Boksburg, CBC qualify for premier league Top 6
The competition represents the business end of the league, with the Top 6 set to clash with one another once each before the play-off stage.
Boksburg Eastern Cricket Premier League representatives, the Boksburg Cricket Club, and cross-road neighbours CBC Old Boys have qualified for the Top 6.
Both Boksburg teams are joined by Benoni Northerns, Kempton Park, Alberton and Bedfordview.
The first round of play was scheduled for February 16, with Old Boys hosting Kempton and Benoni travelling to Northerns.
Reports on both clashes will be released in the next issue of the Advertiser.
Speaking to the Advertiser ahead of the beginning of the elite tournament, Old Boys skipper Casey Arnold commented: “We won three out of four this year and I am happy with how everything has gone. The one big disappointment so far at CBC is whenever it’s come down to a big game, we’ve lost – and by close margins – every single time.
“It just feels like mentally we need to step up. We haven’t stepped up in the really big games, but we’ve really done well in the other games.
“We are really happy to be in the Top 6, happy to be playing strength-on-strength cricket every week, and we are happy to be mixing it with the big boys. But one disappointing thing is we haven’t been able to topple the big boys this year so far.
“So we’ve got Kempton this week (meaning last Sunday), then Benoni and then Alberton in the first three games and it’s kind of make or break, so we’re hoping that we’ve learnt lessons from the beginning of the year and hopefully we can put in a couple of strong performances and turn that form around when it counts.”
Boksburg captain Adam Forbes also gave his two cents ahead of the tournament.
“The mood (in the camp) is a bit low at the moment, especially after an extremely poor result last weekend, but we had a chat as a unit and got our morale up by knowing we achieved our goal of making the Top 6.
“Having such a young side, we are all quite hyped up and we don’t carry past results on our back, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m very chuffed to have made it. The coaching staff and I set goals each season, and if we achieve the goals as a team, then we have done something right.
“The last three results weren’t ideal, but we are going to come out fighting and we’re going to turn things around.” – @SabeloBoksburg
