The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
CHRISTIAN Brothers College are the winners of the seventh edition of the Petra Twenty20 schools cricket tournament following their five wicket triumph over Harare side Prince Edward High School in a closely fought final played at Petra High School in Bulawayo yesterday. It was the first time that a Bulawayo school has won the competition since its launch in 2009.
A sparkling bowling display from CBC saw them wipe out PE for just 61 runs in 13.1 overs. So terrible was the PE batting that they never recovered from losing two wickets in the first over, taken by pace bowler Mphokuhle Dube. The highest run scorer for PE was Davis Murwendo who made 15 runs coming in to bat at number seven.
CBC bowlers were in superb form as Dube’s efforts were backed up by fellow seamer Anele Ngwenya and left arm spinner Raul Vaghmaria. Dube picked up two wickets for 18 runs in the three overs he bowled, Ngwenya had three wickets for 17 runs in three overs while Vaghmaria took three wickets at the expense of just six runs in 3.1 overs.
CBC’s run chase did not get off to a fine start as they lost a wicket in the first over in which they did not even get a run on the scoreboard.
PE bowlers put pressure on the CBC batsmen as the runs dried up chasing such a low total. Skipper Mitchell Gaitskell, in at number three top scored with 20 runs for CBC who sealed the match in 16.5 overs.
Left arm spinner Prince Mhizha was the pick of the PE bowlers with three wickets while pace bowler Murwendo had two wickets.
CBC walked away with the Comarton Consultants trophy while PE took with them the Petra shield.
It was no surprise that CBC players dominated the individual accolades. Gaitskell won the Sharne Mayers trophy for being the best player at the tournament as well as the Saleem Manuel award for the best batsman.
Other prizes named after Petra cricket first team 2010 vice-captain Manuel were the fielder of the tournament which went to Jimmy Dixon of CBC, best bowler won by Vaghmaria and the most outstanding catch of the tournament taken by Petra skipper Jonathan Fredericks.
The awards were handed out by Heath Streak Multi Sports Academy chief executive officer Joseph Rego.
Six schools participated in the tournament which has been dominated by Harare schools over the years which was a change from the eight teams that usually take part. Last minute changes were made when schools which had been invited notified the organisers that they could not make it due to other sporting commitments. This saw Hamilton High School from Bulawayo taking part in the competition for the first time.
Gaitskell dedicated his side’s win to CBC student Robert Zeelie who is in a critical condition at a South African hospital after being involved in a car accident.
