 3/9 in 10 overs. Fanie was a touch expensive, but he, nonetheless, claimed 3/48 in seven overs.
Strand made heavy weather of the run chase, with only three of their batsmen making it into double figures. Top-order batsman Bevan Botha made 15, and middle-order man Robin Beukes chipped in with 10, but tailender Aqeeb Fanie top-scored with 19 off 42 balls.
Erich Vermeulen ripped into the visitors’ batting, capturing 4/17 in 7.4 overs. Divan van Eeden cleaned up the tail, nabbing 2/13 in six overs, and opening bowler Kruger Kirsten played his part with 2/21 from eight overs.
After 30.4 overs, Strand’s innings was brought to an end on 77 runs.
Summarised Scorecards:
Stellenberg High 152/10 (Aidan Pienaar 45, John Naudé 38, Ruan Boshoff 33, Extras 21; Damian Starkey 4/26, Stiaan Kotzé 2/29). Hoërskool Swartland 129/10 (Liam Campbell 29, Christian Mocke 21; John Naudé 2/11, Aidan Pienaar 2/11, Liam Saal 2/17). Stellenberg won by 23 runs.
Hoërskool Durbanville 213/10 (Johan Potgieter 39, Farrel-Leigh Dido 30, Matthew van Staden 28, Extras 27, Kruger Kirsten 25*, Erich Vermeulen 23; Keathon Gertze 3/9, Aqeeb Fanie 3/48). Hoërskool Strand 77/10 (Aqeeb Fanie 19; Erich Vermeulen 4/17, Divan van Eeden 2/13, Kruger Kirsten 2/21). Durbanville won by 136 runs.
