Dominant derby display by Northerns

Benoni Northerns Cricket Club’s Premier XI were in destructive mood on Sunday, October 26.

They brushed aside the challenge of neighbouring Actonville Spurs Cricket Club with an eight-wicket, bonus-point victory in their Easterns Premier League cricket derby, at a cold and windy Northern Areas.

Northerns, having lost their 2014/15 season opener away to CBC Old Boys three weeks earlier, were left still playing catch-up with league leaders and defending champions Kempton Park, who pulled off a miraculous victory at Springs Old Boys, on Sunday, by successfully defending a score of just over 100.

In the Benoni derby, reduced from 50 to 40 overs a side because of a late start, Actonville captain Imraan Manack won the toss and, strangely, opted to bat first on a damp pitch, in heavy overhead conditions and with a sodden outfield slowed by almost 30mm of overnight rain.

The visiting skipper was soon made to rue his decision, as Actonville slumped to seven runs for the loss of three wickets inside six overs, the batsmen unable to cope with the pace and movement through the air and off the pitch generated by openers Lance Humphrey and Lee Cothill.

However, number three batsman Praveshen Chetty did put up some resistance, with a patient 24 off 51 balls, while number five Ahmed Sayed Soloojee stuck around for 57 deliveries, scoring 11, and Hoëerskool Dr EG Jansen’s first XI captain, Michael Enslin, hit 21 off 25 deliveries.

It was mostly in vain though, as the visitors were skittled for just 81 in the 33rd over.

All the Northerns bowlers were impressive, led by Humphrey, who took three for 17 in eight overs, fellow pacer Marlo Moore’s 3/25 in five and an unplayable Cothill’s almost unbelievable return of 2/4 in eight overs, which included six maidens.

Young right-arm spinner Stiaan Jordaan (1/20 in seven) and the giant Mark Robey (0/14 in four) were also good with the ball.

The home side then fairly raced to their target, knocking off the 82 runs required in the 13th over to secure what, come the end of the season, could prove to be a valuable bonus-point win.

Humphrey’s younger brother, Vaughn, recently included in Easterns’ Coca-Cola Week u-18 squad, clobbered 36 off 37 balls, including two sixes and two boundaries, while experienced left-hander Levon Shields smashed 34 off 29 balls, with seven fours, to comfortably take the hosts to victory.

The pair put on 67 runs for the second wicket, as only Shakeel Ahmed Hussain (1/23) and Chetty (1/5 in eight balls) were able to take wickets for the visiting side.

This Sunday (November 2), Northerns host Tembisa and a bonus-point win could see the Benonians displacing Kempton, who have a bye, at the top of the standings while, on the same day, Actonville are at home to United.

• In other Actonville results, the Director’s side also suffered a loss against CBC Old Boys, at PG Park, on Sunday, while all the club’s Saturday teams were winners in their respective fixtures.