VIDEO BLOG: Sports journalist faces league-winning bowlers in the nets

On the night of Tuesday, April 14, I decided to ditch the notebook and camera and gate-crash the practice session of the Eastern Premier League 2014/2015 champions Benoni Northerns Cricket Club (BNCC) at the Rowlin National Cricket Academy in Boksburg.

With the team fine-tuning things ahead of the Momentum National Club Championships in Pretoria from Wednesday, April 22, I figured that three of the team’s top bowlers from the season needed to bowl to some real batting quality ahead of the big tournament.

I last swung a cricket bat in Grade 11 when I played for the Benoni High School Second XI (about nine years ago) and, being the hands-on journo that I am, I stepped into the nets, without a warm-up mind you, to take on the bowlers and face nine deliveries (note my terrible footwork!).

It wasn’t as brutal as the Piers Morgan versus Brett Lee clash, but when that cricket ball comes rocketing off the concrete deck you really do start looking for some divine intervention.

So, without further ado, this is how it went down:

Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s Premier XI’s Momentum National Club Championships fixtures (start: 9.45am, lunch: 1pm to 1.30pm):

Section 2:

Wednesday, April 22: Benoni Northerns Cricket Club vs United Cricket Club at Irene Villagers Oval.

Thursday, April 23: University of Johannesburg vs Benoni Northerns Cricket Club at Laudium Oval.

Friday, April 24: Crusaders Cricket Club vs Benoni Northerns Cricket Club at Sinovich Park.

Saturday, April 25: Erdinger Durbanville Cricket Club vs Benoni Northerns Cricket Club at Irene Villagers Oval.

Sunday, April 26: Benoni Northerns Cricket Club vs Union Stars Cricket Club at Irene Villagers Oval.

FINAL, Monday, April 27: Winner Section One vs Winner Section Two at TUT Oval.

• Thank you the Northerns team and coach Thys van Lingen for letting me disrupt the practice session.
• Thank you to Mark Robey for the background commentary.

The Piers Morgan versus Brett Lee video:

LG