The Hospital Fields delivered a GCB league thriller when Station Hill CC edged Rainbows by a single run in an entertaining 50-over match on Saturday.
Station Hill’s captain, Marvin Groep, decided to bat first after winning the toss under cloudy skies. Left-hander Groep, and Franklin Jacobs who opened the innings, were the chief run-getters with scores of 67 and 83, respectively.
Rainbows’s opening bowlers Johnny Peters and Asakhe Saki battled to prize out the two batsmen who scored freely when it mattered. Jacobs upped the ante from the get-go hitting 10 fours and clearing the boundary twice in his innings.
Groep was the more cautious, hitting seven fours in his innings and running quick singles or twos when the opportunity arose. Jacobs was first to depart when with his score on 83 off only 34 balls, he was trapped leg before wicket by Siganeko Booi after putting up an opening stand of 153 with Groep. Wicketkeeper, Roy Mwalo’s stay did not last too long at the crease when with the score on 179, he was out caught for seven off the bowling of Booi.
Groep continued patiently building his innings before being bowled with his score on 67 and the total on 223 in the 33rd over. Wickets then fell at regular intervals, with big-hitting Cody Jones while attempting a big slog, was bowled by Shotana for 21 off six balls, which included three sixes.
Sipho Saki who was dropped twice, tried his best to rebuild the innings, mixing caution with aggression and was the third-highest contributor with 27 that included two sixes and two fours, before being adjudged lbw to Thanduxolo Shotana.
Mason Brooks was the next best score – with 19 to his name, that included three fours, but eventually fell to a catch off the bowling of Asakhe.
The rest of the lower order could only produce single digit scores with No. 10 Zuko Kameni, the not out batsman on 17 the exception. That Station Hill could cobble together 282 off 44 overs was largely due to the openers and one or two cameos down the order.
There were early flutters for Rainbows after the change of innings, when opener Athabile Ngwenda was clean bowled by Jacobs without a run on the board. His opening partner, Liselihle Maphekula was the mainstay of his team but fell agonisingly short of his century when with his score on 98, was clean bowled by Brooks.
Maphekula’s brilliant knock included 10 fours and five sixes, though his valiant effort proved in vain. He was joined by former Station Hill CC player, Zee Jaji, who played responsibly, before he was out caught off the bowling of Sipho Saki for a well-played 54, following a partnership of 89 for the second wicket.
Soon it was fresh batsman in, Booi, who had to depart without adding to the score after being caught off spinner, Saki.
Rainbows’ vice-captain, Shotana, and Maphekula set to work to get things back on track with the pair involved in a partnership of 119 before Brooks clean bowled the latter who had to depart the field on 98.
Shotana and Maphekula’s knocks were all attack and defence when it mattered most. It certainly looked like theirs would be the innings’ that would take their team to victory – even after Maphekula’s dismissal.
Shotana was next to head back to the dugout, when with the total on 222, he was caught off the bowling of Brooks.
The vice-captain’s entertaining knock of 65 included two sixes and six boundaries.
With 61 runs to get to victory, five wickets still in the hut and 15 overs in the bank, the odds seemed to be in Rainbows’ favour.
Bukho Nkwinti with a well- played 23 showed some stubborn resilience and attacking prowess scoring 23 off only 12 balls as he tried in vain to take his team to victory before getting out caught off Hakeem Jones.
But it wasn’t to be, as the lower order faltered against the experience of Cody Jones and calm of Hakeem Jones to fall agonisingly short of victory by a single run as Rainbows were all out for 281 off 46 overs.
Shotana cut a disappointed figure after the match. “I didn’t even want to sit around with the guys after the match, I was so down. I felt we dropped too many catches when it mattered and we thought things would just happen for us, especially when Station Hill were batting.
“I felt so bad for Liselihle losing out on a century but he was bowled to a ball that kept lower, when he was getting himself ready for a bouncer. Our lower order probably could have scored more runs to take us home.”
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, January 22, 2026. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
