Africa-Press – Namibia. AS expected, Wanderers and WHS Old Boys reached the final of the Cricket Premier League after posting emphatic victories against Trustco United and CCD respectively over the weekend.
On Saturday, Wanderers beat Trustco United by nine wickets on their home ground in Pionierspark, while Old Boys yesterday beat CCD by seven wickets at the WHS field.
After winning the toss on Saturday, United opted to bat and put up a competitive 197 all out, but Wanderers hardly raised a sweat as they chased the total down for the loss of only one wicket and half their overs still in hand.
United captain Lohan Louwrens was unfortunate to be dismissed early on when he blocked a Jan Frylinck delivery that rolled onto his stumps, but Michael van Lingen joined Shaun Fouche to put United back on track.
After surviving an early dropped catch behind by Michau du Preez off JJ Smit’s bowling, Fouche started to grow in stature, while Van Lingen also took the game to Wanderers, hitting some well-timed boundaries in a second-wicket partnership of 44 runs.
They seemed to be well set when Du Preez redeemed himself with a fine catch off Karl Birkenstock’s bowling to dismiss Van Lingen for 32, and the following over Bernard Scholtz made an immediate impact when he lured Adam Bassingwaighte out of his crease to be stumped for a duck.
Darren van Dyk kept the runs flowing with some big boundaries before becoming another Scholtz victim for 31 runs off 38 balls (4×4, 1×6), while Fouche was eventually dismissed off Danie van Schoor’s bowling for a resolute 53 which came off 96 balls and included five fours.
Further down the innings, Chris Freeman added 40 off 48 balls (2×4, 3×6), Hendrik van der Walt 11 and Brendan Britten 14, before the whole side was out for 197.
For Wanderers, Birkenstock took three wickets for 39 runs off nine overs; Van Schoor 3/24 off six overs; and Scholtz 2/37 off 10 overs.
Wanderers’ innings got off to a rapid start as Niko Davin hit two fours off Van Lingen’s opening over, and then two fours and a six off his second over.
JC Balt also hit some fine boundaries as the two openers shared an opening stand of 89 runs off only 9,2 overs, before Davin was dismissed by Hendrik van der Walt for 48 off 29 balls (5×4, 3×6).
Birkenstock, coming in at number three, didn’t take long to find his range, hitting Van der Walt for a six and two fours off successive balls, to take the total to 121/1 off 12 overs, and with Balt bringing up the 150 with a six off Chris Freeman, Wanderers took complete control.
Birkenstock brought up their century partnership with a six off Damon Coetzee, while they reached the winning target off only 24,2 overs, with Birkenstock not out on 54 off 39 balls (4×4, 3×6), and Balt 83 not out off 78 balls (12×4, 1×6).
At the WHS field yesterday, CCD opted to bat after winning the toss, but they were soon in trouble as Ruben Trumpelmann dismissed Wayne Raw (3) and Joshuan Julius (0) in quick succession.
Stephen Baard tried to stem the tide, but WHS captain Gerhard Erasmus turned on the screws with some brilliant fielding and bowling.
He dismissed Baard for 22 with a fine diving catch at backward point, then trapped Nicol Loftie Eaton lbw for 8, and also dismissed Pikkie Ya France with another great one-handed diving catch for 12, as CCD slumped to 63/5.
CCD could not recover as they slumped to 84 all out, with Trumpelmann (2/9 off seven overs), Tangeni Lungameni (2/21 off 6,5 overs) and Donovan Zealand (2/4 off three overs) the pick of Old Boys’ bowlers.
Ben Shikongo gave CCD an early breakthrough in Old Boys’ innings when he bowled Craig Williams for a duck, and when Tawanda Sithole dismissed Dylan Leicher for three, Old Boys were in a spot of bother at 2/8.
Erasmus and Malan Kruger however steered Old Boys to victory with a 72-run partnership, with Erasmus scoring 35 off 39 balls (4×4, 1×6) and Kruger 41 off 42 (5×4, 2×6) as Old Boys reached the target for three wickets off only 16,4 overs.
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