Wet wicket is a downer for United
Minimal rainfall fell on the East Rand on the night of Saturday, October 8 much to the relief of many.
The bit of water that fell, however, was not welcomed by the Eastern Premier League cricketers of United Cricket Club and Boksburg Cricket Club when they were greeted by a wet wicket at Boksburg’s PG Park the next morning.
The damp pitch forced a long delay as the teams waited for the wicket to dry up so that a match could be played much to the frustration of the away team.
The match would be reduced to 30-overs each way with Boksburg winning the coin toss.
This would prove to be important in the overall scheme of things with the hosts taking full advantage by putting the United team in to bat without their influential skipper Justin Gamble, missing from the side due to him making his 50-over debut for the Easterns semi-professional side in the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge versus Free State at Willowmoore Park.
When opening batsman Vaughn Humphrey was stumped with no runs on the board it would be the sign of things to come.
Number three batsman Aidan Justus put up a valiant effort with 55 runs from 77 deliveries, but that was the only shining light in the shortened innings as United were bowled out for 133.
Boksburg chased down the target with little fuss.
Big hitting opener John Haywood hit 63 runs from 60 balls while number three Adam Forbes patiently made 46 from 81 balls to give Boksburg the win.
The fact that such a tiny bit of rainfall would force shortened matches around the region is a poor reflection of the management and monitoring of their facilities by clubs in the Eastern Premier League, the elite club cricket competition.
What will the situation be when the heavy rains do eventually come?
It remains to be seen.
United’s Premier XI will next play Duduza at their Hosking Park home base on Sunday where a dry pitch will (hopefully) be available.
The first delivery is expected to be bowled at 10am.
