South African Independent Schools' Cricket Festival, St. Albans College Pretoria, 24 To 27 February 2000

This is an annual event and for the first time two Zimbabwean schools, St. Johns and Falcon, were invited to send their first teams. There were 13 other schools from all over South Africa as well as a Northerns Development side. The other teams were Kearsney, St. Charles, Hilton from Natal, Bishops (Cape Town), St. Andrews, Kingswood (Grahamstown), Woodridge (Port Elizabeth), St. Andrews (Bloemfontein), CBC (Boksburg), St. Johns, St. Stithians, St. Davids (Johannesburg), and the host school St. Albans. Matches were played at St. Albans, Tukkies, St. Stithians, Glen High and Pretoria Boys High.

For the first time at this festival a 50-over competition format was to be used, though once a team was defeated their remaining fixtures did not necessarily have to be limited overs. Hence each team would have four games against sides they would not normally play in the course of the cricket term. Unfortunately rain on the first day played havoc with the completion of most of the games, though there was a proviso for a result to be obtained on a simplified Duckworth-Lewis system after 15 overs. Most teams remained on the fields in the pouring rain in order to obtain a 'result', albeit a very contrived one. This did have the disadvantage of rendering two fields at Tukkies unplayable on the second day, unfortunately the two venues that St. Johns and Falcon were due to use. So on that day the two Zimbabwean sides had to console themselves with some Indoor Cricket instead. However the weather held thereafter and there was some excellent cricket played though sensational top order batting collapses and remarkable ninth-wicket recoveries were the order of the day.

On the fourth day the hosts and Bishops contested the final with St. Albans emerging victorious. There was some television coverage for the programme 'Extra Cover' in the form of ex-South African player Pat Symcox who had a son in the Hilton team, but his interest in all the teams there and advice to the players was much appreciated by all.

On the first day St. Johns faced St. Andrews (Grahamstown) who had a strong batting line-up including two national caps in Michael Munson (ex- Falcon and Zimbabwe Under-19 World Cup) and Ryan Baxter (South Africa Colts 1999). A fine fielding and bowling performance saw St. Andrews at 144/7 in the 36th over but they recovered to 207/9 after their 50 overs. The two Stephens, Wright and Cardoso, took superb catches in the slip/gully area and Barney Rogers executed a superb run-out with a direct hit from cover. The pick of the bowlers were Waddington Mwayenga and Simon Seager. The St. Johns reply began in a steady drizzle against some tight bowling and though the batsmen knew that a score of 63 after 15 overs would secure a 'win' they were not able to play their shots with any confidence especially when the tempo of the rain increased and it became necessary to use a stick at the end of every over to scrape mud off the boots and so both sides were relieved to get off the field with St. Johns 25 runs short of their 'target'.

Falcon suffered a similar fate against the other Grahamstown school Kingswood. Falcon started well with an opening partnership of 76 but collapsed to 126 all out and when the rain came Kingswood were 80/2, but ahead on run-rate.

On the third day St. Johns faced Woodridge on a small field and another good performance in the field saw the Port Elizabeth school dismissed for 142 in the 45th over, this time Gareth Palmer leading the way in the field with two catches at point and a superb run-out. However by the 15th over St. Johns had slumped to 37/5 but Captain Stephen Wright and Stuart Carrihill put on 50 runs together in 10 overs, though play was held up when Wright hit a huge six over the road in to a house guarded by a rather fierce dog and no-one was keen to go and fetch the ball. The ball was retrieved but just before tea St. Johns lost another three wickets to be tottering at 95/8 and Woodridge within sight of victory. Stuart Carrihill was still there and he found good support from Mathew Steel and the pair guided their team home to victory. Falcon enjoyed the better of a declaration game against St. Charles. Led by a well-struck 60 from Under-16 player Ian Austen Falcon totalled 215/9 and the opposition replied with 135/6, the match being drawn.

St. Johns played their final game against Kearsney College and once again the team performed well in the field to have their opponents 137/7 in the 38th over but batsman number three Wheeler played a fine anchoring innings of 83 and Kearsney reached 196/9 on a wicket that was taking a great deal of turn. Simon Seager was the pick of the bowlers as he bowled a superb line and length. Unfortunately St. Johns found themselves up against some genuine pace from a quick called Rock who blew away the top order and no batsman got beyond 20 and the team was well beaten. Falcon suffered a similar fate against a strong St. Johns (Johannesburg ) team.

Although results were mixed, both Zimbabwean schools found this festival to be of great value. After having lost ten players from their strong 1999 team Falcon are rebuilding and the inexperienced side that went to Pretoria would have learnt a lot. Likewise the St. Johns team had seven players in Form 4 or below, including 14-year-old Brendan Taylor, and they too will have benefited from playing in this festival. St Albans must be congratulated on their superb efforts in staging this festival, the organisers never getting flustered even when the weather appeared to be against them. The fact that so much cricket was played when Cyclone Eline was not too far away is a tribute to their hard work. It is good to know that Zimbabwean teams are so welcome south of the border.

ST. JOHNS RESULTS

VERSUS ST. ANDREWS ST ANDREWS 207/9 (R. Baxter 43, Ferguson 41, Harrington 26, Wienand 21, W. Mwayenga 10-0-21-3, S. Cardoso 10-0-42-2, S. Seager 10-0-37-2). ST. JOHNS 38/1 (B. Rogers 18*)

MATCH ABANDONED AFTER 15 OVERS

VERSUS WOODRIDGE

WOODRIDGE 142 ( Biggans 32, Ingram 25, M. Brundle 10-2-27-3, M. Steel 8-4-11-2, S. Wright 10-1-46-2, W.Mwayenga 9-3-24-2). ST. JOHNS 146/8 (S.Carrihill 43*, S. Wright 27, M.Steel 20*, B. Rogers 20, Levis 10-4-20-3, Austin 7-2-24-3)

RESULT: ST. JOHNS WON BY 2 WICKETS

VERSUS KEARSNEY

KEARSNEY 196/9 (Wheeler 83, Edwards 31, Rock 19, S. Seager 10-2-28-4, W. Mwayenga 8-2-19-2)

ST. JOHNS 91 (B. Rogers 19, S. Carrihill 16, M.Steel 16, Rock 10-3-29-4, Chater 10-0-18-2)

RESULT: KEARSNEY WON BY 105 RUNS