Dr Malan ends Kempton Park’s Noordvaal title bid
Hoërskool Dr Malan, known for producing the legendary international umpire, Marais Erasmus, and Renier van Rensburg, who was recognised by Guinness World Records as the youngest qualified male cricket umpire in the world, produced another noteworthy cricketing moment on their home turf, in Meyerton, on Saturday.
Dokkies beat Hoërskool Kempton Park by 39 runs to book a meeting with Hoërskool Garsfontein in the Fain Noordvaal Series final next Saturday.
A strong bowling display by the six Dokkies’ bowlers laid the foundation for a memorable victory over their highly regarded opponents. Displaying impressive discipline, the hosts’ bowlers gave up only nine extras in 45.2 overs.
Keagan Meyer led the Dr Malan charge with 2/28 from seven overs. He was also one of five batsmen to score in excess of 20 for the hosts, who cobbled together a total of 216/9 from their 50 overs, which proved to be enough. Damian du Plessis top-scored with a focused 37 off 67 balls.
Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg weighed in with 29, but he also played his part with the ball, picking up two wickets, which was a theme of the match from the bowlers. His return was 2/42.
Shaun Nash was exceptional for the visitors. He followed Wian Pieters’ strong 10-over spell, which brought the Kempies‘ bowler 2/36, with figures of 2/18 from six overs. Their solid performances kept the Dr Malan batsmen at bay.
Ethan Kotze, with 2/38, and Francois Marais, with 2/48, also made inroads into the hosts’ batting.
Despite a useful innings from Kempton Park’s mainstay with the willow, Sheldon Kruger, the visitors struggled to break the shackles imposed on them by the Dr Malan bowlers. Kruger made 46 before becoming Jansen van Rensburg’s first victim. Stian de Villiers became the second shortly after for one.
Dewald Erasmus, a consistent performer for Dokkies with both bat and ball, knocked over 2/29, which followed a three-wicket haul in Dr Malan’s convincing quarterfinal win over Merensky Landbou.
The visitors’ innings came to a disappointing end with consecutive run outs, orchestrated by AJ Els and Jansen van Rensburg, who was in the thick of the action throughout the fixture.
Unfortunately for the Kempies, they had only 177 runs on the scoreboard and that meant their season was over.
Summarised scorecard
Dr Malan 216/9 (Damian du Plessis 37, Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg 29, Jacques Nel 25, Ruben Muller 24, Keagan Meyer 23, Extras 23; Shaun Nash 2/18, Wian Pieters 2/36, Ethan Kotze 2/38, Francois Marais 2/48); Hoërskool Kempton Park 177 (Sheldon Kruger 46, Wian Pieters 28, Stian van Breda 22*; Keagan Meyer 2/28, Dewald Erasmus 2/29, Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg 2/42). Dr Malan won by 39 runs.
