Benoni Northerns Cricket Club (BNCC) wrapped up their second Easterns Premier League title in three seasons in emphatic fashion on Sunday, March 15, to earn their ticket to next month’s Momentum National Club Championship (NCC) in Pretoria.
Captain Kurt Francis and his team’s ruthless pursuit of league honours was again strongly emphasised as they crushed bottom club KT (KwaThema) Windies by seven wickets at Northern Areas, to conclude their 2014/2015 campaign in style.
Remarkably, the 12 victories that the Benoni team posted, out of 16 matches played (with two draws), were all achieved with bonus-points, which were ultimately the difference between Northerns and league runners-up CBC Old Boys, who were the only side to have beaten the new champions this season.
CBC ended with a whimper on Sunday, by losing at home to defending league champions Kempton Park, who finished as runners-up in the standings with a bonus-point victory that put them one point above the Boksburg team.
Skipper Francis was naturally delighted with his side’s overall performance.
“The guys really pulled together throughout the season and winning the league was the reward for our consistency,” he said.
“The vibe in the squad all the way through was excellent and the never-say-die attitude of all the players is what got us through, especially in some of those close matches towards the end of the season, when we were forced to fight hard to defend low totals.”
Francis added that the discipline in the squad had been exemplary, which also contributed to their success.
“We had no (disciplinary) issues and we played hard but fair cricket,” he said.
“We were also ruthless when we had to be (against the lesser sides) and I think we made the point very clear that we were the best team in the league.”
The skipper refused to single out individuals for praise, opting instead to laud a solid, all-round team effort.
“All the guys stepped up to the plate,” he said.
“Everyone chipped in when they had to, when it counted, in the tight situations.
“Except for maybe the matches against CBC, which we could have won, we played consistently well, and I think one of the main reasons we won the league was because it wasn’t just one guy performing well week in, week out, but the whole squad.”
Francis said that the opportunity to again lead Northerns at the NCC was “amazing”.
“It’s almost unbelievable that we’ll be going there for the second time in three seasons,” he added.
“It means a lot to some of the older guys like Levon Shields (who took a year off from cricket when BNCC won their very first league title two years ago) and Mark Robey (who has been living in Port Elizabeth), who have been playing for years and have never won the league.
“Levon was gutted when he failed (with the bat) against Windies because he so wanted to end the season on a high and earn his place in the squad for Pretoria, which shows the awesome spirit among the guys.
“And of course, with so many youngsters in our squad, they’ll also experience Club Champs for the first time, and once you’ve experienced that week, playing five tough matches in five days, you don’t want to miss it again.”
The club will appoint a special selection committee soon to pick the squad for the NCC, which takes place at various Pretoria venues from Wednesday, April 22 to Sunday, April 26.
Meanwhile, Northerns went into the final round of matches five points clear of Boksburg’s CBCOB and basically required a point against Windies to make absolutely certain of winning the league, but they wanted to finish with a flourish and a maximum points haul was the icing on the cake.
Francis asked the visitors to bat first and they lost wickets regularly before being skittled for just 74 in the 27th over.
Left-arm spinner Ernest Kemm claimed three wickets for 17 runs in eight overs, while right-arm seamer Werner van Lingen took 3/12 in five and paceman Lance Humphrey 2/11 in 4.1 overs.
Promoted opener Robey smashed a quick-fire 30 and Man-of-the-Match Kemm was unbeaten on 31 when, in the 12th over of their chase, Northerns powered to victory for the loss of three wickets, the “contest” all over in less than three hours.
