Nervous Northerns forced to dig deep

Cricket’s a funny old game… just ask skipper Kurt Francis and his Benoni Northerns Cricket Club Premier XI teammates.

What started off as a bit of a doddle on Sunday, December 8, turned out to be anything but, as the home side were forced to dig deep into their reserves of fighting spirit before eking out a hard-fought four-wicket victory over visiting Duduza in their Easterns Premier League encounter at Northern Areas.

In a low-scoring affair, the Benonians showed character to ultimately pull off a bonus point win that took them to the top of the table, ahead of Boksburg’s CBC Old Boys, to who they lost at in their season-opener and who had a bye on Sunday.

Having hammered defending champions Kempton Park by a remarkable 10 wickets away the week before, this was Benoni’s fifth bonus-point win on the trot, which saw them finish the first half of the season on a high.

They resume their title charge with a home match against Tembisa, on January 18.

Francis has now made a habit of winning tosses and, last weekend, the opposition were again asked to bat first.

When Duduza were skittled for a meagre 98 runs inside 30 of their allotted 50 overs, the hosts would have expected another early day.

Of that 98, the highest contributor was “extras”, the Northerns bowlers guilty of gifting the visitors an unacceptable 33 of them.

Number three batsman Matthew Corin was next best, with a patient 26 of 48 balls, including three fours and a six.

Spinner GC Pretorius was again the hosts’ stand-out with ball in hand, claiming three wickets for just 17 runs in 7.2 impressive overs.

Stefano di Bartolomeo took two sticks in five tidy overs, in which he conceded only seven runs and sent down three maidens, while Lee Cothill, who celebrated his birthday the following day, grabbed 2/18 in seven, and fellow pacemen Lance Humphrey (2) and Mark Robey were also among the wickets.

Northerns started their chase nervously against a strong pace attack and were three wickets down before they’d even got halfway to the target.

However, patience was called for and Renier Jordaan, who dawdled to 15 off 40 deliveries, and Pretorius – an even more sedate 25 off 66 balls – came together to repair the early damage with a match-winning fourth-wicket partnership of 45.

Twenty extras helped Northerns’ cause, while 17 runs from number six batsman Francis eventually got them home in the 30th over.

The best of the Duduza bowlers was captain Mpho Nzimande (2/13 in five overs).

Meanwhile, BNCC’s Colts XI played the old foe, Kempton Park, at Kempton.

The visitors lost the toss and were asked to bowl first on a crumbling pitch that was likely to deteriorate later in the day.

However, opening bowlers Logan Joubert and Deon Mouton soon had the hosts in trouble at 20/3.

All the bowlers chipped in and, along with some fine catches, Benoni managed to bowl out Kempton for 116.

The Northerns openers responded superbly with a stand of 45, before De Wet Miller went out.

WP Myburgh carried on for a well-played 55 and Keagan Snalam struck a few huge blows later, on as Benoni won by five wickets in 22 overs, to remain top of the log.

BNCC’s annual six-a-side friendly tournament will be held on Sunday, January 11, 2015.

The always fun event will be limited to 12 teams on a first come, first served basis.

Visit www.bncricket.co.za/six-a-side for further information.