Grey edge Framesby in final
AN EXCELLENT century partnership by skipper Garrick Mattheus and Matthew Breetzke, and good use of their spinners, saw Grey High clinch the PE City zonal final against Framesby in the CSA Schools Twenty20 competition at Framesby yesterday.
Grey have now qualified for the next round of regional finals.
They were joined by Masipatisane, who were crowned the township zonal champs when they defeated Loyiso on Monday.
Masipatisane made 129/7 in their 20 overs and then dismissed Loyiso for 75.
At Framesby yesterday, Grey, who had lost to their western city rivals in the corresponding match last year, scored an emphatic 46-run win after posting an imposing 180/5 in their 20 overs. Mattheus (69 off 48 balls with 10 fours) and Breetzke (70 off 54 balls with 10 fours) shrugged off the early loss of a wicket to take the score to 131 in 16 overs, setting their side up for a big total.
The visitors scored freely in the closing stages of their innings, hammering 58 off the last five overs.
With a fine rain threatening, Framesby knew they had to keep up with the run-rate and Tiaan Potgieter and Anru Emiljo blazed away against the Grey seam bowlers to take the score to 53/1 after five overs.
Mattheus, however, cleverly introduced spinners Michael Carse and Rohan Knoetze, and this led to a stranglehold Framesby were never able to shake off.
Emiljo had smashed three fours and two sixes in his 33 off 20 balls, but then skied one off Knoetze to long-on, where Liam Lindsay ran in to take a brilliant catch. It was a crucial dismissal and the start of an excellent display in the field by Lindsay.
He took two more catches, caused a run out off his own bowling and added to the spinning web by taking 2/25 in four overs.
Carse did not take a wicket, but was effective in restricting the run-rate, while Knoetze returned 2/16 in four overs.
After Emiljo went, Potgieter fought a brave battle and made 57 off 51 balls (four fours, one six) before being bowled.
There is nothing fancy about his batting, but he is effective.
When he went in the 16th over, the writing was on the wall for Framesby.
Summarised scores were:
Grey 180/5 (M Breetzke 70, G Mattheus 69, R Knoetze 19, T Smit 1/21, S Gerber 3/23); Framesby 134 (T Potgieter 57, A Emiljo 33, Knoetze 2/16, D Dutton 2/16, L Lindsay 2/25, L Sipamla 2/25).
