Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s Premier XI bounced back from their season-opening loss at CBC Old Boys with a sensational home victory over KT Windies, formerly KwaThema, in an Easterns Premier League clash, at Northern Areas, on Sunday, October 12.
As usual, Benoni captain Kurt Francis lost the toss and the home side batted first and, despite some early hiccoughs on a damp pitch, a phenomenal batting performance followed, which saw the hosts post 323 for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs.
That was due largely to the heroics of left-hand opener Levon Shields, who laid the foundation with a brilliant 78 off 87 balls, hitting nine fours and a six in his 138 minutes at the crease.
Number six batsman Francis deserved a century, but fell just seven runs short, and number seven Stiaan Jordaan chalked up a run-a-ball half-century.
Shields and young Vaughn Humphrey (26 off 20 balls with six boundaries) put on 47 runs for the first wicket, before tall ”veteran” Mark Robey, back at Northerns after a few years in Port Elizabeth and a brief spell of cricket in the Netherlands, and Shields managed 61 for the fourth.
However, the innings-defining partnership came when Francis, who faced just 64 balls for his 93, which included five fours and six massive maximums, and Jordaan (52 off 51 balls, four fours and three sixes) got together for a fireworks-filled stand of 119.
Clifford Manana was the stand-out Windies bowler, with four for 48 in 10 overs.
Despite an opening stand of 68 between Maxwell Mtsweni (75 off 77 balls, 10×4, 1×6) and Gavin Mnguni (29), the rest of the Windies batsmen had no answer to Benoni’s pace attack and slumped to 171 all out in 41 overs, a bonus-point victory for Northerns by 152 runs.
Lee Cothill, Shawn Wessels, Robey and Marlow Moore each took two wickets in a fine all-round bowling effort.
- Across the road, on the same day, there was drama in the Premier Reserve League match between the same sides, when young Northerns fielder Tristan Martindale took a ball full in the face in just the third over of the game and was rushed to hospital with a fractured nose and jaw, before the home side powered to a seven-wicket victory in their season opener.
Despite being reduced to nine men after another Benoni player was called up to the Premier side, the Benoni second XI (the defending league champions), did well to dismiss the Windies for just 144 in the 44th over.
Paceman Jaco Kruger, in spite of the death of his wife’s friend in a car accident the night before, shone brightly with a fantastic haul of five for 24 in his 10 overs, while Andrew Smith returned impressive figures of 3/34 in 10.
Kruger dedicated his fantastic fiver to his wife’s late friend.
In reply, Northerns welcomed back opener Matthew Wright after a year’s hiatus from cricket, and the all-rounder responded with a fine 29.
The home side then lost three quick wickets before Divan Prinsloo (38 not out) and Thirushen Naicker (39 not out) raced to the target in the 24th over, for a bonus-point victory.
Juan Schaerer has remained unbeaten in all matches, including friendlies, since being appointed full-time skipper of BNCC’s second side a year ago.
A gallery of images from the Premier League match can be found here.
