At their fifth attempt of the new season, Cape Town finally put a tick in the Win column with a comprehensive – and truthfully rather against the odds – triumph over the powerful and hitherto undefeated Rondebosch side. The result made no difference to either side’s stake in the competition, but it was a joyous relief for Cape Town to finally get their first win of the season under their belt.
The match actually bore notable similarities to Cape Town’s game against Kraaifontein earlier in the day, with the team winning the toss then going out to bat with the supremely aggressive intent of quickly bludgeoning their opponents into submission – only for things to go wrong as wickets tumbled instead. Indeed, Rondebosch had begun ominously, taking nine runs off both of the first two overs, but new-ball bowler Darren Rolfe then struck twice in the third over to reclaim the advantage. This didn’t put Schaughn van Greunen off though, as he pulled and drove four sixes in as many overs to power Rondebosch to having 60 on the board within the first eight overs. However, it was adventurous stuff that logic dictated couldn’t be maintained without consequence, and once van Greunen had been castled attempting one big shot too many, his dismissal sandwiched by two other wickets to off-spinner Matthew Olsen against equally aggressive strokeplay, Rondebosch suddenly found themselves five wickets down inside the first ten overs.
Captain Alistair Gray and Marco Wyngaard were then left with a rebuilding task of sorts, which they duly embarked upon employing a much more considered approach. Perhaps it was too considered though, as the next seven overs brought 24 singles but only two boundaries – one off a dropped catch. By the time that Gray then got out, finally obligated to have a go, Rondebosch had consequently meandered their way to just 112 – with only three overs remaining. This time some drastic big hitting was required, and Luke Stevens provided it with a quickfire 22 from twelve balls, as he and Wyngaard struck four sixes off the penultimate over to give their side a reasonably defendable total after all.
It would’ve been rather more defendable had Rondebosch not had to cope with a clinical onslaught from Cape Town opening bat Mathew Goles though. Smashing four fours and a six off the fifth over, he put Rondebosch on the back foot from almost the outset, as the Plumstead-based outfit cruised to 50 within the first six-over PowerPlay. They lost a wicket in quick succession on either side of that milestone though, and though Goles shortly thereafter reached a 32-ball fifty, Cape Town’s total of 73-2 after nine overs put the game nevertheless squarely in the balance.
However, Fletcha Middleton had by then been at the crease for a couple of overs, and was now ready to pick up where he had left off against Kraaifontein earlier in the day. Taking on the spinners with devastating effect, the next three overs consequently surrendered 36 runs as he and Goles rocketed to a fifty partnership in just six overs. Although Goles fell immediately thereafter, allowing Rondebosch to rally somewhat and bowl three consecutive tight overs that conceded just eight runs between them, it still left Cape Town needing an eminently-achievable 25 from four overs – especially as Middleton still remained. He proved it as well, cracking the first two balls of the penultimate over for four and then six to clinch the win and bring up his second fifty of the day, this one needing 33 balls to complete and including three sixes and five fours.
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