Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s (BNCC) Easterns Premier League XI were their normal, merciless selves in a one-sided match against a totally outplayed Springs Old Boys side, at Northern Areas, on Sunday, November 16.
Northerns, the champions two seasons back, stayed in the hunt, along with traditional rivals CBC Old Boys and Kempton Park, for league honours as the 2014/15 season approaches its halfway point, with a destructive eight-wicket, bonus-point victory on a surprisingly warm, dry day.
After a poor start to the season, when they lost away to the CBC side from Boksburg in their campaign opener, Kurt Francis’s Benoni boys have now won four matches on the bounce, all with bonus points, to be strongly placed in the title race.
Having recently broken his habit of losing tosses, Francis called correctly again last weekend and had no hesitation in inviting the Springs side to bat first.
The visitors never really got going and only two batsmen reached double figures as they were rolled for a meagre 90 runs in exactly 33 of their allotted 50 overs.
Opener Jose van der Berg scored 20, made up of five boundaries, before being stumped by stand-in Benoni wicketkeeper Vaughn Humphrey, while number four Jared James hung around for 79 balls in compiling 34 runs as he fought a lone battle to hold the innings together.
But the diminutive James soon ran out of batting partners as the visitors wilted under the pressure of a well-balanced and cleverly utilised Northerns attack.
Spinner GC Pretorius was the pick of the home side’s bowlers and was rewarded with four wickets for 26 runs in his 10 overs.
Stefano di Bartolomeo was also impressive as he conceded just 10 runs in six overs and grabbed two wickets.
Paceman Lance Humphrey, Vaughn’s older brother, took 2/25 in seven overs, while Stian Jordaan and Lee Cothill each picked up a wicket.
Northerns didn’t hang around in the chase and galloped to their victory target inside 20 overs, for the loss of just two wickets, wrapping up the match, which began at 9.30am, soon after 1pm.
Opening batsman JP Kok was brilliant as he powered to a half-century off 57 balls and ended unbeaten on 56 off 60 deliveries, including nine boundaries.
Number three Stefan Jordaan, Stian’s twin, smashed a quick-fire 22, including five fours, as he and Kok stroked some exquisite straight and cover drives to power their side to victory.
The club’s Directors’ League team continued a good day at Northern Areas as they rolled United within 14 overs for a score of just 43.
Captain Blake Vermeulen stole the show with figures of six wickets for 18 runs in six overs.
His team remains unbeaten in the Directors’ League.
This Sunday, November 23, Northerns go to Brakpan to take on United Cricket Club, while Benoni’s second XI, the league leaders, host Springs Old Boys in a Premier Reserve League game, at Northern Areas.
Benoni’s First Saturday side, who also top their league, host Sunward, from Boksburg.
