{"id":88328,"date":"2026-01-10T08:11:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T06:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=88328"},"modified":"2026-01-10T08:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T06:11:39","slug":"marais-van-aarde-tons-highlight-grey-festivals-two-day-declaration-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=88328","title":{"rendered":"Marais, Van Aarde tons highlight Grey Festival’s two-day declaration games"},"content":{"rendered":"
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St. Andrew’s School<\/strong> captain, Reuben van Aarde<\/strong>, after scoring a century against Pearson High. Photo: St. Andrew’s School on Facebook.<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Grey Festival<\/strong>, taking place in Gqeberha this year – it alternates between Gqeberha and Bloemfontein – opened with two-day declaration matches on Thursday and Friday, and two of the big winners were set up for victory by a century from one of their batsmen.<\/p>\n

Grey High vs Kearsney College<\/strong><\/p>\n

After being sent out to bat by the hosts on Grey High’s Pollock Oval<\/strong>, Kearsney College<\/strong> struggled to build effective partnerships.<\/p>\n

Run scoring came slowly as wickets fell regularly and, after 54.2 overs, they were all out for only 129.<\/p>\n

Batting eighth in the order, Daniel<\/strong> Miskey <\/strong>made the visitors’ top score of the match, hitting eight fours in his 40 off 68 balls.<\/p>\n

Anr\u00e9 Schoeman<\/strong> was largely responsible for Kearsney’s batting struggles, collecting figures of 4\/43 from 11 overs.<\/p>\n

Opener Cullen Marais<\/strong> got Grey off to a great start in their reply, blasting 13 fours and a six in an outstanding 107 off 121 deliveries. Arriving after the fall of the first wicket, Connor Parry<\/strong> kept the momentum rolling with 76, while the fifth man in, Logan Goddard-Ford<\/strong>, tallied an unbeaten 82.<\/p>\n

Leg spinner Rivan Moodley<\/strong> was electric for the Greyhounds<\/strong><\/em>, snaring 6\/65 across a lengthy 23.5 overs. Despite his excellent effort, Grey High took a big 182-run lead on the first innings after tallying a mighty 311 all out in 75.5 overs.<\/p>\n

In the Botha’s Hill boys’ second innings, Moodley and Keegan De Jager<\/strong> smashed three fours apiece in their contributions of 23 runs each. But matters went swiftly downhill after their dismissals.<\/p>\n

Logan Groch<\/strong> was chiefly responsible for the slide, capturing 5\/11 in 9.1 overs, but Micha Wessels, with 2\/12, and Matthew Tinley, with 2\/25, also played their part as Kearsney tumbled to 80 all out, leaving Grey High the handsome winners by an innings and 102 runs.<\/p>\n

Die Ho\u00ebrskool Menlopark vs Namibia Invitational\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Victoria Park High<\/strong> played host to the showdown between Die Ho\u00ebrskool Menlopark<\/strong> and the Namibia Invitational<\/strong>\u00a0outfit.<\/p>\n

The Pretoria<\/strong> locals visited the crease first and produced 154 all out in 56.3 overs. In a battling batting effort, number eight batsman, Heinrich Claassen<\/strong>, topped the scoring stats, making a conservative 25 off 52 deliveries.<\/p>\n

The Namibian side’s opening bowler, Waldo Smith<\/strong>, produced a strong return of 4\/17 from only four overs. Erik Lintvelt<\/strong> was a touch costly, but he snared some vital wickets in the Menlo middle order, claiming 3\/83 in 17.3 overs.<\/p>\n

Like Menlo, the Invitational side had to rely on their lower order to boost their innings. Dan Brassel<\/strong>, at nine, and Rowan van Vuuren<\/strong>, at 10, provided a 52-run ninth wicket partnership to take their team past their opposition’s total.<\/p>\n

Brassel hit a steady 38 off 54 balls, while Van Vuuren struck a solid 41 off 46, with both cracking three fours and two sixes, which helped the Namibians to 200 all out and a 46-run first innings’ lead.<\/p>\n

Parkies<\/strong><\/em>‘ second innings didn’t start well. However, Monr\u00e9 Koekemoer<\/strong>, their seventh man to the crease, stopped the opposition bowlers’ flow of wickets. He came up only four runs shy of a century, taking 169 balls to score 96, which included seven fours and three sixes. Still, despite his valiant effort, Menlopark was all out for 207 after 74.4 overs.<\/p>\n

While Koekemoer starred with the bat, Jovan Hartman<\/strong> was superb with the ball for the Namibia Invitational XI, knocking over 7\/63 from 17 overs.<\/p>\n

The Namibians, then, chased down their 162-run victory target with eight wickets to spare, finishing on 166\/2 after 34 overs.<\/p>\n

