Queen’s and Dale produce last-over rain SA20 Derby Series cliffhanger

The result of the Queen’s College vs Dale College rain SA20 Derby Series match in Komani on Friday went down to the final three balls, with the visitors producing a famous six-wicket win at the picturesque Parry Davies Field.

Khwezi Mtshakazi proved to be Dale’s match-winner, holding his nerve – and riding his luck – to carry his team home with an unbeaten 50 off 29 balls.

Earlier, with blistering sun shining down on Queen’s homeground in the shadow of the Stormberg Mountains, it was Dale’s captain Afika Ganda who correctly called ‘rivers’ to win the toss and elect to bowl with a growing crowd of Komani locals, Queen's junior and Kingsridge Girls' High School students joining the Queen's and Dale communities.

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That looked like the right call by Ganda when both Queen’s openers were run out inside the first five overs. Logan Edwards went for three and Ryan Barber for five, leaving the hosts on 16 for two.

Queen’s vice-captain Ross Fitzhenry then took charge. He added 59 for the third wicket with Caleb Waller (26 off 30) before Enkosi Sopali had Waller caught by Zingce Poni in the 13th over - after a few earlier chances had been spilt by the boys in red and black. Sopali finished with an excellent one for 21. Mtshakazi, meanwhile, went wicketless but gave away just 22 runs from his four overs.

Fitzhenry was on 32 off 35 balls after 15 overs, then shifted gears at the death to finish unbeaten on 66 off 55 balls, with seven fours. He and Amila Maselana (22 not out off 18) put on an unbroken 65, and Queen’s plundered 55 from the last five overs to post 140 for three. Dale didn’t help their own cause, conceding 12 wides among 18 extras.

Dale’s reply was steady until the ninth over, when Queen’s captain Mthokozisi Mbambo struck with successive balls. He removed Dane Meyer for 18 and then bowled Somila Malapi first ball. When their captain Afika Ganda (26 off 23) fell to Siphosenkosi Mjekula – caught in the deep - in the next over, Dale had lost three wickets for ten runs and slipped to 65 for four.

At this stage the Queen’s students sat in the main George Hartley Pavillion were in full voice with their amagwijo!

Mtshakazi and Poni rebuilt patiently, but Dale still needed 35 off the last four overs. A 15-run 17th over was followed by 14 more off the 18th, including a massive straight Mtshakazi six, which brought the equation down to six off 12 balls.

It was now Dale’s visiting contingent who could be heard loudest as their 1st XI gathered on the boundary’s edge with nervous energy… expectant.

Mbambo then bowled a superb 19th over, giving away just two runs, and finished with two for 19 from three overs. That left Dale needing four off the final over from Duncan Hayes. After a dot ball (an all-in appeal for caught behind turned down by the umpire) and a wide, Mtshakazi took two and then hit the next delivery for six to win the match and bring up his half-century in style – with Dalians charging onto the field at him in delight and admiration.

Poni (27 not out off 33) played the perfect supporting role in an unbroken stand of 81 that would’ve been the talk of the bus trip back to Qonce and amongst those with black-and-red in their veins for a while to come yet.

Queen’s, excellent hosts, will have their opportunity for bragging rights in a year’s time when they visit Dale’s storied CB Jennings Field for the return derby.

The captains Afika Ganda (Dale) and Mthokozisi Mbambo (Queen's) meet, as Owais Turi show's off his broken stump, Dale's match-winners embrace, and Khwezi Mtshakazi claims his rain Player of the Match spoils from the title sponsor's Josh Raats.