Kingswood take control against St Andrew's in rain-hit clash

The Kingswood first cricket team produced another good performance and were ahead of St Andrew’s on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method when rain washed out play in Makhanda at the weekend.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat on an overcast morning on the Lower field at St Andrew’s, the Kingswood batsmen did extremely well to post a competitive total of 233.

This was due to some outstanding batting at the top by Jean-Luc Basson (53) and Jaryd Botha (37), while the Loon brothers enjoyed a valuable 35-run partnership for the 10th wicket.

The Kingswood bowlers capitalised on the situation and came out firing to reduce St Andrew’s to 125/6 after 25 overs.

Unfortunately, the rain then arrived and the match was stopped due to the weather, with Kingswood ahead on the DLS method by 36 runs.

The Kingswood Under-15A team had a fantastic day out, with Ross Thompson scoring yet another century (132) for this fourth hundred in three weeks. It helped them post an impressive 287 in 45 overs.

The bowlers put the St Andrew’s batsmen under pressure, with Sithenkosi Qabaka picking up 6/37.

When rain stopped play, St Andrew’s were in all sorts of trouble on 125/8 after 32 overs, putting Kingswood 120 runs ahead on the DLS method.

The Kingswood teams were also hit by weather the previous weekend in their annual derby with Muir College, but the first and second teams were able to pull off victory before the heavens opened to end proceedings in other matches.

Some excellent bowling for the first team saw Michael Van Staden pick up 5/7 and Brad Goss 2/13 as Muir were dismissed for 98.

Goss completed a fine day with top score of 38 as Kingswood claimed a seven-wicket victory.

For the second team, Kingswood’s Connor Sholto-Douglas produced a great spell of 6/20 as Muir were shot out for 74.

Franco Klopper then hammered 25 not out to ensure an eight-wicket win for Kingswood.

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