Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week Day 2 Wrap

All of the audio and visual clippings of the day can be found on www.csamedia.co.za

The second day of the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week in Bloemfontein saw two massive upsets as the finalists of the past four years, Gauteng and Western Province were both beaten in time cricket matches.

Gauteng, winners of the “main” game of the week for the past three years in a row, went down, on 1^st innings scores, to Eastern Province in a thriller which saw the last two Gauteng batsmen hold out for nine overs before they lost their last wicket with the third-last ball of the day.

It was their first defeat at the week in three years.

EP batted first and posted 226, with David Masterton (57) and Chris Benjamin (54) making the main contributions. Gauteng’s Katlego Thena took the only five wicket haul of the day – 5/29 – but EP still got too many runs and Gauteng, in reply, lost wickets regularly with only Mitchell van Buuren putting up a fight, making 62. 

Jade de Klerk, took 4/62, and executed a good run out, for EP and he was rewarded with the Coca-Cola Hero of the Day award.

Western Province came unstuck against Easterns. Province were restricted to 231/5, with Gavin Kaplan (52) to-scoring for them.

Easterns’ Louis Geldenhuis then made one of the four centuries of the day, a 125-ball 104, to see his side pass the 1^st innings target with five wickets down. They batted on to get to 248/6, which saw them to the 1^st innings win.

Free State’s Christopher Schreuder was 126 not out (152 balls, 14 fours and two sixes) when his captain declared on 254/8 against KwaZulu-Natal Inland, hoping to go for an out right win. That never happened, but it was still a good 1^st innings win for the home team.

The other centurions on day two were Jean du Plessis, who hit 104 for SWD against Northern Cape. He faced 160 balls and hit 10 fours; while Ben Hendersen was 120 not out for Boland against Limpopo (116 balls, nine fours and four sixes).

Day three of the week (Sunday) sees the teams play two T20 matches each and at the end of that the pecking order will be clearer when it comes to deciding who will meet in the prestigious main game of the week.

On Saturday’s form, it seems like Eastern Province have put themselves in the running, while Northerns now have two wins under their belt.

There’s still some way to go, however and Gauteng and Western Province are likely to meet those teams in the 50-overs games that come later in the week, so nothing is certain yet. 

Summarised scorecards

Eastern Province 226 (Matthew Breetzke 31, Chris Benjamin 54, David Masterton 57; Katlego Thena 5/29, Mitchell Van Buuren 2/53). Gauteng 154 (Wandile Makwetu 20, Mitchell Van Buuren 62; Jade de Klerk 4/62, Luther Sipamla 2/16). Match drawn, Eastern Province won on 1^st innings.

KwaZulu-Natal 240/8 (Thamsanqa Khumalo 32, Bradley Porteous 48, Jordan Grobbelaar 28; Nkosinathi Msiza 3/54). Northerns 264/6 (Joshua Van Heerden 37, Ivan Kriek 44, Ruan de Swardt 34, Donovan Ferriera 95, Beyers Swanepoel 25 not out; Zakariya Paruk 4/42). Match drawn. Northerns won on 1^st innings.

SWD 263/4 (Richard Papenfus 32, Todd Walker 70, Jean Du Plessis 104; Chadwin November 2/46). Northern Cape 136/9 (Rabaone Prophy 37, Nakkie Duvenhage 20; Grant Esau 2/23, Joshua Kleu 2/13). Match drawn, SWD on on 1^st innings.

Western Province 231/5 (Muhammed Salojee 36, Mujaahid Toffar 44, Gavin Kaplan 52, Jesse Christensen 47, Matthew Valentine 31; Mekyle Pillay 2/29). Easterns 248/6 (Louis Geldenhuys 104, Katlego Bala 40; Michael Cohen 2/33, Grant Martin 2/17). Match drawn Easterns won on 1^st innings.

Namibia 147 (Jurgen Linde 26, Albert Van der Merwe 23; Mpho Selaolane 4/36, Jacobus Crowther 3/31). Northwest 174/9 (Suliman Makgoro 25, Ruan Von Abo 45; Ben Shikongo 3/41, Albert Van der Merwe 3/25). Match drawn, Northwest won on 1^st innings.

Boland 321 (Andre Hanekom 27, Paul Barnard 55, Ben Hendersen 120 not out, Tiaan du Plessis 52; Driaan Kruger 2/51). Limpopo 214 (TimothyElphnstone 66, Sahil patel 39, Ruvan Kruger 53; Tiaan du Plessis 4/51, Sinala Gobeni 2/22). Match drawn. Boland won on 1^st innings.

Mpumalanga 234/8 (Connor Fletcher 78, Bernard Vorster 81; Axola Ngwana 2/38, Akhona Mnyaka 3/57, Jason Raubenheimer 2/36). Border 195/4 (Sinethemba Qeshile 52; Josniel Long 77; Grant Truter 2/16). Match drawn, Mpumalanga won on 1^st innings.

KwaZulu-Natal Inland 202 (Matthew Armstrong 37, Gavin Morris 60, Sean Gilson 50 not out; Nicolaas Stannard 2/37, Phillip 2/71, Thabiso Lekhoana 2/32, Phillip Visser 2/71). Free State 254/8 (Raynard Van Tonder 49, Christopher Schreuder 126 not out, Phillip Visser 53 not out). KwaZulu-Natal Inland 2^nd inns 29/1. Match drawn, Free State won on 1st innings.

By Theo Garrun
My Two Cents