The North West Dragons will likely still feel a sense of injustice this week after rain and competition rules kept them out of a probable final in the CSA T20 Knockout competition in Kimberley last week. They had control of their semi- final with the ITEC Knights last Thursday, 21 October, reaching 42/0 after 2.3 overs, restricting the Bloemfontein-based side to 127/8 in 19 overs.
Rain then came down in buckets to douse the Dragons’ fire in a tournament where they showcased the depth of talent at their disposal. Despite numerous key players like Heino Kuhn, Delano Potgieter and Nono Pongolo, among others, missing out due to injury, the team still played superb cricket throughout the competition.
Memorable victories include a one-run win against Eastern Storm to qualify for the knockout rounds, and a superb come from behind three-run win against the Boland Rocks when winning seemed mightily slim. Head coach, Monty Jacobs, said he was pleased to see how the team had progressed and improved since losing their first pool match against the Dolphins earlier in the month.
“I am happy with what we achieved, considering the injuries we had. It showed the depth in our team and gave players an opportunity. It’s great to see the growth in the players and how they improved with each game. Our players never gave up and showed that they can play under pressure,” stated Jacobs.
The Dragons truly played as a team, with each player showcasing their skills in various matches during the tournament. New recruits, Wesley Marshall, Eldred Hawken, Senuran Muthusamy and Shaylen Pillay all played their part. Marshall was the leading run- scorer for North West with 130 runs, while his destructive opening partner, Eben Botha (124 runs) showed his aggressive style with a couple of fiery innings.
Muthusamy impressed with bat and ball and wore the captaincy hat when the regular captain, Nicky van den Bergh, missed the pool games.
Hawken, with seven wickets, was the leading wicket-taker for NW. The left-arm pace bowler, Duan Jansen who took six wickets in three games, also proved to be a match-winner, especially in his final over to secure the win against Boland in the quarter-final. Jansen kept his nerve in a brilliant over to keep the dangerous Janneman Malan quiet.
The Dragons will undoubtedly gain momentum from this tournament for the rest of the season ahead. Even though they couldn’t win the trophy, they certainly won the hearts of the cricket watching public with their never-say-die attitude.
“I want to thank our fans for the messages of support we received during the tournament. It really motivated us,” mentioned Jacobs.
