Rampant Northerns keep challenge alive
Defending champions Benoni Northerns Cricket Club (BNCC) kept up their spirited challenge for a successive Easterns Premier League title, with a crushing home victory, on Sunday, January 12, as the second half of the 2013/14 season began on what was a historic day for BNCC.
The comprehensive 193-run win against a hopelessly outclassed KwaThema side, at Northern Areas, represented the first time that three brothers – Edenvale-based Renier and twins Stiaan and Stefan Jordaan – had played together for Benoni’s flagship XI.
The super siblings, who had been selected to play together for a rained-out match last year, all contributed to a bonus-point victory that kept Northerns snapping at league leaders Kempton Park’s heels.
On a sweltering day, KwaThema won the toss and invited Northerns to take first strike.
The home side’s openers, Renier Jordaan and Levon Shields, provided a fantastic foundation, with a 102-run partnership, but it was slow going thereafter and, by the 35 over mark, Benoni were looking good for a total of around 230, however, some good, aggressive batting in the latter overs saw them post a highly respectable 277 for seven in their 50 overs.
Shields led the way with a fine knock of 71 before an adventurous Rian van der Merwe — who went out for an explosive 49 — was caught at mid-off attempting one too many big shots and young Stefano di Bartolomeo, with a patient 58 that also contained some cleanly-struck big hits, put on 80 for the third wicket.
Captain Kurt Francis weighed in with a dazzling late 42 that included one of the biggest straight sixes seen at Northern Areas in many years.
The Benoni bowlers then went about their task with vigour and it wasn’t long before the visitors had been skittled for a meagre 84 runs.
Stiaan Jordaan – he and his twin Stefan matriculated with impressive, almost identical averages from Boksburg’s Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen last year – was the pick of the bunch with his three for 15 in 3.4 overs, while Lee Cothill (2/23 in four overs), Marlow Moore (2/11 in five overs) and Lance Humphrey (2/14 in 6 overs) contributed to the destruction.
“When we lost the toss, I told the boys that we must now use the opportunity to get batting practise and start the second half of the season on a positive note, and that’s exactly what they did,” said coach Thys van Lingen.
“The opening partnership between Renier and Levon set us up for a good score and, with disciplined bowling and everyone chipping in, we had them all back in the pavilion for 84 in a very good overall team performance.”
n Across the road, on the same day, BNCC’s Promotion League XI enjoyed a similarly destructive 169-run win against Duduza.
Number six bat Juan Schaerer, newly appointed permanent captain of Benoni’s second XI, led from the front after being asked to bat first and, after the loss of a few early wickets, weighed in with a patient 40 runs off 72 balls – without a single boundary.
Opener Keenan Fry (34 off 40), number five Dustin Grace (39 off 34), number seven James de Nysschen (34 off 51) and late fireworks from number 11 Jaco Kruger (35 not out off 14 balls including four successive fours, followed by a six) saw the home side reach an impressive 250, although that was tempered by the fact that they were bowled out in the 46th over.
The target, however, proved way too steep for Duduza, who crumbled to 81 all out inside 24 overs.
The best of the Benoni bowlers was spinner Thirushen Naicker, who grabbed six wickets for 41 in his 10 overs.
Kruger, Dean von Ruben and Shawn Wessels shared the other wickets.
“It was a clinical performance from the lads, and the bonus point took us level on points with Kempton and United at the top of the league,” said Schaerer.
“Our goal now is to win all of our remaining matches to give ourselves the best possible chance of winning the league.”
n This Sunday, January 19, the BNCC Premier side host neighbours Actonville and the Promotion team go to Springs Old Boys.
