Rondebosch opening bowler Ali-Akbar Shaik was driven for a number of early boundaries in bowling very full, but was also rewarded with two wickets in the match’s very first over – and three altogether in his opening five-over spell.
Cape Town number four bat Craig Jeffery drove three boundaries through the covers in a fluent run-a-ball start, but then sliced to point to fall for 21.
Keeper-batsman Nathan Schultz played the major role in rescuing Cape Town from 45-5 inside the first hour, ultimately striking a six and eight fours in a Cape Town career-best score of 73 that also took his overall run tally beyond the 500-run mark.
Cape Town skipper Geoff Dods nailed down one end for 37 overs, helping Nathan Schultz add 109 for the sixth wicket before reaching a hard-worked fifty of his own in the closing moments of the innings.
Rondebosch offspinner Wiann van der Merwe finally broke the 6th-wicket stand that formed the crux of Cape Town’s innings, and added a further scalp not long thereafter to finish with a creditable 2/36 from his ten overs.
Nicholas Scott added the necessary finishing momentum to the Cape Town innings, striking an undefeated 26 off as many deliveries to give the visitors a decent final total.
Chasing a decently-sized target, Rondebosch opener Jesse Christensen made it look easy as he set the trend from the outset – cracking seven fours and a six from the first eight overs as he charged to 79 from 79 balls in a 23-over 132-run opening stand with Sean Hendrieck.
Rondebosch player-coach Sean Hendrieck ensured that Cape Town never got a look in, hitting three fours off the opening over of his side’s reply and batting through to hit the winning runs with more than 15 overs in hand – in the process completing his hundred from 96 balls faced, with three sixes and twelve fours.
Veteran batter Alistair Gray saw Rondebosch home to a comfortable win with a low-key 29 of his own, sharing an unbroken 89-run stand in eleven overs with Sean Hendrieck for the second wicket.
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