Wanderers Cricket Club was brought back down to earth again after an against-all-odds win versus Delfos Cricket Club recently.
The unlikely win came when an understrength Wanderers side narrowly beat a team that included Proteas fast bowler Beuran Hendricks and a number of other first-class cricketers.
But a determined Marks Park Cricket Club team welcomed Wanderers to a Premier League game under a warm sun and cloudless skies in Emmarentia on 31 March.
Marks Park won the toss and chose to bat first, struggling to 168 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their 50 overs. Wanderers bowlers, Dan Poulton (three wickets for 34 runs) and Migael Pretorius (two wickets for 23 runs – and a player who also bowls for the Lions) did well to take wickets while keeping the run rate low.
They were well supported by the team’s spinners.
However, the Marks Park bowlers were also on point in the second innings as a cool breeze began to blow more and more as the day went on. The pitch also showed signs of wear, helping the spinners.
Zaid Saloojee (3/24) and Yasser Ditta (3/15) made the runs hard to get for Wanderers. In the end, the visitors were bowled out for 115 runs in 41 overs, which meant Marks Park won the game by 53 runs.
All the Wanderers batsmen struggled, with only James Warsop (27) and number eight batsman, Matt Savadier (36), making significant scores.
“Although it was a pity that we couldn’t follow up the heroics of the game against Delfos with another win, it has still been a good season for us in the Premier League,” said Wanderers chairperson, Frank Auger.
“We have a young, relatively inexperienced team that will continue to learn. We have already made great strides, and have won more games than last season.”
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