Openers, Adriaan Coetzee<\/strong> and Tiaan<\/strong> van der Merwe<\/strong> set up the win with an 88-run first wicket partnership. Coetzee was undefeated at the end, having struck three fours and a six in his 60 off 101, while Van Der Merwe walloped four fours and six sixes in his 58 off only 45 deliveries.<\/p>\n

Pearson High vs St. Andrew’s School\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like Grey High, St. Andrew’s School<\/strong> needed only one innings to secure victory, outplaying Pearson High<\/strong> at Pearson.<\/p>\n

Batting first, after Saints<\/strong><\/em>‘ skipper Reuben van Aarde<\/strong> called the coin flip incorrectly, the home side posted 140 all out, with Daniel Smithdorff<\/strong> and Jude Septoo<\/strong> both providing 37 runs.<\/p>\n

Three of the Saints<\/strong><\/em>‘ bowlers earned two wickets apiece, with Nikhil Sukraj’s<\/strong> 2\/10 in nine overs being the neatest return from the trio.<\/p>\n

Van Aarde<\/strong>, batting at four, then demonstrated patience and grit in compiling 116 off 241 deliveries in a Test-like performance. He hit 12 fours while Schalk van Rensburg<\/strong> contributed six fours and a six in his 41. Between them, the rest of the team added only two fours and a six.<\/p>\n

Besides those two players, the Saints’ batsmen offered little, and they were all out for 223. Pearson’s new ball bowlers, Aiden Mitchell<\/strong> and Jaydan Ward<\/strong>, did well, claiming 3\/19 and 2\/20 respectively.<\/p>\n

Trailing by 83 runs on the first innings, Pearson collapsed in their second visit to the crease, scraping only 45 all out in 22 overs.
\n
\n<\/strong>Opening bowler Heindr\u00e9 Serfontein<\/strong> set Saints on course for an emphatic victory, bagging 3\/8 in six overs, while Nikhil Sukraj and FG Botha<\/strong> both took 2\/3; the only difference being that Sukraj achieved those figures in four overs, while Botha did it in two.<\/p>\n

In the end, St Andrew’s School won by an innings and 38 runs.<\/p>\n

Summarised Scorecards<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kearsney College 129\/10<\/strong> (Daniel Miskey 40, Aaron Blackburn 29, Rivan Moodley 21; Anr\u00e9 Schoeman 4\/43, Connor Parry 2\/8, Logan Groch 2\/16); Grey High 311\/10<\/strong> (Cullen Marais 107, Logan Goddard-Ford 82*, Connor Parry 76, Rivan Moodley 6\/65, Michael Groom 2\/71).<\/p>\n

Second Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kearsney College 80\/10<\/strong> (Keegan de Jager 23, Rivan Moodley 23; Logan Groch 5\/11, Micha Wessels 2\/12, Matthew Tinley 2\/25). Grey High won by an innings and 102 runs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Die Ho\u00ebrskool Menlopark 154\/10<\/strong> (Heinrich Claassen 25, Keagan Hills 24, Monr\u00e9 Koekemoer 21, Jacques de Villiers 20; Erik Lintvelt 6\/43); Namibia Invitational 200\/10<\/strong> (Rowan van Vuuren 41, Dan Brassel 38, Michael Muller 30, Tiaan van der Merwe 25, Adriaan Coetzee 25; Jovan Hartman 7\/63).<\/p>\n

Second Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Die Ho\u00ebrskool Menlopark 207\/10<\/strong> (Monr\u00e9 Koekemoer 96, Keagan Hills 31; Ben Brassel 4\/33, Erik Lintvelt 2\/37); Namibia Invitational 166\/2<\/strong> (Adriaan Coetzee 60*, Tiaan van der Merwe 58, Janko Engelbrecht 34*). Namibia Invitational won by eight wickets.<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pearson High 140\/10<\/strong> (Daniel Smithdorff 37, Jude Septoo 37; Nikhil Sukraj 2\/11, Heindr\u00e9 Serfontein 2\/26, Erhard Barends 2\/30); St.<\/strong> Andrew’s School 223\/10<\/strong> (Reuben van Aarde 116, Schalk van Rensburg 41, Extras 23; Aiden Mitchell 3\/19, Jaydan Ward 2\/20, Jude Septoo 2\/59).<\/p>\n

Second Innings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pearson High 45\/10<\/strong> (Heindr\u00e9 Serfontein 3\/8, Nikhil Sukraj 2\/3, FG Botha 2\/3). St. Andrew’s School won by an innings and 35 runs.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Grey Festival, taking place in Gqeberha this year – it alternates between Gqeberha and Bloemfontein – opened with two-day declaration matches on Thursday and Friday, and two of the big winners were set up for victory by a century from one of their batsmen. Grey High vs Kearsney College After being sent out to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":88330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=88328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88328\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/88330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=88328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=88328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=88328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}