Hudson Park star bowler Akhona Mnyaka produced a match winning bowling performance to bowl Hudson to an exciting last ball one run win over Wynberg boys in their semifinal of the Coca Cola Schools T20 Challenge In Stellenbosch this morning.
With Wynberg needing seven runs to win off the last over Mnyaka conceded five runs off the first five balls leaving two needed for a win and one to send the match to a super over.
Wynberg's Raees Carr then tried to scoop the last ball over his shoulder, with the ball going up high into the sky, and Hudson's Cameron Mackay then coming off the boundary, steadying himself under the ball and taking a massive pressure catch to seal an absolutely nail biting win to put Hudson into the Tournaments final.
“It couldn't have got any closer going down to the last ball,” said a relieved Hudson coach Dave Alers.
“We had a similar situation earlier this season against Grey College, where it went down to the last ball with Akhona Mnyaka, our SA U19 bowler, bowling as well and that time Grey got the win, but this time it went our way.”
“This is what we expect of him (Mnyaka), if he is going to be playing for the SA U19s he has to do this more often than not and today he did it for us and was just superb .”
Hudson, who are representing the Coastal Focus Schools, will now play Lions representatives St Stithians in a massive final this afternoon after St Stithians beat Knights representatives St Andrews Bloemfontein by 49 runs in the other semi.
“It is a dream come true to make the final and we are rank underdogs,” admitted Alers.
“They (St Stithians) are ranked number one in the country, have not lost this season and won every match here, they are a quality side, but in saying that we are also a quality side and I think our bowlers will give their batsman a bit of a headache.”
In the match against Cobras reps Wynberg, Hudson batted first and scored a competitive 116/3 in their 20 overs.
Jason Niemand managed a run-a-ball 18 before coming down the wicket at Wynberg's Josh Breed and ending up stumped with Hudson 27/1.
That became 47/2 in the 10th over when Luke Dallas (18) was run out, with Nonelela Yhika coming in to join his captain Sinethemba Qeshile at the crease.
They then set about an important 57-run partnership with Qeshile in really good knick, as they took Hudson past 100 in the 18thover.
Yhika then fell for 19, but Qeshile continued, reaching a well deserved half century, as he led Hudson to their total, with him finishing unbeaten on 53 off 40 balls (6x4) at the end.
The Wynberg chase then got off to a great start as Niemand's first over went for 10 runs.
However Mnyaka then got a wicket off his first ball, trapping Karl Vermuelen (9) LBW, with that over ending as a wicket maiden.
Mnyaka was then in the action again at the start of the next as Bradley Mauer had Cedric Landers (1) caught as Wynberg slipped to 11/2.
Niemand then return for a superb second spell, claiming three wickets in three over as Wynberg crashed to 58/6 in the 12th over with a run out thrown into the mix as well.
Grant Martin (38) and Ebrahiem Sama (18) then led a Wynberg revival that set them up as favourites going into the last three overs, with Mauer's 17th over going 14-runs, including five penalty runs after the ball hit keeper Qeshile's helmet behind him.
That left them needing 18 runs off 18 balls, leaving Mnyaka to pull of his heroics, conceding five runs of the 18th and five off the last to win the match.
His brilliant figures of 2/12 off four overs was clearly the difference in the match.
The other East London side in the competition, Warriors representatives Selborne College lost the plate final against Titans reps HS Centurion.
Centurion scored 148/8 batting first, with Selborne's Sebastian Denison-Brown the hero with the ball, claiming 4/24 in his four overs.
Selborne's chase then fell just short as Josneil Long (39), Dylan Deetlefs (36) and captain Jason Raubenheimer (29) tried their best to get them over the line, however they ended just four runs short on 144/6 in the end.
This means Selborne finish sixth out of the eight teams in the competition, an impressive effort from them in their first appearance at these school finals.
Hudson into massive schools T20 final
With Wynberg needing seven runs to win off the last over Mnyaka conceded five runs off the first five balls leaving two needed for a win and one to send the match to a super over.
Wynberg's Raees Carr then tried to scoop the last ball over his shoulder, with the ball going up high into the sky, and Hudson's Cameron Mackay then coming off the boundary, steadying himself under the ball and taking a massive pressure catch to seal an absolutely nail biting win to put Hudson into the Tournaments final.
“It couldn't have got any closer going down to the last ball,” said a relieved Hudson coach Dave Alers.
“We had a similar situation earlier this season against Grey College, where it went down to the last ball with Akhona Mnyaka, our SA U19 bowler, bowling as well and that time Grey got the win, but this time it went our way.”
“This is what we expect of him (Mnyaka), if he is going to be playing for the SA U19s he has to do this more often than not and today he did it for us and was just superb .”
Hudson, who are representing the Coastal Focus Schools, will now play Lions representatives St Stithians in a massive final this afternoon after St Stithians beat Knights representatives St Andrews Bloemfontein by 49 runs in the other semi.
“It is a dream come true to make the final and we are rank underdogs,” admitted Alers.
“They (St Stithians) are ranked number one in the country, have not lost this season and won every match here, they are a quality side, but in saying that we are also a quality side and I think our bowlers will give their batsman a bit of a headache.”
In the match against Cobras reps Wynberg, Hudson batted first and scored a competitive 116/3 in their 20 overs.
Jason Niemand managed a run-a-ball 18 before coming down the wicket at Wynberg's Josh Breed and ending up stumped with Hudson 27/1.
That became 47/2 in the 10th over when Luke Dallas (18) was run out, with Nonelela Yhika coming in to join his captain Sinethemba Qeshile at the crease.
They then set about an important 57-run partnership with Qeshile in really good knick, as they took Hudson past 100 in the 18thover.
Yhika then fell for 19, but Qeshile continued, reaching a well deserved half century, as he led Hudson to their total, with him finishing unbeaten on 53 off 40 balls (6x4) at the end.
The Wynberg chase then got off to a great start as Niemand's first over went for 10 runs.
However Mnyaka then got a wicket off his first ball, trapping Karl Vermuelen (9) LBW, with that over ending as a wicket maiden.
Mnyaka was then in the action again at the start of the next as Bradley Mauer had Cedric Landers (1) caught as Wynberg slipped to 11/2.
Niemand then return for a superb second spell, claiming three wickets in three over as Wynberg crashed to 58/6 in the 12th over with a run out thrown into the mix as well.
Grant Martin (38) and Ebrahiem Sama (18) then led a Wynberg revival that set them up as favourites going into the last three overs, with Mauer's 17th over going 14-runs, including five penalty runs after the ball hit keeper Qeshile's helmet behind him.
That left them needing 18 runs off 18 balls, leaving Mnyaka to pull of his heroics, conceding five runs of the 18th and five off the last to win the match.
His brilliant figures of 2/12 off four overs was clearly the difference in the match.
The other East London side in the competition, Warriors representatives Selborne College lost the plate final against Titans reps HS Centurion.
Centurion scored 148/8 batting first, with Selborne's Sebastian Denison-Brown the hero with the ball, claiming 4/24 in his four overs.
Selborne's chase then fell just short as Josneil Long (39), Dylan Deetlefs (36) and captain Jason Raubenheimer (29) tried their best to get them over the line, however they ended just four runs short on 144/6 in the end.
This means Selborne finish sixth out of the eight teams in the competition, an impressive effort from them in their first appearance at these school finals.
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