Graeme College's 1st cricket team, determined to reverse the 2013 result which saw them lose by two wickets, beat their Kingswood College rivals by three wickets.
Graeme College's 1st cricket team, determined to reverse the 2013 result which saw them lose by two wickets, beat their Kingswood College rivals by three wickets.
With an impressive knock of 146, Graeme's Keenan Vieira helped his side to a memorable three wicket win as Kingswood set a 255 target.
Graeme’s captain, Odwa Xonxa won the toss and had no hesitation in putting Kingswood into bat; keen to extract any early morning assistance from an oft excellent batting track on the Somerset Field.
This decision paid dividends early on as good bowling from the Graeme seamers claimed early wickets to heap the pressure on Kingswood.
Luyolo Tshongweni and Garvin Dampies set about the work with skill and vigour, putting Kingswood under early pressure, four wickets being claimed with Kingswood on 44.
An impressive stand between Michael Braans and Jimmy Sholto-Douglas took the score to 174 before Sholto-Douglas was eventually removed for an impressive 74.
Kingswood looked for quick runs after the lunch interval and was eventually bowled out for 244, setting Graeme an unlikely target of 255 for victory.
Braans held the innings together with 71.
Graeme’s response was under early pressure which saw both openers depart.
Keenan Vieira, however, came in and set about his innings with calm and determination – traits that have been the hallmark of his brilliant start to the season.
Graeme’s wicket-keeper/batsman set about destroying the Kingswood attack, dispatching the ball to all parts of the field.
The target nevertheless looked out of reach even as he struggled to find a regular partner early on.
Vieira breathed fresh life into the Graeme rebuttal as he continued to lash balls to the boundary in what was fast becoming an innings to remember for all who were in attendance.
Hope soon turned into optimistic excitement as the scoreboard continued to tick at an alarming rate.
Vieira brought up his century in true style with a brilliant six, recording with it his first century for the Graeme 1st team.
Vieira would eventually fall for 146 runs off 115 balls to give his team a fighting chance; however with Vieira removed Kingswood must have felt a sense of relief and new found buoyancy.
Vieira fell with the score on 197 leaving it up to his teammates to complete the brilliant victory.
Cool heads were needed and that’s exactly what Graeme found in Ciko Ngodwane and Luyolo Tshongweni.
The number eight and nine batsmen put on 56 to guide Graeme to victory with five overs to spare, recording another impressive win against their closest rivals.
Graeme recorded an impressive day as they won seven of the nine matches played against Kingswood.
