Sabres cut through Poly’s for sixth veterans league win

An 84-run stand for the second wicket between Marc Templeton and Christopher Thompson led the Benoni Sabres to a seven-wicket win against Bedfordview Poly’s on August 11.

This was the Sabres’ sixth Eastern Storm Veterans League from eight matches. It propelled them to third on the log on 58 points, one behind second-placed Benoni Scimitars and runaway leaders, CBC Crusaders who have won 71 points.

Chasing 150 for victory, the Sabres started brightly with Kyle Smit and Templeton combining for a quick-fire 48 runs before Johan van Rooyen trapped Smit in the sixth over. The batsman departed for 33 off 25, which included seven boundaries.

Templeton and Thompson steadied the ship with their second-wicket partnership that put the team on the cusp of victory.

Templeton was the chief destroyer, contributing 52 off 35 in the partnership to end up with match figures 57 off 46, including five fours and three sixes, before Colin Kruger trapped him LBW in the 14th over.

Keenan Fry and George Smith added two and five, respectively, while Thompson finished off the innings, helping his side to 152/3 for a seven-wicket victory. Thompson was unbeaten 26 off 16, with three boundaries.

Earlier, Marius Oosthuizen (3/17), Thirushen Naidoo (2/15) and Smith (2/40) restricted the Poly’s to 149, with Nico Minaar, Jaco Minaar and Daniel Ferguson chipping in with one wicket each.

Oosthuizen began the rout with the dismissal of Tarquin Clark in the sixth over before returning in the eighth over to bowl Carl Mellors and Shane Savage with the fourth and sixth balls of the over.

Chris Rugg and Morne Jonker steadied things for the Poly’s with 53 runs for the fourth-wicket before Ferguson broke that partnership with the dismissal of Rugg, caught by Smit, in the 16th over.

Smit then struck twice with the wickets of Colin Kruger (7 off 9) and Jonker (29 off 27) before Jaco had Wesley Lowe caught by Nico in the 24th over.

Naidoo cleaned-up the tail with the scalps of Antonio Ceronio, who contributed 30 off 24, and Shaun Lessing for a duck, before Nico bowled last man jack Van Rooyen, as the Poly’s posted a decent 149.

The Bedfordview-side are eighth on the log on 44 points, with four wins and four losses, from eight games.

Other results:

• Benoni Scimitars (168/9) beat Calypso Legends (102/10) by 66 runs
• CBC Crusaders (210/7) beat Sunward Tigers (170/9) by 40 runs
• CBC Capitals (102/7) beat Elsburg Eagles (99/10) by three wickets
• Actonville Spurs (167/10) beat Alberton Royals (149/10) by 18 runs

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