AMANZIMTOTI Cricket Club’s 1st team action returned to the Oval on Sunday for the last time this season.
After last week’s pitch debacle at Siripat Road, ACC were happy to be home.
So much so, that they ignored the advice of the groundsman, won the toss against Verulam and elected to bat first. The groundsman’s thought process is simple – win the toss and bat second as the wicket is always sticky until the sweat from under the covers or the dew has burnt off. Even on very hot days, it may take until around 10.30am for this to happen. Why bat for one and a half hours on a pitch that can play up a bit and the ball is slower across the outfield?
With the toss duly won, the Toti boys settled down in the shade of the veranda as Jarryd Michaux and Desigan Reddy strode to the crease to open the batting against a youthful Verulam team. Seven runs off the first over, which included a superb cover drive for four off Jarryd’s bat and the thought-provoking figures of 250 to 280 runs, started circulating among the team members firmly entrenched in the shade. The total progressed to 23 off eight overs; with Desigan out for a subdued seven runs. Jarryd and James batted well to take the score to 79 in the 21st over before Jarryd was out for 45. James and Robin added 39 runs to the score before Robin lost his wicket for 23 in the 30th over. James was next to go for a well-played 37. JJ de Wet scored a busy 22 and was the only other batsman to reach double figures. Mr Extras also performed well for ACC, adding a valuable 21 runs. ACC was all out for 182 in 45.3 overs – roughly 100 short of the predictions made during the first over.
A superb lunch organised by Henry Taylor and prepared by Mr and Mrs Reddy Senior was enjoyed by both teams on the veranda of the athletics clubhouse. A big thank you to all involved as it also allowed for 30 minutes of banter between two teams who enjoy playing against each other.
The Amanzimtoti bowling was not of the best in the first 24 overs. Only one wicket fell in the 18th over, claimed by JJ through an amazing diving slip catch by Jarryd.
Jarryd brought himself on to bowl at the start of the 25th over with Verulam’s score on 87 for one. Ten overs from Jarryd, nine from Desigan and the final one and a half overs from JJ had Verulam’s batters staring at the score board, wondering what had just happened. They were 146 all out in 45.3 overs. Simply put, Jarryd’s bowling was sublime, well backed up by Desigan and with JJ taking the final two wickets in three balls off his 8th over, finishing with three for 22. The rot really started for Verulam in the 41st over when Bradley ran out their number five batsman with a bullet-like throw for a direct hit on the stumps with the score on 132 for six. Jarryd bowled 10 overs, five maidens and took three wickets for 12 runs. Desigan finished nine overs, taking three for 26 with two maidens.
It is very good that most weeks someone in the team has a ‘look at me’ day, either with the bat or the ball. In this game there is no doubt that it was Jarryd’s turn with an excellent all-round performance. Imagine if they all did it together on a regular basis while heeding sound advice from the groundsman.
ACC U13 North: The U13 lads travelled to Cato Manor for their fixture with Kwadabeka.
Due to the late withdrawal of a player, the team of only 10 men needed to be really fired-up. The opposition was late in arriving, and it was agreed that the game would be reduced to 20 overs per side. Toti captain, Corne Nel won the toss and elected to have ACC bat first. The openers got off to a brisk start, and maintained their nine per over run rate throughout. The batsmen were never seriously challenged by the opposition bowlers, and the only wicket to fall was that of Corne.
Union regulations insist that a batsman who reaches 50 runs retires at the end of the over in which he scored his 50. Corne went for one last big hit off the final ball of the over with his score on 54, and was bowled by a good length ball. Usama Ghuman and Janko Roets continued to plunder runs from the bowlers, with Usama reaching 50 and retiring with less than two overs left. Janko finished not out on 28. Old friend ‘Extras’ also put on a big showing with a total of 63. The team finished on 196 for one off their allotted 20 overs.
The bowling duties were shared throughout the team, with almost every player getting a run with the ball. Corne again performed superbly, taking three wickets for six runs in 2.3 overs; including a maiden over. He got good support throughout, but best bowling figures were returned by Luke Bowley with an impressive two overs, one maiden, three wickets for just one run. His pace was simply too much for the opposition to handle. Janko, Akhilesh, Ethan and Stephan each contributed a wicket, and the Kwadabeka lads were all out for a paltry 52.
Very well played by all, and with only the final fixture of the season left, can they keep their focus sufficiently to finish on a high note next weekend?
The U13 South team played a friendly match, but most of the other teams seemed to have completed their duties for the season.
