KZN Inland crowned 2015/16 Sunfoil 3-Day Cup champions
Idyllic conditions and the spectacular setting at Western Province Cricket Club provided the platform for KZN Inland to claim victory over Western Province in the Sunfoil 3-Day Cup final.
THE KwaZulu-Natal Inland provincial cricket team claimed a historic win over Western Province in the Sunfoil 3-Day Cup final at Western Province Cricket Club in Cape Town on Sunday to end what has been a revolutionary 2015/16 season for the Pietermaritzburg based outfit.
While having already secured the CSA Provincial T20 Challenge title earlier in the season, it was the first class trophy that the Shane Burger’s side so desperately sought after topping Pool B at the end of the group stage.
Winning the toss and batting first, Inland made their made to 268 all out, thanks in the main to a maiden first class hundred by captain Mbasa Gqadushe (116) and Kyle Nipper’s 69 before three wickets apiece by Ruhan Pretorius (3/10) and Graham Hume (3/45)and two by Kerwin Mungroo saw WP bowled out for just 137.
With a lead of 131 runs, Inland’s batsmen somewhat stumbled their way to 162 all out in their second innings, Divan van Wyk (32), Lefa Mosena (27), Kushen Kishun (26) and Pretorius (25) all getting starts but no one kicking on further.
Set 294 for victory, WP ended day three on 131/3 before being reduced to 247 all out – thanks in the main to Pretorius (4/38) and Gareth Dukes (3/38) – to hand KZN Inland a 46 run victory and their second title of the season.
“Sunday was a massive day for all of us at KZN Inland,” said head coach Shane Burger. “This has been a three year process and to have seen how the guys have bought into that process and now to reap the rewards of that truly has been special.”
“This was such a huge achievement for our entire squad, even for those who have played franchise cricket like Kyle Nipper and Divan van Wyk who have been around for some time now but had never won a three-day trophy up until now. Almost every single player walked off that field with tears building and to see it mean so much to them just goes to show that we’ve created something quite unique within the squad and hopefully this is just the start for us at Inland,” he added.
