Breathing space for Northerns in the Premier League after CBC win
The win is crucial for the Benonians in the competition.
Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s (BNCC) Premier XI established a 10-point lead atop the Eastern Premier League table with a three-wicket win over Boksburg’s CBC Old Boys at Northern Areas on February 10.
Northerns knew that a win over the second-placed side would give them good breathing space over the rest of the top six teams.
It wasn’t going to be an easy task, however, as CBC was right up for the challenge.
BNCC skipper Kurt Francis won the toss and elected to bowl first on his home wicket which he said was flat and played a bit harder than he thought it would.
“We always knew that coming into the top six stage of the season it was going to be tough with everyone vying for the top position so we’re extremely happy with the result,” said the Northerns captain.
“Our bowlers were unreal, but our fielding could have been better.
“We dropped a few catches, but with the bowlers bowling their areas and lines so well it did restrict them to a score below 200 runs.”
CBC put together 192 runs in their batting innings while BNCC’s Stefan Jordaan was the standout performer with bowling figures of 4/34, Leonard Killeen was the next best with statistics of 3/26.
With the bat, Northerns suffered an early blow losing big-hitting opener Vaughn Humphrey off the first ball.
A solid middle order partnership from Killeen and Francis, however, got them back on track in the chase.
Francis scored a captain’s knock of 56 runs from 54 deliveries while Killeen’s 43 runs from 60 balls were equally as valuable.
When they were removed it was left to number eight batsman WP Myburgh and Lance Humphrey to carry the league-leaders over the line with three wickets and they held their nerve with aplomb to give the hosts the important victory.
They will next play Boksburg Cricket Club at Northern Areas on February 17 and will seek revenge for a defeat suffered in Boksburg in the latter part of 2018.
The first ball is set to be delivered at 10am.
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