Classic hundred propels Roodepoort to victory
A clinical performance gets Roodepoort back to winning ways
Awaking to gloomy conditions, rain threatened to ruin the afternoon’s enticing derby between Roodepoort’s finest cricket clubs. Thanks to the skies clearing and the playing surface expertly prepared by the host team, Delfos Cricket Club, the stage was set for a crunch encounter on Saturday, 25 January.
Roodepoort Cricket Club captain, David Olivier’s run of losing the coin toss continued but fortunately no harm came from it as Delfos asked their opponents to bat first. The innings needed stabilising after two early wickets, and Divan le Roux and Renier Louw duly obliged. The two put on a 74-run third-wicket stand, setting a solid platform to build on.
Divan was the glue of the innings, aided somewhat by his opponents’ questionable catching, amassing 127 from 91 balls. A late flourish of 39 runs off 15 balls by Deon Brits helped Roodepoort post 263 for six wickets, with Jatin Madan being the pick of the Delfos bowlers, claiming two scalps.
The host’s reply was steady if not cautious. Opening batsman Saurabh Jain along with his captain, Rahul Kumar offered the most resistance but regular dismissals left them well short of their target. A team bowling effort by Roodepoort saw them comfortable winners by 137 runs with JP Brewiers standing out with his three wickets for 36 runs in just six overs.
Man of the Match, Divan le Roux reflected on a stellar batting display, slightly in awe of his possibly forgotten stamina. While basking in the congratulations of his teammates, he quirked, “There were times in the middle when I was thinking I’m too old for this”. Winning captain David Olivier praised his team’s attitude, saying “Great spirit by the guys. We didn’t have our best start to the season but this year has started exactly the way we wanted.” With confidence high, Roodepoort will be aiming to gain momentum into the next fixture and beyond.
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