Spartans stun Solid XI to clinch league
Both matches ended with a winning margin of 75 runs.
The final of the Southern KZN T20 Winter Cricket League turned out to be something of a one-sided match.
Played at Port Shepstone Country Club; Spartans won the toss, and pretty much everything went their way after that.
They batted first, cautiously to start with, accumulating only 32 runs after nine overs, but then cut loose to amass 138-5 in 20 overs.
Morné Bishop cracked 54 off 45 balls, with some clean striking over extra cover for two sixes and a number of fours.
Abdur Rahman batted at three and was the next highest scorer, making 25 off 25 balls. Bishop had opened the batting with YY Moolla, who was caught on the boundary – a superb running catch – for 10.
Gun batsman Cody Mortimer weighed in with a quick 19 off 10 balls.
Pick of the bowlers was MI Talha, with 2-25 in his four overs.
The other wickets were taken by Zoaib Ikram and Muzammil, plus a run out.
In reply, Solid XI made a half-decent start, with openers Sajib Hasan and Rezwaan Bhula both reaching 12 before being dismissed by Yusuf Zobo and Junaid Mall, respectively.
Muzammil was then run out by Morné Bishop, which put Solid even further on the back foot.
Then the spinners came on, and this sparked a collapse with Solid all out for 63 in 14.3 overs and a 75-run win for Spartans.
Gareth Bishop took 2-15 in two overs, and Gershion Lawrence 3-3 in four overs.
It was a little expensive from Lawrence as his wickets tally is normally higher than his runs conceded, so he may need to work on that. Jokes aside, it was a comprehensive victory for a talented team and finishes off what has been a super Winter League.
In the earlier game, Knockouts beat Bombay quite easily to secure third place.
Knockouts made 168-7, with Naeem making 51.
Bombay could only manage 93 all out, handing Knockouts a 75-run victory.
The players now have a short break before the summer cricket gets going on September 22.
The pitch, too, will get a break with the KZN Cricket Union visiting to top dress and fertilise certain fields in the region.
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