CBC pick-up critical Northerns scalp
CBC Old Boys ensured that the race for Premier League honours will go down to the wire, with a sensational nine-wicket away win to log leaders Benoni Northerns, on Sunday, February 22.
Stand-in captain Wesley Coulentianos won the toss and put Northerns in to bat on a tricky Northern Areas pitch.
Coulentianos’ decision paid off early as Northerns openers Ernest Kemm and JP Kok went out for a lowly seven and 14 respectively.
Fellow top-order batsmen Lievon Shields (10) and GC Pretorius (13) quickly followed suit, as the home side struggled to find early inspiration.
It went from bad to worse for Northerns when skipper Kurt Francis walked back to the stands for a duck; the writing was certainly on the wall for Francis and his men at this stage.
In CBC’s case, it was going from great to unbelievable as the home side buckled to 107 all out, after 35.4 overs.
In the absence of squad captain Willie Bernhardt, Coulentianos duly stepped in to lead his side in the massacre – the opening batsman enjoying yet another game-changing innings with his unbeaten 79, as the visitors blitzed to the 108 target in just 17.3 overs, to claim a famous bonus point win.
The win leaves CBC level with Northerns at the summit, with both teams on 49 points, with the latter’s superior run-rate keeping them on top.
A few weeks ago, Northerns, bidding for their second title in three seasons, were in the driver’s seat with an 11-point gap, but CBC’s vital win means the local side have clawed their way back into contention, in the process ensuring that the race for the title goes right until the end.
Northerns, however, remain slight favourites with their extra token of a game in hand over their rivals.
CBC also have an arguably trickier run-in, with matches against KT Windies and defending champions Kempton Park on the horizon.
This Sunday sees Northerns on the road for a clash against Springs Old Boys, before they entertain Duduza and the Windies for their remaining fixtures of the season. – @SabeloBoksburg
