Parker, Germishuizen lead Old Boys past KwaThema
Patient bowling and efficient batting led CBC Old Boys to an eventual eight-wicket win over a stubborn KwaThema outfit at CBC College on Sunday, November 15.
Having won the pre-match coin toss, the visitors opted to bat first in the Eastern Cricket Premier League encounter.
Openers Albert Mohlala (22) and Xolani Shongwe (26) gave KwaThema a decent start but it was their skipper, Ernest Mbalane, who led by example and offered the most resistance to Old Boys’ attack with his half ton as he topped-scored for his side.
Mbalane went on to finish with 58 en route to his side’s 175 all-out stand after 47 overs.
Old Boys’ Craig Parker (3/28 and three maidens) led his side’s tight bowling along with Jayden Liebenberg (2/25) and Charl van Jaarsveld (2/19) as they helped limit the visitors’ total.
Old Boys’ chase began with an early slump as Mark Pearce was sent packing for four which also proved to be the turning point of the game as it triggered a positive response from the home side’s top order batsmen.
Captain, Shaun Liebisch, who opened with Pearce, and Wickus Germishuizen fought to help their side recover following the early setback and they built a formidable partnership that would later prove key to the Old Boys’ victory.
Liebisch emulated his opposite number with his own half ton as he finished with 51.
Following his skipper’s departure, Germishuizen and former captain Willie Bernhardt continued with the ruthless showing of the bat and took the game away from Mbalane’s men.
Bernhardt produced one of his finer batting performances in a long time with his undefeated 44 and Germishuizen’s 77 not-out winning the match for Old Boys after 35 overs and with eight wickets to spare.
Germishuizen finished as the top scorer for Old Boys with his unbeaten 77. – @SabeloBoksburg
