SEVEN Umbilo Harlequins Cricket Club teams played league matches in their respective leagues on 21 and 22 October.
On Sunday morning the first team played its KZNCU Challenge league semi final encounter against Southern Natal Cricket Union at Comtech, Umlazi.
Ball velocity across the uneven outfield was lighting fast, the wicket surface was superbly prepared with weather conditions favourable.
Southern Natal batted first. Quins were somewhat concerned about the run rate during the entire course of the Southern Natal innings, but were however aware of the favourable batting conditions. Medium pacer Mohammed Patel was the most economical of Quins’ bowlers, taking a wicket for 20 runs in four overs. Slow right arm orthodox Eric Cavanagh performed admirably in conceding just 17 runs off an abbreviated three overs, capturing one wicket. Trevor Campbell was the most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 36 runs in four overs. Southern Natal ratcheted up a tally of 163 runs, losing six wickets in 20 overs.
Mohammed Patel was the best of Quins’ fielders.
At 68 runs for five wickets, Quins appeared set to suffer an imminent demise before the end of its batting allocation of 20 overs. However opening batsman Momedthala Mothala’s responsible innings of 72 runs was superbly paced as he performed an anchor role with a plausible strike rate. Lower middle order batsman Dieter Liebenberg’s sprightly innings of two dozen runs attributed to Quins’ quest for a victory, but his dismissal swayed the balance of the match toward the opposition. However then came the swashbuckling innings by number eight batsman Mohammed Patel. His gay abandon and array of powerfully lofted drives and pull shots took Quins to a sensational victory in the final over with just three deliveries remaining. Quins will tackle East Coast from Phoenix in the final of this 19-team competition on Sunday morning, 29 October at a venue yet to be determined.
The second team had a bye.
The third side took on a powerful Berea Rovers 3 team at Lutherfield, Kloof, in a 30 over division one game. Rovers 3 scored 229 for the loss of nine wickets in 30 overs. All Quins’ bowlers were expensive to their cause. Pace bowler Mark Gouveia was the most economical with five overs for 27 runs, taking two wickets. Seamers Shaun Nicholl and Theuns Jacobs also took two wickets each.
The fourth team lost a humdinger of a 30 over division 2 match against East Coast by a mere run after exhausting their over allocation. Had Quins batted first instead of electing to bat last, they would have undoubtedly had the advantage through superior luminance during their batting innings and the result would have been in their favour. The fifth team played their division 4 match at John Dory Drive, Newlands.
Newlands East Kensea 6 was dismissed in the 26th over for 112 runs. Jarryd Murgatroyd captured five opposition wickets for 25 runs in six overs of spin bowling. Opening batsman Jarryd Murgatroyd scored 26 runs. The other opening batsman, Casper Groenewald was undefeated on 40 runs and number three batter Sheldon Spindler accumulated 37 runs to surpass the target in 15 overs, losing one wicket.
Quins fifth team won the toss and elected to bowl first. Simplex 4 was in trouble right from the start, with all four bowlers in the wickets. Darryl Lavender took 4/24 in six overs, Gavin Hazell 2/10 in six overs, Craig Laing 2/17 in 4.1 overs and Dylan Jenkins 2/16 in four overs. This meant that Simplex 4 was 70 all out in 20.1 overs. Mention must be made of the excellent early season catching with no fewer than nine catches taken. Quins made heavy weather of the chase but ended on 75/6 after just 12.5 overs. Ian Karg 24, Dylan Jenkins 17* and Jason Rouse with 14 were the main scorers. Quins six won by four wickets.
The U13 team played a 30 over youth league match against INK Ntuzuma at Harlequins 1 on Sunday morning. Quins scored 224 and was dismissed with three deliveries remaining. Cameron Laing scored 19 runs, Reece Manicom scored 26 runs, Deen Fredericks managed 24 runs, Chris Potgieter top scored with 32 run being not out, Jordan Dekker scored 17 runs and Rowan compiled 29 runs. In reply INK Ntuzuma was dismissed for 41 runs in the 13th over. Kevin van der Berg took three wickets for six runs in four overs. Keaton Venter and Yamkele captured two wickets each.
The U11 team, which scrambled together for the first time, played a match reduced to 25 overs. Quins U11s managed 86 runs, as Jandre Fourie top scored with 28 runs and the Williams brothers, Reece and Liam scored a dozen runs each. Quins’ bowling attack lacked the penetration required to dismiss sufficient batsmen for a victory, which was never to be as Delta’s U11s surpassed the target in 12 overs, winning by six wickets.
All eight Quins cricket sides have league matches this weekend, except the fifth and sixth teams.
Coaching sessions are offered to boys in the age group range of 10 to 13 years on Thursdays from 4.30pm at Harlequins. Seniors practise on Fridays from about 4pm, with an advanced bowling machine at hand.
Contact Ernest on 073-950-363 for club information.