Cronje, Meyer save the day for Boksburg
Boksburg Cricket Club enjoyed yet another crushing victory at their Prince George Park ground, on Sunday, February 8, when as they claimed a 165-run win over Etwatwa.
The final score flattered the local side, though.
With the visitors’ captain, Johannes Madonsela, getting one over his counterpart, Len Meyer, in the pre-match coin toss stakes, Boksburg were sent in to bat first, before a calamitous showing behind the crease from their top order.
A hero in their most recent convincing victory against Wattville with a smashing 125 runs, opening batsman John Haywood could manage only four runs, with opening partner Carel du Preez being given his marching orders for an embarrassing duck.
This sequence of events seemed to trigger panic among the home side’s batsmen as JP van Staden followed suit with a duck dismissal, before Freddie Whitehorne left the pitch with a meagre 14.
At 26 for the loss of all their top batsmen, Len Meyer’s side was in trouble.
Boksburg was in desperate need of some stability to get the runs ticking and Herman Meyer Junior and partner-in-crime Heinrich Cronje duly obliged – giving their side more than stability – a win.
The former weighed in with a century to finish with 101 off 141 balls, with Cronje following up with a massive 127 from 98 balls, as the two put on a show for their 245-run partnership, to get their side out of a sticky situation.
“This was a great team performance,” said a relieved Len.
“The boys are firing, the team has gelled well over the course of the season and they enjoy playing the game.”
Boksburg went on to finish with 289/8 in the offered 50 overs.
Etwatwa did themselves no favours in response and lost early wickets at regular intervals.
In fact, it was bottom-order batsman Sfiso Thamane who finished as his side’s highest run-scorer, with 37.
With their first four batsmen dismissed for a combined 22 runs, victory was evident for the hosts and, indeed, Etwatwa buckled for 124 in 32.3 overs to hand Boksburg the win.
Few bowlers stood out with the leather, with Sfiso Ntuli and Boksburg duo Haywood and his skipper all taking a hat-trick of wickets, while the visitors’ Dominic Ndlangamandla and du Preez took two wickets apiece. – @SabeloBoksburg
