The days are getting longer and the nights are getting warmer and summer is well on its way to Germiston.
With that has come the start of the Easterns Cricket League season, which kicked off in the city on Saturday.
Both of Germiston’s fantastic cricket clubs, namely, Elsburg Eagles Cricket Club and Germiston City Cricket Club, were in action this weekend.
Germiston swung into action first when they faced the Springs (CBC) Old Boys Cricket Club in the Saturday First League at the Germiston City Sports Grounds.
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The visitors won the toss and elected to field first, sending Germiston onto a sluggish pitch.
The home side was able to knock-up 166 runs in 34.3 overs, with Jan Van Wyk with 72 runs, and Jan Aucamp with 27 runs, being named the match’s top batsmen.
Sadly the home side hadn’t done enough to secure a victory and CBC managed to chase down and beat the score in 23.3 overs, winning the match with six wickets in hand.
“Despite the result, we are still extremely proud of the team as this is the first time in 10 years we have competed in the Saturday First League,” said club chairperson David Ungerer.
On Saturday the club also took part in the Saturday Fifth League and travelled to Benoni’s Willomoore Park for the clash against Wattville Cricket Club.
Germiston won the toss and elected to bat first, scoring 169 runs in their 20-over game.
The game’s top batsmen were Jason Parsons and Gavin Ferreira, who both made 33 runs, and Kyle Henderson with 24 runs.
Wattville were unable to reach the target, only managing to get to 130 runs for six wickets in their 20 allotted overs, securing Germiston a 39-run victory.
The day’s top bowlers were Cameron Ungerer, with two wickets for 10 runs in four overs, and Dwayne Parel with one wicket.
The action continued on Sunday with the club travelling to Willomoore Park once again to face Geluksdal Cricket Club in their Sunday Promotion League match.
Geluksdal won the toss and decided to bat first.
Germiston was able to hold Geluksdal to a score of 150 runs, all out, in 26.5 overs.
Top bowlers for the match were Brain Annandale with three wickets for 19 runs in five overs, Shain Streicher with three wickets for 19 runs in 7.4 overs and Oswaldo de Sousa with two wickets for 13 runs in six overs.
Germiston made quick work of chasing down the target and won the match with 151 runs and three wickets in hand in 21.4 overs.
Top batsmen were Renier Steenkamp with 27 runs and de Sousa with 24 runs.
Germiston’s youngest team rounded off the weekend hosting Kempton Park Cricket Club in the Sunday Presidents League, at the Germiston City Sports Club.
The club won the toss and elected to field first.
Kempton was all bowled out in the 35th over, of the 40-over match, for 157 runs.
Top bowling honours went to Rudi le Roux with four wickets in eight overs, Ryan le Roux and Jonathan van der Westhuizen, who took two wickets each and Cameron Ungerer with one wicket in eight overs.
“The top-notch fielding and catching by the youngsters was the real highlight of the day, with van der Westhuizen taking an absolute screamer of a catch at short square leg,” said Ungerer.
Germiston was able to chase down the runs in 28 overs, winning the match with four wickets in hand.
The match’s top batsmen were Mark Ryzenberg with 45 runs, Jadin Roux with 36 runs, Ryan le Roux with 19 runs and Cameron Ungerer with 10 runs.
Elsburg Eagles Cricket Club also took to the field for their first matches of the season.
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The club hosted Wattville Cricket Club in the Sunday Promotion League at Elsburg Eagles’ Main Oval in Dinwiddie.
After arriving late Wattville were sent in to bat first, after the home team won the toss.
The visitors were only able to knock-up 75 runs, all out, in their 50 allotted overs.
The match’s top bowlers were Jacques Jansen van Vuuren with three wickets for 28 runs in nine overs, Garreth Hann with two wickets for 11 runs in four overs and Billy Millar with two wickets for 10 runs in four overs.
It was then the Eagles’ turn at the crease and they were able to knock up a winning score of 79 runs in just 11 overs, with seven wickets in hand.
The day’s top batsmen were Stanley Thorpe with 33 runs and Millar with 20 runs.
In the club’s second game of the weekend they travelled to Brakpan to face United Cricket Club in the Sunday Directors League.
“The team competing in this league moved up from the Sunday Executive League following their outstanding performance last season,” explained Martiens Grobler, on behalf of the club.
United took to the crease first and were all bowled out in their 50 allotted overs with only 78 runs on the scoreboard.
The Eagles’ top bowlers were Johan van Greunen with five wickets for 24 runs in four overs and Theuns Herbst with four wickets for 15 runs in five overs.
The visiting team then had their turn to bat and managed to score 81 runs in just 12 overs with only two wickets down.
This secured the club an eight wicket victory.
The match’s top batsmen were Tiaan Smith with 41 runs and Willie Stein with 30 runs.
“It was a great start to the 2018/2019 cricket season for the Eagles winning both our matches,” said Grobler.
The clubs will be back in action this weekend.
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