Defending champions edge past Plasies by 6 runs
It was always going to be a nail-biting affair when Hoërskool Pietersburg, the defending champions of the Limpopo Super League, and Merensky Landbou Akademie clashed on Saturday in Polokwane. In the end, the Pieties sneaked home by a mere six runs.
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The defending champions batted first, posting 204, with middle-order batsman Hanru Marais leading the charge.
Entering the fray after Dian Gouws and Stephan Swanepoel had respectively scored 27 and 31 at the start of the innings, Marais used 37 deliveries to top score for his side. Smashing eight fours, he batted his way to a crucial 46, which, backed up by AJ Galloway‘s 35 not out, set a reasonable target for the Pieties.
The Plasies spearhead and captain, Luka Heinlein, asked the most questions with the ball, snapping up 4/30 in the 8.2 overs he bowled. Left-arm spinner Timothy Baker, who seems on track to be the league’s leading wicket-taker for the second year in a row, supported with 3/57 in 10 overs.
The Pietie bowlers, however, were not intent on taking a backseat to Heinlein and Baker. A combined effort, led by Willem Viljoen (2/25), saw four of the home side’s bowlers each pick up two wickets to restrict the Plasies to 198 when the last wicket fell. JP Botha nevertheless tried his destructive best, giving his side hope with 55 runs off 62 balls, before he was sent back to the pavilion.
Hoërskool Piet Potgieter continued their dominant run of form, beating Hoërskool Louis Trichardt by seven wickets. Although Triggies’ Francois Nel shone with 55 runs, the side from Louis Trichardt could only reach 153 before being bundled out. Fredrick Botes (3/15) and Michael Jooste (3/20) did most of the damage for Piet Pot with the ball.
Ridwhan Patel (48) and Muhaaz Mohammad (45) then made light work of chasing the target of 154 runs needed for victory. The side from Mokopane, who appear very dangerous this year, already reached the total on the fourth ball of the 20th over.
Hoërskool Ben Vorster‘s Dumisani Manyama tore through Phalaborwa Hub‘s batting lineup with an impressive 5/16, as the Black Caps eventually strolled to a five-wicket victory. Apart from Mandla Mashaba (37) and Marcus Ngobeni (27), the Phalaborwa side had little answer to Manyama.
Ruben Pohl, fresh off a long rugby season, led the chase with his 36 runs, while Mashalane Mphotseng chipped in with a good-looking 29 not out to get the Black Caps over the line.
Summarised scorecards:
Hoërskool Pietersburg 204 (Hancu Marais 46, AJ Galloway 35*, Stephan Swanepoel 31, Willem Viljoen 28, Dian Gouws 27; Luka Heinlein 4/30, Timothy Baker 3/57, Topher Elphinstone 2/16); Merensky Landbou Akademie 198 (JP Botha 55, Extras 34, Rinaldo Borman 26, Timothy Baker 21; Willem Viljoen 2/25, Stephan Swanepoel 2/25, Dian Gouws 2/29, Celliers van der Merwe 2/37). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by six runs.
Hoërskool Louis Trichardt 153 (Francois Nel 55, Shivam Patel 22; Frederick Botes 3/15, Michael Jooste 3/20, Ruben Oosthuizen 2/23); Hoërskool Piet Potgieter 154/3 (Ridwhan Patel 48, Muhaaz Mohammad 45, Zaid Vhora 20; Brendan Bruce 1/14). Hoërskool Piet Potgieter won by seven wickets.
Phalaborwa Hub 118 (Mandla Mashaba 37, Marcus Ngobeni 27; Dumisani Manyama 5/16, Khulani Mnisi 2/24, Njabulo Maseko 2/27); Ben Vorster 118/5 (Ruben Pohl 36, Mashalane Mphotseng 29*; Lesley Zimba 2/16). Ben Vorster won by five wickets.
