Easterns reach Africa T20 Cup semi-finals
Easterns qualified for the Africa T20 Cup semi-finals when they thumped defending champions KwaZulu-Natal Inland in Pool A to secure top spot in Pietermaritzburg on September 15.
The Benoni-based side beat the hosts by 58 runs in their third game of the tournament, before losing to Uganda by five wickets in their final clash later that day, although by then they had secured an unassailable lead in the group.
Before that, on September 14, the team defeated KwaZulu-Natal Coastals by 29 runs in their first clash of Pool A followed by a 58-run victory over Western Province in the second Friday fixture.
Against KZN Coastals it was number three batsman Jurie Snyman who starred with the willow, scoring 80 runs from 46 deliveries to steer Easterns to 183/8 in their 20 overs.
Dyllan Matthews performed well with the ball (3/26 in four overs) to help restrict their opponents to 154/7 in their reply.
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Versus Western Province Easterns were again good with the bat, scoring 173/6 in the first innings before wrapping WP up for 115 runs.
Wesley Marshall and Grant Thomson both scoring 49 runs each for Easterns helped set up the good score before spinner Imran Mannack (of Actonville Spurs Cricket Club) did the damage with the ball (4/20 in four overs).
On Saturday, Marshall (54 runs off 33 balls) was again on song while Sizwe Masondo (51 not out, off 36 balls) also hit a half-century to help their side amass 195/5.
In reply, KZN Inland were kept to 137/9.
Uganda then stunned Easterns in the final match when they beat them with three balls to spare after initially restricting them to 143/6.
Matthew Arnold (54 runs from 42 balls) and Thomson (41 runs from 34 balls) were the best willow-wielders in that match for the men from Willowmoore Park.
Despite that loss, Easterns head coach Richard das Neves was thrilled with his team’s weekend work.
“It was a tough weekend for us with four games in just two days,” said the coach.
“We enjoyed three big wins upfront with the first goal always being to get through to the semi-final.
“Our batsmen set up games well and our bowling unit was superb.
“I believe that it is Easterns’ first semi-final in 16 years so it has been a while.”
The coach believes his side has the right balance in both the batting and bowling departments to go on and win the tournament.
The semi-final will be played on Sunday at a venue and against an opponent (one of the three other pool winners) to be announced at a draw by Cricket South Africa today.
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