Bumper weekend for Quins
It was a clean sweep weekend for Umbilo Harlequins Cricket Club with all four participating teams scoring victories and earning log points.
UMBILO Harlequins Cricket Club’s first team played its fifth 50 over stream one Challenge League match of the current season at Maidstone Country Club on Sunday 29 November.
Quins won the coin toss and decided to bat first. Opening batsman Huey Naicker playing with his unique compact wristy technique, struck four boundaries as well as a six over long off. He also nudged the ball safely between fielders for a number of risk free singles. Number six batsman Kevin Kettle struck five powerful boundaries in his 30 runs the highlights of which were three skilful sweep strokes of the oppositions medium pacers. Quins were dismissed for 132 runs in 34 overs.
The first Railways wicket only fell when the score was on 36 runs with Railways being clear favourites to achieve victory with only 96 runs to get and nine wickets in hand. Paceman Kevin Kettle bowled 10 consecutive overs and was expensive in conceding 62 runs, but instrumental in capturing four vital opposition top order wickets, as well as a crafty run out and a brilliant extended diving catch at cover.
Right arm wrist spinner Dieter Liebenberg removed the last three railways batsmen, to leave the opposition stranded with the team total just 10 runs shy of that of Quins. This was a closely contested match which perhaps was not played in the usual true spirit of the game, but never-the-less a fine deserved five point victory for Quins first team.
Other team results: Quins 2nds vs Hillary Malvern 2nds: Quins 2 scored 263 runs (T Jacobs top scored with 73 runs, W Van Der Sloot made 63 runs, W McLean got 51 runs and Saint John Piek got 22 runs, T Jacobs 3/31 runs). Hillary Malvern made 224 runs. Quins 2nds won by 39 runs.
Quins 4ths vs Kwa Dabeka: Kwa Dabeka made 83 runs (Willem Fourie 3/17 runs, Quinton Oosthuizen scored 23 runs). Quins won by one wicket.
Quins' Saturday team took on DHS/Rhythm 8: DHS/Rhythm 8 made 80 runs (Gavin Hazell 3/5, Zane Gaze took three catches, Dean Jordan and Keith Baxter held one catch each. Warren Jordan made 27 runs, Ian Karg made 23 runs and Zane Gaze made 17 runs, Donavan Steele made 30 runs). Quins five won by nine wickets.
The Saturday team take a break until 9 January when they take on Verulam at home, but all other senior sides have games this coming weekend. The first and third team have matches at Harlequins. The second team play Clares at Asherville and the fourth team verse INK /Inanda Badulla Drive in Merebank.
Contact Ernest on 031 467 3270 for further club information.
