Easterns sneak past Free State, EP hand Gauteng second consecutive loss
Easterns performed an impressive turnaround from their disappointing first outing at the CSA U16 Girls Week to see off a strong Free State side.
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Having struggled with the bat on the first day, Siphokule Masisela took it upon herself to lead her side to a competitive score. Scoring at a run-a-ball, the Easterns top-order batter struck eight lovely boundaries for a well-played 54, only the second half-century of this year’s tournament.
Isla du Toit was in good nick with the bat, too, contributing 36, while Keira Ferreira‘s 21 further assisted her side to reach 164.
With everything to do, Free State‘s Rethabile Nthoba replied with a scintillating innings. She needed only 80 deliveries to smash 81 runs, including 10 glorious fours. Unfortunately, though, Nthoba only found support in Simone Mouton (24), as the Easterns bowling pair of Nadine Visser and Kananelo Mokoena did most of the damage.
Visser, bowling 4.3 overs, snapped up 4/27, while Mokoena was equally impressive, sending three Free State batters back to the pavilion and conceding only 19 runs in the six overs she delivered. This helped Eastern claim a tightly contested five-run victory.
The Central Gauteng Lions‘ woes with the ball continued as they fell victim to Eastern Province. One wonders how different things could have turned out if the side from Gauteng hadn’t conceded 50 extras. EP’s Ashlee Buhr, however, batted well, too, contributing a well-played 29 runs to help her side to a competitive 129/9.
Buhr followed up her performance with the willow by taking 2/17, and in unison with the pick of the bowlers, Bianca Graham (3/10) and Caitlyn Collier (2/3), rolled the Lionesses for a disappointing 88 runs, thereby securing a 41-run victory.
Juanita Chirembee bowled Northern Cape to a comprehensive five-wicket victory over the Tuskers. Chirembee only needed three overs to claim her four scalps, which put the side from the interior of KwaZulu-Natal under immense pressure.
Chirembee’s teammates, Brianna Arthur (2/6) and Carla Hannekom (2/7), also wasted no time either claiming their four wickets for only 13 runs, thus enabling Northern Cape to restrict the Tuskers to only 48 runs.
Wandiswa Kaula (3/10) and Luthando Ngcobo (2/8) launched a valiant fightback, rocking the Northern Cape top-order, but a cool and calm innings from Keziah Adams (12) was enough to get her side over the line.
The Dolphins were dominant against North West, cruising home comfortably by nine wickets. Sophie Read produced the goods with the ball, claiming four wickets for only six runs, while Sthembile Dlamini joined in on the fun with a return of 2/8, ensuring that North West could only reach 61.
Shreeya Subbiah then did her part with the bat, producing a match-winning 26 to secure victory in only the 10th over.
Summarised scorecards:
Easterns 164 (Siphokule Masisela 54, Extras 41, Isla du Toit 36, Keira Ferreira 21; Boitumelo Mhlaba 4/16, Lebogang Kokoeane 2/19, Simone Mouton 2/24); Free State 159 (Rethabile Nthoba 81, Simone Mouton 24, Extras 20; Nadine Visser 4/27, Kananelo Mokoena 3/19). Easterns won by five runs.
Eastern Province 129/9 (Extras 50, Ashlee Buhr 29; Mamly Raphela 2/12, Kaylin Erasmus 2/17); Central Gauteng Lions 88 (Extras 38, Mankwanan 21; Bianca Graham 3/8, Caitlyn Collier 2/3, Ashlee Buhr 2/17). Eastern Province won by 41 runs.
Tuskers 46 (Extras 18; Juanita Chirembee 4/17, Brianna Arthur 2/6, Carla Hannekom 2/7); Northern Cape 48/5 (Extras 18, Keziah Adams 12; Wandiswa Kaula 3/10, Luthando Ngcobo 2/8). Northern Cape won by five wickets.
North West 61 (Extras 36; Sophie Read 4/6, Sthembile Dlamini 2/8); Dolphins 62/1 (Shreeya Subbiah 26; Isabelle du Toit 1/8). Dolphins won by nine wickets.
