Two defeats put BNCC in second place heading into the play-offs
It was a disappointing week of results for Northerns.
Two defeats in the space of five days meant that Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s (BNCC) Eastern Premier League One team has finished the league portion of the competition in second place.
This means that the team must play the third-best team Alberton (although there is believed to be a dispute around the team’s required transformation targets not being met which could see fourth-placed United Cricket Club take their spot) in a second-versus-third play-off semi-final at Willowmoore Park on April 7.
Victory in that match would see BNCC play first-placed Kempton Park in the play-off final the next day.
Skipper Kurt Francis and his team will rue two sub-par displays with the bat in both of their matches last week.
They played CBC Old Boys in Boksburg on Human Rights Day and were defeated by 32 runs, BNCC’s first defeat of the season after 17 matches.
Kempton Park beat United Cricket Club with a bonus point on the same day and had the upper hand by establishing a three-point lead over BNCC before they met at Northern Areas on March 25.
This meant that nothing but a win would be needed from BNCC on Sunday to top the table.
The morning coin toss would prove crucial with overhead and windy conditions favourable for bowling.
Kempton skipper Johan Fourie won the toss and did just that.
The experienced captain was superb up front with the leather.
His figures of 3/5 in 10 overs (six maidens) highlighted his skill as he had a number of batsmen playing and missing.
He was backed by opener Brandon Harwood (2/30 in 10 overs), Divan Posthumus (3/33 in 10 overs) and Marius Lubbe (who picked up two wickets in four deliveries) to bowl BNCC out for 123 runs.
Stefano di Bartolomeo was the top-scorer for BNCC with 34 runs from 47 deliveries.
It was always going to be a tough target to defend, but BNCC’s bowlers put up a good fight.
Opening bowler Lance Humphrey (2/38 in 10 overs), Di Bartolomeo (2/21 in seven overs), Phumelelo Masetlane (1/16 in 4.1 overs) and Mark Robey (1/18 in five overs) tried their best to prevent their guests from reaching the target, but Fourie (25 not out) got his team over the line in 31.1 overs with four wickets in hand.
He survived a huge LBW appeal from BNCC that was denied by the standing umpire, a wicket that could have perhaps turned the tide for Northerns.
The match was also an emotional one for veteran BNCC player Robey (31) who announced that it would be his last Premier League game at Northern Areas, where he played so many matches over the years.
His teammates formed a guard of honour for the former skipper before they took to the field.
Commenting on the two defeats skipper Francis said, “It was a tough week for our side.
“Losing to CBC on Wednesday was quite a bitter pill to swallow, but there are no excuses, we were absolutely poor with the bat.
“Cricket is like that, bad results do happen.
“Against Kempton the toss had a big influence, but all credit must go to the Kempton bowlers who were superb up front, putting pressure on us from the get-go.
“I’m happy with the fight the boys showed.
“That ‘never say die attitude’ is what I believe will get us the league title at the end of the day.”
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