CBC into semi-finals following derby win
CBC Old Boys’ premier side completed the double over neighbours the Boksburg Cricket Club with a six-wicket win at Prince George Park.
The match, which was the last for the league’s round-robin phase for both sides before the play-offs, was limited to 40 overs instead of the usual 50, owing to a wet pitch.
Despite the lessened overs, however, the two teams of players still produced that little extra brilliance typical in derby encounters, which produced a high-scoring affair.
For the hosts, it was Hein Cronje and Ruan du Plessis who stood out with the bat in their respective innings after their side was sent to bat first.
Both finished with half centuries, with Cronje scoring 50 and Du Plessis, who’s consistently been on top of his batting game this season, smashing 56, therefore top-scoring for the PG Park outfit.
Duane Mountjoy (25) and Ehren Schmidt (23) also made significant contributions in their side’s overall batting innings on their way to their collective total of 183 all-out after 39 overs.
In response, Old Boys, who were going to finish fourth on the table regardless of the result, finished on a high as they hit 184/4 with 10 overs still remaining in the innings.
The visitors, who were again led by Willie Berhardt in Shaun Liebisch’s absence, were in no mood to rest on their laurels as they came out firing with the willow.
Openers Dylan Bennie and Craig Parker top-scored, with the former ending with a thumping and unbeaten 76 and Parker striking 66 before being sent back to the shed.
With the win well set up by the duo, Mark Pearce, Wickus Germishuizen and Bryce Parsons added the necessary extras to see off Len Meyer’s men.
Herman Meyer Junior led for his side in the bowling stakes, taking 2/22 including two maidens.
CBC’s trio of Parsons (2/11; two maidens), Tyrone Cameron (2/20; one maiden) and Jaydin Liebenberg (2/27; one maiden) all took a brace of wickets.
* The Eastern Cricket play-offs will be played at Sahara Park Willowmoore’s main oval over the weekend of April 2 and 3.
The semi-finals will see first on the log facing number four, with the other semi-final pitting second against third.
This will see CBC take on defending champion Benoni Northerns, who finished first on the table on net run rate, with Brakpan’s United Cricket Club finishing in close second.
United will meet Kempton Park in the other semi-final.
Both semi-final matches will be played on Saturday, April 2, with the winners of both matches set to square off for the final the following day.
The winners of the final will go on to the National Club Championships in Pretoria later in April.
A rained-out finals weekend would see the number one placed side on the log, Northerns, gain automatic qualification to the Club Champs. – @SabeloBoksburg
