RAINY weather led the Durban and Districts Cricket Union to suspend the majority of play over the past weekend.
There were only two games played, one of which was a practice match between two of Amanzimtoti Cricket Club’s (ACC) own sides.
ACC 1st team travelled to Asherville to face a very confident Clares team.
ACC won the toss and put them in to bat. Standout ACC bowler, JJ de Wet once again bowled superbly. His first spell wrecked the Clares top order and they staggered to 35/5 after 12 overs. JJ’s contribution was 3/7 of 6 overs. As the pressure released between the 13th to the 35th over, Clares managed to accumulate another 97 runs for the loss of only two more wickets. Clares were ably assisted by Mr Wides, who once again accumulated a healthy 22 runs for the opposition. He was well supported by shoddy fielding and poor catching. Sanity prevailed and JJ was brought back. He and Justin Jones wrapped up the Clares innings in the 42nd over. JJ’s final figures were 5/21 off 10, well supported by Justin Jones, who took 2/11 off 4.2 overs.
Chasing 161, ACC were 35 without loss after seven overs when Mother Nature played her hand and answered Clares’ prayers for rain. We will unfortunately never know what would have happened with this game. When ACC can consistently field their strongest team and get over the yips in the field, they are going to become an even more competitive team.
ACC’s 2nd team took on ACC 4ths: These two teams took advantage of the cancellation of all fixtures by the DDCU, and arranged a practise match on the Toti main oval with the kind permission of the chairman.
The fourths have been struggling of late, and were keen to get in additional time at the crease. Neither team was at full strength, but they did manage to pull together sufficient players to field two full teams.
An earlier than normal start was called for to take advantage of any window in the weather. The game got underway at 11.30am after the fourths won the toss and elected to bat. They were soon in trouble with the first wicket taken by Bennie in the fourth over with the score on seven. Hennie Nienaber then got into the act; and rattled the opposition with six wickets in his six overs for only 12 runs, which included one maiden over. The team staggered to a score of 93 all out in the 21st over. Only Voland and Jandre put up any resistance, each scoring 19. The rain threatened to spoil the game, but the players agreed to continue playing in the drizzle, thereby handing the second team a distinct disadvantage in batting second under those conditions.
The reply from the second team got off to a flyer with 12 runs off the first over, and Faf eventually top scoring with 29. The first wicket fell in the third over, and from there on it became extremely challenging to bat. The lack of pace on the ball, and the wet conditions contributed to a collapse in the batting, and the second team found themselves on the unlikely total of 39 for seven.
Bennie and Mike got together in the middle, and it seemed they would save the honour of the second team and salvage the win.
Mike unfortunately lost his wicket on 11, and Bennie followed soon after on 21. The bowlers continued to struggle on in the difficult conditions. Ngobani decided to leave a ball that pitched well outside the leg-stump, but it seamed back in and took the bales from the top of the leg stump, leaving the team all out for 76 in the 21st over. Best bowling figures were returned by Leon, with six overs, five wickets for 18. Well done to the 4th team for the victory, and everyone sincerely hopes they can take that confidence into the league games and start winning there too.
Bad luck to the boys of the 2nd team, who have won all their league games so far. The hope is that this will be the only loss for the season.
