By Chesley Daniels
Salem Cricket Club 1st XI were recently crowned the new Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) T20 champions for the 2024/2025 season, beating hosts Cuylerville in a hotly and closely contested final. Cuylerville hosted the final day of the GCB T20 competition and had two teams in the last four, having split their sides into the Youngsters XI and the Formerly Young XI.
Cuylerville 1st vs Willows – 1st semi-final
The Formerly Young XI beat Willows in the first game of the day to qualify for the final. Willows batted first and made a solid start with Romario Fritz (27 runs) and Emihle Mgoqi (18), but lost wickets at regular intervals, reaching 106/9 (20). Cuylerville got off to a flying start with veteran Charlie Muir top scoring with a hurricane 46 after being dropped early on in his innings. Captain Brandon Handley scored an unbeaten 25 as Willows fought hard and took five Cuylerville wickets, but the score was just not enough in the end to defend. Cuylerville reached the target with five wickets down and four overs to spare.
Salem vs Cuylerville – 2nd semi-final
A youthful Salem 1st XI that would have put together a formidable Bomb Squad took on the Youngsters XI in the second semi-final. A fantastic bowling and fielding performance saw Salem restrict Cuylerville to 107/7 in 20 overs, Buster Brotherton with 2/12 in 4 and Bryn Wakeford 1/13 in 4. Salem chased the score down in the 18th over with 4 wickets down. Justin Dollery made a brave 40 despite a few knocks to the body from the fast bowlers who should have referred to him as Mr Dollery, given the age gap. Salem won by 6 wickets to book a date in the final.
Cuylerville vs Salem – Final
In the final, Salem bowled first again and a brilliant bowling effort put Cuylerville on the back foot at 49/3 after 12 before a very good 64* off 35 balls from Steven Gornall took Cuylerville to 140/3 after 20 overs. Bryn Wakeford bowled brilliantly again with 1/18 in 4, as did Connor Pieterse with 1/20 in 4. In response, after losing a wicket off the first ball of the innings, Salem got off to a flyer thanks to a fantastic 56 off 39 balls from Mark Were. James Mullins carried the innings through the middle overs before being undone by a long hop layered with experience from Warren Tarr for 43 off 35 balls. A couple of quick ones and twos against some tiring legs saw Salem over the line in the last over, with 5 wickets and 5 balls to spare.
Summarised scores:
WILLOWS VS CUYLERVILLE 1ST
Willows 106/9 (20)
* Romario Fritz 27, Emihle Mgoqi 18, Chesley Daniels 17
* Warren Tarr 2/25 (4), Steven Gornall 2/16 (3), Gary Springs 2/30 (3)
Cuylerville 109/5 (16)
* Charlie Muir 46, Brandon Handley 25*
* Emihle Mgoqi 2/19 (4), Elgenio Oerson 1/35 (4), Christiano Jasson 1/22 (3), Tando Ngcete 1/22 (3)
Cuylerville won by 5 wickets
SALEM VS CUYLERVILLE 2ND
Cuylerville 107
* Dyllan Geldenhuys 59, Steven Hulley 33*, Frank Norval 24, Dean Brody 24
* Buster Brotherton 2/12 (4), Bryn Wakeford 1/13 (4), Connor Pieterse 1/23 (4), Marquin Loutz 1/23 (4)
Salem 111/4 (17)
* Justin Dollery 40, Nick Wilmot 20
Salem won by 6 wickets
CUYLERVILLE 1ST VS SALEM 1ST – FINAL
Cuylerville 140/3 (20)
* Steven Gornal 64* (35)
* Bryn Wakeford 1/18 (4), Connor Pieterse 1/20 (4)
Salem 141/5 (19.1)
* Mark Were 56 (39), James Mullins 43 (35)
Salem won by 5 wickets
