A fun match for new and old Fourways High boys
FOURWAYS – Traditional alumni cricket matches at Fourways High were a maximum success and enjoyed by all who attended late into the night.
It was an alumni cricket day at Fourways High School on 17 January when two old boys’ teams took on the current first and second sides in 20-over matches.
In an unusual format, both old boys teams batted first consecutively with the school’s teams batting second.
The first match was between a team of old boys who had attended the school from 1993 to 2007 and the Fourways second team. Caleb Wolter rattled the stumps of two batsmen as his teammates, family and friends cheered him on. Second team captain Muzzamiel Sujee also chipped in with a few wickets but not before some old boys batsmen had struck some mighty sixes out of the ground into the parking lot and onto the embankment seating to set an intimidating target of 177 for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
The first team then took to the field to bowl against an old boys team comprising learners from 2008 to 2019. The fielding team showed their enthusiasm with players discussing fielding positions and giving instructions to one another. Runs were scored at a steady rate by the old boys but wickets also fell. First team captain Kelvin Urwin led his troops well and they restricted the old boys to 158.
It was then the turn of the second team to reply to the 177 of the old boys. However, the experience of the older players was too much for the youngsters and they collapsed to 95 all out, losing by 82 runs.
In the night’s last innings, the first team’s chase of the target of 159 got underway. However, it also did not go well with the old boys bowlers rattling the stumps of the youngsters and some nicking the ball to be caught behind. The old boys kept up the pressure on the batsmen, often times intimidating them by placing six fielders in close proximity. The batting side put up a good fight, but with the run rate creeping up to six runs per over, chasing down 159 was always a tough ask as wickets fell consistently. The old boys bowled them out them out for 99 to win by 60 runs.
Deputy principal and head of sports at Fourways High, Garth Neilson said the alumni matches were a yearly tradition to welcome in the academic year and have been taking place for the past 20-odd years.
After the eventful night, the old boys’ teams were seen having a fines meeting, while the younger players left with their parents immediately after their matches.
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