Phoenix soars to new heights
With only a few matches left, the NDCA is rounding off its season.
The Newcastle and Districts Cricket Association completed only three matches last week, after a period of rain.
The only match in the Ithemba Security Night League was played on November 2, and saw FNB Insurance Brokers Phoenix beat Eagles by six wickets.
Chris Ewart, who scored his maiden century the week before, completed a special milestone with a hat trick spell of four wickets for 14 runs.
This helped restrict Eagles to a low total of 90 runs.
In reply, Phoenix lost the wickets of Ruwayne Chetty (35), Andrew Charters (20), Nico-Jan Chowles (12) and Peet van der Bergh (one), before reaching the required target.
In Pool A, Highlands and Eagles are the top two teams, with four point apiece.
Lennoxton (three) completes the top three, while Phoenix and Drakensberg Old Boys are desperate to reach the next round.
The bottom two teams will be eliminated after the round robin phase.
In Pool B, Asians (six), Underdogs (four) and Paradise (two) are in good standing, with AMSA and Warriors (both on one) in some trouble.
The Spur Super Saturday League saw two matches completed this week.
In a top of the table clash, Phoenix beat Highlands by 161 runs, with Graham Sharp (54 runs) and Andrew Charters (64 runs) the top scorers.
Sharp completed his second hat trick with a spell of five for 22.
This means Phoenix are four points clear at the top of the log on nine points, followed closely by Paradise (five), Asians, Lennoxton, Warriors and Highlands on four apiece.
Asians had another fantastic week with the bat.
Saadiq Bhula (72 runs) and man of the match, Saabir Babar (72 runs) both scored half-centuries and delivered a batting masterclass.
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Eagles, Underdogs and Old Boys are at the lower end of the log.
The fixtures for November 12 pits Underdogs against Lennoxton (Arbor Park grounds), Highlands against Paradise (Paradise grounds), Old Boys against Phoenix, and Warriors against Eagles (both at Ferrum).
Local selectors have also named the Newcastle squad to face Vryheid this Sunday at 10.30am.
Good luck to the following players:
Nico-Jan Chowles, Sohail Gori, Graham Sharp (captain), Aslan Butt, Renesh Harbhajan, Aveer Chandraprakash, Chris Ewart, Saadiq Bhula, Mohammed Moola, Gavin Dyer, Sandile Hlatshwayo, Braeden Coetzee and Yashvir Harbhajan.
The match takes place at the Arbor Park grounds.
The NDCA is still searching for a title sponsor for the Newcastle team – anyone interested can contact President, Johan Ferreira by email: ferreirajohan25@gmail.com.
