KNYSNA CRICKET NEWS - Last weekend, Knysna Sport Academy (KSA) welcomed the u.11 and u.13 teams of the Child Active Sports Academy in George for two days of great cricket.
The friendly games were held on the cricket field at KSA, with the u.11 teams getting the weekend underway on Saturday 6 March while the u.13s locked horns on Sunday 7 March.
With parents of kiddies from both academies ready to cheer the boys on, the u.11s were treated to beautiful warm sunny weather on Saturday.
The visitors from George strode out to the crease first to start off their 25-over innings. The Knysna boys got things off to a good start with two wickets in the first eight overs, but Child Active fought back well. They put together a steady string of double-figure scores, and thanks to a late flurry from top-scorer Ben de Waal (17 runs), they reached 108 all-out.
The KSA bowlers shared the spoils as Ross Campbell, Eric Goedhals and Caleb Smith all bagged two wickets.
Photo gallery: KSA vs Child Active Sports Academy
The KSA batsmen struggled to score runs against the Child Active bowlers, but refused to go down without a fight. Ross did well with the bat too, scoring the second-most runs (12), but it would ultimately be a doggedly determined 18 runs scored by Ben Rutherford that was their top score.
KSA was restricted to 74-9 in their 25 overs, but moms and dads were proud of their efforts nonetheless. Christiaan Botha and Aidan Grace claimed two wickets each for Child Active.
The u.13s also had lovely weather on Sunday, but it was a reversal of innings this time as KSA's batsmen walked out to the middle to bat first. With a total of 70 overs to play, the u.13 teams put on a real show. Assisted by scores from Liam Nurse (17), Jaco Bouwer (17) and Matt Eickhaus (18), Warrick Campbell steered his side's innings with a gutsy 35 not out, batting for most of the innings.
KSA ultimately scored 170-8 in their 35 overs, with Marco Nel and Jonty Jackson getting two wickets each for Child Active.
Jonty and Marco would be in the spotlight again with bat in hand as they got their side off to a brilliant start courtesy of a 77-run opening partnership. Jonty top-scored in the innings with 37, while Marco scored 30. After their strong opening stand, the KSA bowlers fought back hard, with only three more batsmen reaching double figures.
The game eventually came down to the final over, with Child Active needing five runs to win off six balls.
Luan van Rooyen, who had helped steady the innings with the tail for Child Active, was on strike for the first ball, but he was bowled by Jaco Bouwer. Jaco continued to deliver a brilliant final over, with the game coming down to the final ball. Child Active needed two runs to win, one to tie, and KSA needed a dot ball or a wicket to win.
Zach Montagna plays a cut shot in the u.13 game. Photo: Blake Linder
It ended up as a tie, with Declan Wiid edging his first ball past the wicketkeeper and managing to score one run before being run out with the scores level.
It was the perfect end to a brilliant, evenly weighted game. Jaco just missed being KSA's top bowler, claiming three wickets for 16 runs in his five overs, and Warrick Campbell emerged as top bowler with four wickets for 21 runs in his five overs.
Eric Goedhals at the top of his action for KSA's u.11s. Photos: Blake Linder
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
