Kingswood aim to close off with bang
KINGSWOOD will be aiming to put the finishing touches to an excellent cricket season when they take on Selborne in the CSA Schools Twenty20 Challenge franchise final in Grahamstown today, starting at 2.30pm.
The Grahamstown school dealt with Grey High by 14 runs in the provincial final last week and then put paid to SWD winners Oakdale's hopes in a franchise playoff at the weekend.
Kingswood have shown great character this season and they were again tested when Oakdale reduced them to 6/2 after two overs.
Marco Lombard then showed his class yet again as he held the innings together with a superb half-century, and support from Cameron Hertz and Josh Shelley helped them to reach 131/7.
Oakdale succumbed against some precise Kingswood bowling and were dismissed for 63 in the 13th over.
- In their clash against Dale, Kingswood again showed their ability to fight their way out of trouble after stumbling to 67/7 in King William's Town.
Shelley was flawless in scoring a gritty 75, while Nomoyi was just as impressive as he reached his first 50 for the first 11, ending on 60 not out.
Their efforts allowed Kingswood to declare on 191/8, leaving Dale a tough task of chasing the target in 52 overs.
Although Dale managed to build a few partnerships, Kingswood picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Hertz was outstanding in his opening spell, helped by three catches in the slip cordon. He returned late in the innings as Dale were trying to survive the last hour to pick up two more for a deserving five-wicket haul.
Lombard ended up with four wickets as he removed most of the middle order with his leg spin.
