Deshan Pillay starred with the bat as the Red Devils beat Sheppie Challengers (Robbie Coutts Cricket Academy) by 11 runs in round three of the CMCA PowerWise Cup.
The match was played at Scottburgh Country Club on a field that could seriously do with a haircut.
Organiser Clinton Moodley had to bring the boundaries in, such was the length of the grass in the outfield.
Nevertheless, the cricket was played in good spirits, with the closeness of the match seeing the youngsters give it their best.
Red Devils batted first and were in a spot of bother losing four wickets fairly early on, for only 36 runs.
Eli Langton struck twice, then Benjamin Kunz nabbed one, as did Daniel Rush.
Shivesh Moodley was then joined by Deshan, who came in at number six, and runs started to flow.
They put together a big partnership of 106, helping guide the Red Devils to 147-5.
Deshan retired on 50, with his single to get him there almost comical – a top-edged sweep of which no one was quite sure where it had gone.
He thought he was out, but the ball had floated gently up and over the keeper’s head.
Shivesh was out for 22, bowled by Eli, who finished on 3-14. Overall, the Challengers again gave away far too many extras, 64 in all.
In reply, the Challengers were steady, with Ruben van Reenen outstanding once again. He made 52 not out, striking six fours and two sixes, to earn the Orange Cap as leading run scorer.
Eli crafted a well played 24 and was out towards the end, going for the big hit for 24, including three fours.
All 11 of the Red Devils got to bowl, with a flurry of wickets at the end as the Challengers started to slog.
The Challengers finished on 136-7.
Wickets were taken by Zayden Nagdee (1-12), Seth du Plessis (1-11), Anton Bezuidenhout (1-9), Matthew Miller (2-3) and Ryan Mansour (1-11), plus one run out.
Matthew almost bagged a hat-trick. After taking a tumble in the field trying to save a boundary, he then came on to bowl and took two wickets with his first two deliveries.
In the afternoon game, Green Mambas beat Rockets by 140 runs.
Mambas made 195 for 3, with Shivesh Moodley and Deshan Pillay both making 50 retired.
Blake Vincent made 16 not out, and Kiyaren Harakraj 16 not out.
In reply, the Rockets were skittled for 55, with only Callan Hammond making double figures, 10.
Shivesh took 5-17.
LOG
1 Green Mambas 6
2 Red Devils 4
3 Jaguars 1
4 Rockets 1
5 Challengers 0
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