The Independent Schools Cricket Festival, currently on the go at St Alban’s College, has run foul of the expected Highveld thunderstorm activity, writes THEO GARRUN.
Around half a day’s play was lost for all of the initial two-day time cricket fixtures because of lighting, while the matches on Saturday all got off to late starts as a result of an overnight storm that blew covers off pitches at most of the venues.
As a result, there were only three results in the opening round of games – the organisers have explained that the five second-inning wickets and first innings victory rules do not apply here.
The visiting school for England, Malvern College, beat St Andrew’s of Grahamstown by 114 runs after bowling them out for 90 in their second innings. Dan Holland took 6-29, the best figures of the day.
The other wins were recorded by Bishops, who made a sporting declaration with just a 63-run lead over Clifton … and then bowled them out for 53 in their second innings, with Keagan Blankenberg taking 5-18, as the Cape Town side won by 10 run; and by Cornwall Hill, who were too strong for St George’s of Harare.
There was one century scored in the first games, Nic Halstead-Cleak scoring an undefeated 107 for St John’s College in their draw with Michaelhouse.
Scores
Malvern College 1st inns 161-5 (Robert Hardwick 40; Nicholas Frances 3-49)
St Andrew’s College 1st inns 118-2
Malvern College 2nd inns 161/7
St Andrew’s College 2nd inns 90 (Dan Holland 6-29)
Malvern College won by 114 runs
Kearsney 1st inns 163-9
St Benedict’s 1st inns 79
Kearsney 2nd inns 144-8
St Benedict’s 2nd inns 23-4
Match drawn
Bishops 1st inns 188-6 (Travis Norris 61)
Clifton 1st inns 204 (Matt Adams 31, Byron McDonough 70; Gerard Murray-Cooke 3-44)
Bishops 2nd inns 79-3 (Travis Norris 38)
Clifton 2nd inns 53 (Keegan Blankenberg 5-18)
Bishops won by 10 runs
Uplands 1st inns 111
Titans XI 1st inns 270-7
Uplands 2nd inns 174
Match drawn
Woodridge 1st inns 180 (Kamva Dyakala71; Tristan Farrell 4-39)
St Alban’s 1st inns 164-6
Woodridge 2nd inns 162-5
Match drawn
St John’s Harare 1st inns 162 (Michael Spark 71)
St David’s 1st inns 209-9
St John’s Harare 2nd inns 84-4
Match drawn
Kingswood 1st inns 205
Helpmekaar 1st inns 242
Kingswood 2nd inns 88-3
Match drawn
Michaelhouse 1st inns 80 (Sam Ruwisi 3-15, Jack Stewart 3-15)
St John’s 1st inns 210-4 (Halstead-Cleak 107 not out, Miltz 40)
Michaelhouse 2nd inns 138-3 (Ben Rebeck 40 not out)
Match drawn
Hilton 1st inns 67 (Matthew Lieberman 3-13)
St Stithians 1st inns 103-7 (Jodi de Sousa 38, Lim Mostert 37; Michael Frost 4-11)
Hilton 2nd inns 177-9 (Christopher Pretorius 36, Slade Van Staden 36, Josh Watt 39)
St Stithians 2nd inns 15-4 (Mohammed Manack 26).
Match drawn
St Charles 1st inns 161
St Andrew’s School 1st inns 92
Match drawn
St George’s 1st inns 21
Cornwall Hill 1st inns 82-4
St George’s 2nd inns 112 (Prince Trotter 5-25)
Cornwall Hill 2nd inns 51-1 (Keaghan De la Mare 36 not out).
Cornwall Hill won by 9 wickets
Saturday’s fixtures have been disrupted by wet wickets and waterlogged outfields, so some games have been changed to T20 clashes, two to a field on the day, and the published venues may have been changed.
The games, as they stand:
St Alban’s College vs St Charles (St Alban’s TC Mitchell Oval)
Helpmekaar vs Bishops (St Alban’s Baloyi)
Michaelhouse vs Malvern College (St Alban’s Murray)
Kingswood vs St Benedict’s (St Alban’s Wormser)
Cornwall Hill vs St Andrew’s School (Cornwall Hill 1)
Clifton vs Titans Invitation (Cornwall Hill 2)
Woodridge vs St George’s (Cornwall Hill 3)
St John’s College vs St Andrew’ College (St John’s)
St Stithians vs Kearsney (St Stithians)
St David’s vs Hilton (St David’s)
St John’s Harare vs Uplands (St David’s 2)
Photo: Theo Garrun
