Woodridge run up third victory

WOODRIDGE timed their run-chase to perfection to win a well-contested CSA Schools Twenty20 Challenge cricket match by four wickets with two balls remaining against Muir in Uitenhage yesterday.

Facing a decent total of 140/6 by the home side, Woodridge needed seven to win off the final over and, despite a runout, they got home in relative comfort to set up a regional playoff against Kingswood, the Grahamstown champions, in the next round.

The winners of that clash must then play Marlow Agricultural to decide who will meet Grey High in the EP final.

Grey qualified for the provincial final when they comfortably defeated David Livingstone at Grey yesterday.

Liam Lindsay top-scored with 71 off 49 balls in their total of 179/1 and then Daniel Dutton claimed 5/14 as the visitors slid to 63 all out.

In Uitenhage, Woodridge's win was the third in a series of good performances by the team, following their T20 win over Daniel Pienaar last Tuesday and a thrilling 15-run victory over Kingswood in a schools match on Saturday after they had been dismissed for 142.

Yesterday, Daniel Biggs led the way for Woodridge with the top score of 34. Brandon Phillips (27) and William Lawford (25) provided good support.

Woodridge controlled the early part of the match, restricting Muir to 29/2 halfway through their innings before the home batsmen cut loose to provide a challenging total.

In Grahamstown on Saturday, the bowlers dominated, with Kingswood's Michael Braans helping to skittle Woodridge with remarkable figures of 6/18 in 16 overs. However, Woodridge bowlers Dylan Ryan (4/26 with the new ball) and Jade de Klerk (3/48) answered in kind as Kingswood succumbed to 127 and a 15-run defeat.