Wilson and Sulaymaan Gangat (19) combined to put on 34 runs and then Luke Hector joined Wilson to add 87 runs off just 63 balls for the fourth wicket.
While Wilson took charge, Hector anchored the innings with a patient 25 off 31 balls.
Spin bowler Burton opened the bowling for Pearson and hit an accurate line and length to give nothing away in his four overs on the trot.
That piled the pressure on Grey and Kade Myburgh maintained the stranglehold with his figures of 3/21 in four overs.
Wilson, Gangat and Jayden Ward lent excellent support by each capturing two wickets.
Frederick Jansen tried to turn the tide for Grey with a knock of 28 off 12 balls (three sixes), but Pearson remained firmly in control and finally dismissed their opponents for 127.
Pearson head of cricket Charl van der Merwe was beyond impressed by the performance of his players, not only in the final, but throughout their season so far as they remain unbeaten.
Van der Merwe said: “I am very proud of the victory. The boys did well throughout the campaign from start to finish.
“Our top players showed up when it mattered the most and got us over the line in the manner that we wanted.”
He also had some words of respect for his team’s opponents, also from Gqeberha.
“Grey have a good side that performed well in the tournament.
“They also have a great cricketing tradition and beating Grey at any time is special for us.”
Pearson outduel Gqeberha rivals Grey High in T20 final
Border teams falter in semifinals of regional schools competition
Image: MARK ANDREWS
East London played host to the second phase of the SA20 Schools cricket competition at Buffalo Park at the weekend, with Pearson High from Gqeberha and Nomandi from Port St Johns emerging as the boys’ and girls’ regional champions.
After defeating Selborne and Queen’s College respectively in the semifinals, Pearson and Grey High met in the boys’ final on Sunday morning, with the former maintaining their unbeaten record.
That result ushered Pearson into the third phase of the competition, which will see them lock horns with the other regional winners for the honour of becoming national champions
In the final, Pearson captain Cayden Wilson flayed the Grey attack for five fours and four sixes on his way to a match-winning 69 off 46 balls, leading his side to a formidable total of 156/8.
Pearson’s decision to bat first seemed to have backfired when they lost Matthew Burton in the second over after a quick-fire 17 off nine balls.
They then lost Jude Septoo five balls later, so two of their in-form batsmen were back in the changing room and the middle-order faced their first test of the playoffs.
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Wilson and Sulaymaan Gangat (19) combined to put on 34 runs and then Luke Hector joined Wilson to add 87 runs off just 63 balls for the fourth wicket.
While Wilson took charge, Hector anchored the innings with a patient 25 off 31 balls.
Spin bowler Burton opened the bowling for Pearson and hit an accurate line and length to give nothing away in his four overs on the trot.
That piled the pressure on Grey and Kade Myburgh maintained the stranglehold with his figures of 3/21 in four overs.
Wilson, Gangat and Jayden Ward lent excellent support by each capturing two wickets.
Frederick Jansen tried to turn the tide for Grey with a knock of 28 off 12 balls (three sixes), but Pearson remained firmly in control and finally dismissed their opponents for 127.
Pearson head of cricket Charl van der Merwe was beyond impressed by the performance of his players, not only in the final, but throughout their season so far as they remain unbeaten.
Van der Merwe said: “I am very proud of the victory. The boys did well throughout the campaign from start to finish.
“Our top players showed up when it mattered the most and got us over the line in the manner that we wanted.”
He also had some words of respect for his team’s opponents, also from Gqeberha.
“Grey have a good side that performed well in the tournament.
“They also have a great cricketing tradition and beating Grey at any time is special for us.”
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Acting Border cricket president Wezile Mgculo was in attendance as the trophies were handed out to the winners.
“Throughout the weekend, the young players performed well for both females and males.”
Commenting on being hosts of such a prominent tournament, he added: “I was happy when we got the nod to host the tournament.
“It has given our schools some much-needed exposure.
“It is my wish that tournaments like this one can come to East London more often as such opportunities will motivate our schools from the rural areas.”
In the boys’ semifinals, Luke Tait and Charl Posthumus acquitted themselves well, with both registering half-centuries to propel Grey High to 167/5 in their showdown with Queen’s College.
They ran hard and dispatched any bad balls which were sent their way in a brisk opening partnership of 123 in 15.2 overs.
Posthumus finished with a brilliant 65 from 45 balls, while Tait made 64 from 59 balls.
No other batsmen could reach double figures, but the hard work had been done to set Queen’s a daunting target.
Teun Kloppenberg then showed up with the ball and captured 2/9 as Grey restricted Queen’s to 59/7.
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The pick of the Grey bowlers, though, was Nathan Howell, who picked up 2/5 in three overs.
In the other semifinal, Gangat spun a web around Selborne College as Pearson limited them to 87 all out, snaring 3/13 from four overs.
Josh Wilkie did his best to combat the Pearson attack, but not even his 37 off 38 balls could lift Selborne to a defendable total as no other batsman made more than 10.
Pearson lost four wickets in the power play, but they were also able to score at a quick rate and had reached 57 at the end of the sixth over by the time the fourth wicket fell.
Thanks to Wilson, who blasted 28 off 11 balls, and Hector, who hit 21 off 18 deliveries, Pearson were able to reach their target with four wickets in hand.
Not even a double strike by Michael Hess in one over (2/4) and a big effort by Bungqina Nuku (3/31) could get Selborne back into the game. — Additional reporting by SuperSportSchools.com
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