Northerns start 2018 with a win
Eastern Premier League cricket returned on January 14 for the second half of fixtures of the 2017/2018 campaign.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/IMG_6619_98748.jpg)
Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s (BNCC) Premier XI welcomed Kwa-Thema to Northern Areas for the first of four consecutive home league matches.
BNCC skipper Kurt Francis won the morning coin toss and elected to bat first.
The team suffered a shaky start as a result of some early movement with the ball for Kwa-Thema’s bowlers.
Opening batsman Vaughn Humphrey and number three Rian van der Merwe fell early without troubling the scorers.
They were soon followed back to the changing room by the other opener Ernest Kemm with the score at 29/3.
Number four batsman Aron Visser (fresh off a stint with the Titans’ Cubs side at Cricket South Africa’s Cubs Week in Stellenbosh) again proved his talent with the willow.
He formed an 86-run partnership with number five bat Tian van der Walt until the latter was dismissed for 30 runs from 53 deliveries.
The 18-year-old Visser (perhaps a little bit lucky after being put down in the field on numerous occasions) was looking good for a century, but was dismissed for 89 runs from 129 balls (ten fours).
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/IMG_6668-Medium-520x400.jpg)
His innings helped BNCC to a score of 226 all out in 48.5 overs.
Kwa-Thema’s Calvin Ntombela’s figures of 3/25 in nine overs were the best of the opposition bowlers.
With the ball BNCC made relatively light work of the Kwa-Thema line-up, claiming the full complement of 10 wickets for 100 runs in 36.2 overs.
Slow left-arm bowler Kemm was excellent with the leather.
He bagged stats of 4/13 in 6.2 overs.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/IMG_6779_89764-520x390.jpg)
Stefan Jordaan (2/24 in six overs) and van der Walt (2/10 in five overs) each bagged a brace of wickets to help give the Benonians a bonus point 126-run victory.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/IMG_6715-Medium-520x400.jpg)
They will next host a strong United Cricket Club team on January 21.
The first delivery is set to be bowled at 10am.
The club’s Promotion League XI will return to league action on the same day at the club versus Midrand.
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/benoni-city-times/309945/local-clubs-end-first-half-with-wins/
Follow us on these platforms:
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp: 079 431 1217
Instagram: benonicitytimes.co.za