The clash of the historic tournaments lived up to its billing as an exciting match when the Pineapple XI claimed a strong 127-run win over the Ngumbela XI in the inaugural meeting between the two sides at Healdtown on Saturday.
The Pineapple team looked to be effecting a crushing defeat on the home team after a career best batting performance from Jonathan Fletcher and a top bowling effort when the Ngumbele XI batted, before a spirited late-innings partnership contributed to an enjoyable end to the match, with the Ngumbela XI fighting back all the way.
The Pineapple XI batted first and they were immediately under pressure as Dale College’s Bamanye Xengxe, one of the numerous youngsters in the Ngumbela set-up, found some great movement to bowl opener Archie Chirinda with the fourth ball of the match. Xengxe struck again in his second over and had opener Clifford Savage trapped in front, and with the score on 5/2 he had removed both openers for ducks.
This, however, brought captain Brandon Hanley to the crease to join Fletcher and the two set about rebuilding the Pineapple innings.
It took until the eighth over, but finally the first boundary was hit by Fletcher, and he followed that up with a further three consecutive fours.
The two took Pineapple past 50, with Fletcher bringing up his own half century, and then past 100 and as they notched up their own century stand.
Their resistance was finally broken in the 23rd over as Hanley was well caught by the diving Makanbongwe Dunjwa off the bowling of Avumile Magijima.
Fletcher then found another willing partner in Kevin Bennett and the two set about solidifying Pineapple's strong batting position.
They took the score past 150, Fletcher reached his century, and they then crossed the 200 mark with Fletcher on the charge as he brought up his own 150 to loud cheers from his team mates.
Pineapple then passed the 250 mark and Bennett reached his half century, but was then bowled by Ngumbela captain Mkhululi Calana for 51 to end a brilliant 147-run partnership.
One run later and Fletcher followed for 155, finally perishing as he went for another big shot safely caught by Magijima to give Calana his second wicket as the Pineapple XI slipped to 253/4 in the 47th over.
Carl van Niekerk with 16 and Steven Gornall, with 11, took the Pineapple XI to 280 for four wickets at the end of their 50 overs, setting the Ngumbela XI the daunting target of 281 to win.
The weather, which had been partly sunny throughout the Pineapple innings, had worsened during the lunch break and the Ngumbela side took guard under grey, heavy skies.
They soon found themselves in trouble as the Pineapple team ran through the top order.
Opener Yamkela Oliphant fell first for eight, caught off the bowling of Abongile Hashe in the second over.
A silly run-out in the third over saw Mncedisi Malika depart for four runs, followed two balls later by Calana, trapped leg-before wicket by Charles Muir for a duck as they slipped to 17/3.
Another bad run out due to miscommunication then saw Mongezi Nabe depart for a duck.
Muir and Hashe then both picked up their second wickets. Yanga Myazi, who hadn’t scored, was caught by Chirinda off Muir and then opener Mahlanyana was bowled by Hashe for nine with the Ngumbela XI reeling at 32/6 after 9.4 overs.
This brought Mgijima to the crease to join Dunjwa and the two managed a neat 23-run partnership before Mgijima fell for five.
Four runs later and the Ngumbele XI lost another wicket to stutter to 59 for eight wickets.
This brought Xengxe to the crease and he and Dunjwa went on the attack with nothing to lose.
Boundaries and sixes were smashed across the ground as they took the Ngumbela team past the 100 mark and then Dunjwa reached his personal half-century and the home side passed the 150 mark before Dunjwa was finally caught for a powerful 66 off 56 balls.
However, three runs later it was all over as Dumisani Nontshinga, the last man, was dismissed, caught off Gornall, which left Xengxe stranded on a superb unbeaten 39 off 37 balls.
Pineapple XI cruise home in clash with Ngumbele
The Pineapple team looked to be effecting a crushing defeat on the home team after a career best batting performance from Jonathan Fletcher and a top bowling effort when the Ngumbele XI batted, before a spirited late-innings partnership contributed to an enjoyable end to the match, with the Ngumbela XI fighting back all the way.
The Pineapple XI batted first and they were immediately under pressure as Dale College’s Bamanye Xengxe, one of the numerous youngsters in the Ngumbela set-up, found some great movement to bowl opener Archie Chirinda with the fourth ball of the match. Xengxe struck again in his second over and had opener Clifford Savage trapped in front, and with the score on 5/2 he had removed both openers for ducks.
This, however, brought captain Brandon Hanley to the crease to join Fletcher and the two set about rebuilding the Pineapple innings.
It took until the eighth over, but finally the first boundary was hit by Fletcher, and he followed that up with a further three consecutive fours.
The two took Pineapple past 50, with Fletcher bringing up his own half century, and then past 100 and as they notched up their own century stand.
Their resistance was finally broken in the 23rd over as Hanley was well caught by the diving Makanbongwe Dunjwa off the bowling of Avumile Magijima.
Fletcher then found another willing partner in Kevin Bennett and the two set about solidifying Pineapple's strong batting position.
They took the score past 150, Fletcher reached his century, and they then crossed the 200 mark with Fletcher on the charge as he brought up his own 150 to loud cheers from his team mates.
Pineapple then passed the 250 mark and Bennett reached his half century, but was then bowled by Ngumbela captain Mkhululi Calana for 51 to end a brilliant 147-run partnership.
One run later and Fletcher followed for 155, finally perishing as he went for another big shot safely caught by Magijima to give Calana his second wicket as the Pineapple XI slipped to 253/4 in the 47th over.
Carl van Niekerk with 16 and Steven Gornall, with 11, took the Pineapple XI to 280 for four wickets at the end of their 50 overs, setting the Ngumbela XI the daunting target of 281 to win.
The weather, which had been partly sunny throughout the Pineapple innings, had worsened during the lunch break and the Ngumbela side took guard under grey, heavy skies.
They soon found themselves in trouble as the Pineapple team ran through the top order.
Opener Yamkela Oliphant fell first for eight, caught off the bowling of Abongile Hashe in the second over.
A silly run-out in the third over saw Mncedisi Malika depart for four runs, followed two balls later by Calana, trapped leg-before wicket by Charles Muir for a duck as they slipped to 17/3.
Another bad run out due to miscommunication then saw Mongezi Nabe depart for a duck.
Muir and Hashe then both picked up their second wickets. Yanga Myazi, who hadn’t scored, was caught by Chirinda off Muir and then opener Mahlanyana was bowled by Hashe for nine with the Ngumbela XI reeling at 32/6 after 9.4 overs.
This brought Mgijima to the crease to join Dunjwa and the two managed a neat 23-run partnership before Mgijima fell for five.
Four runs later and the Ngumbele XI lost another wicket to stutter to 59 for eight wickets.
This brought Xengxe to the crease and he and Dunjwa went on the attack with nothing to lose.
Boundaries and sixes were smashed across the ground as they took the Ngumbela team past the 100 mark and then Dunjwa reached his personal half-century and the home side passed the 150 mark before Dunjwa was finally caught for a powerful 66 off 56 balls.
However, three runs later it was all over as Dumisani Nontshinga, the last man, was dismissed, caught off Gornall, which left Xengxe stranded on a superb unbeaten 39 off 37 balls.
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