Amanzimtoti cricket teams claim cracker wins

AMANZIMTOTI Cricket Club began the second half of the cricket season on 14 January in fine form, with convincing wins for the first, third, U15, U13 and U11A teams.

The second team had a bye and the U11B team lost narrowly.

The average age of the U11B team is nine-years-old. The passion and commitment that is evident from the managers, coaches and players in this little team is unbelievable. A year from now they will have developed into a very strong team. Most of this team will still have another three years in the U11 league and spectators can’t wait to watch them playing in 2020.

The first team started last week in joint first place in the league with Elembe and as luck would have it, they had to play them at home on 14 January. Elembe won the toss and elected to bat first. After eight overs, they were five wickets down for seven runs and went on to score 171 all out in 36 overs. This caused Toti’s coach to lament the fact that the team did not have the killer instinct in his own, unique manner. It obviously had immediate effect on the Toti batters, as Jarryd and Wesley went out and battered the Elembe bowling attack to all corners of the oval. Jarryd smashed 101 not out off 89 balls. With one wicket down, Jarryd and Jordan cruised past their total inside 32 overs, earning the win with the bonus point. It is believed the coach managed to force a smile at the end of the game.

Sunday, 21 January saw the team off to Siripat Road to face Simplex. No team enjoys a trip to Siripat as describing the pitch as awful is being kind and any results are a lottery. Toti’s worst fears were fully justified as the pitch was wet and unprepared. After a quick cut and roll at 8am, they declared they were ready to play. Toti was pumped up and eager to start after claiming a bonus point win over high flying Umlazi the previous week.

With the formality of Toti losing the toss and the opponents once again electing to bat first, the team took to the field with the words ‘ruthless and clinical’ ringing in their ears. It is debatable which caused the mayhem that followed, the coach’s words or the state of the pitch. Some 19.2 overs later and with just over one hour of play, Toti went out to chase down 62 runs. Their performance in the field was ruthless, clinical and a lot more. Simplex never knew what hit them and were well beaten even before Toti had to bat on the wonky pitch. Jarryd and Wesley once again provided a solid start to the innings and in the context of the game, 19 for one wicket was a good start. Jarryd made a quick 26 before he was bowled ‘by the pitch’.

Jordan methodically accumulated 24 runs while James spent his time at the other end, hitting the pitch with his bat to ensure that next week they had a far less bumpy pitch to play on. With 13 overs and two wickets down James and Jordan walked off the field to join their team mates in witnessing a new experience for them as a team – a happy, smiling coach who was lost for words.

Next Sunday it is back to the Toti Oval to face Umlazi. Every game that the first team plays from now until the end of the season will be played as a final. They are determined to preserve their five-point lead so they can move to the Premier League next season.

The second team played Lindelani on Toti 2. Lindelani is a good and competitive team who put the Toti boys under huge pressure from ball one. Travis made a fine 63 and was well supported by Ruan 21 and Nqobani 23 batting at 11. The way Lindelani started their batting, Toti had its work cut out to defend a score of 154. After 20 overs, Bright came on to bowl with Lindelani needing 12 runs and with only six wickets down. His first over cost one run and he took one wicket. Ruan, who has just turned 16, had bowled three good overs and bowled his fourth over which cost six runs and a wicket down. Bright now had to defend five runs and take two wickets to avoid their first defeat of the season. Wicket, dot, wicket was all it took for the team to claim a five-run win. Well done to the team on a very hard-earned win.

The U15 and U13 teams both won again and the under 11A team had a walkover as the opponents failed to arrive. Instead they and some of the under 11B team players who were on a bye, played four hours of superb double wicket on the oval. Thanks to Pieter and Jacques for stepping in and putting together what turned out to be an entertaining afternoon of cricket. It was fantastic to be able to see every child bat and bowl and marvel at the amount of talent the club has among these young sportsmen.