Rangers defeat Raiders in tight game
The field had not been mown due to heavy rain during the week and a mower in need of repairs.
Junior cricketers were at it again at Port Shepstone Country Club last Saturday where the Raiders took on the Rangers in a fun holiday match.
Many of the boys are part of the Robbie Coutts Cricket Academy, while others were invited to be part of the day. Some of the regulars were away.
On a sweltering hot summer’s day the Raiders, captained by Ruben van Reenen, batted first and made 108 for 6.
Sphephelo Mlambo top-scored with 15 off 18 balls, run out by a direct hit from Rangers’ captain Elijah Langton – some quality fielding and a rocket-like throw from square leg.
Damion Bezuidenhout was next best with 9* on a day where runs were very tough to get.
The field had not been mown due to heavy rain during the week and a mower in need of repairs.
The grass was long and tangly in places, so the batsmen really had to work hard.
Boundaries were not brought in, the thinking behind that to give the players ample exposure to running between the wickets.
Others who chipped in with five runs a piece were Ruben, Matthew Evans and Blake Longhurst.
Extras were excessive, unfortunately, with far too many wides and some no-balls being bowled.
In terms of the bowling, Daniel Rush picked up a wicket with the very first ball of the match, finishing with 1-6 in three overs.
Karlo Jacobs took 1-7, taking the crucial wicket of Ruben, thanks to a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Oliver Smith.
He later shed the gloves and took 1-11 in two overs, as did Elijah. Thuso Mavundla was the only other bowler to take a wicket, 1-9 in two overs.
Newcomer Tristan Eva was one of the few players not to bowl a wide, finishing with figures of 0-4 in two overs.
In response, the Rangers reached the score with eight wickets down and nine balls to go, so it was quite an exciting finish.
Zibu Malamba was on strike when the winning wide went flying down the leg side.
Rangers were helped greatly by a massive number of wides, especially after the drinks break.
Best of the batsmen was opener Karlo who made 9, neatly caught by Noah Lillie-Peterson off Ruben’s bowling.
Jaydon Koekemoer made 8 but there wasn’t much afterwards, with next best being Ruan Smit and Daniel, with only two runs each.
Ruben claimed 3-9 in three overs, with other wicket takers being Sphephelo (1-14 in three), Bertu van Reenen (1-15 in two) and Blake (1-15 in two). Jayden Derksen did not pick up a wicket but was economical, only going for nine runs in his three overs.
There were also two run outs.
On the day, all the players got to bowl at least two overs, with some bowling three.
Stiaan Fritz was the only one not to bowl, keeping wicket for the Raiders. He was like an agile spider behind the stumps, catching anything and everything that came his way.
The sportsmanship trophy went to Jaydon Koekemoer.
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