Losing home ground advantage costs ‘Quins

UMBILO Harlequins first team lost home advantage when they had to play their important KwaZulu Natal Stream One Challenge league match against ACC at Hutchinson Park in Amanzimtoti because the lawn on Harlequins outfields had not been cut.

With 169 runs, this was a below par score on a slow, but good wicket with a quick outfield. ‘Quins needed to deliver an extraordinary bowling exhibition to triumph. Being a slow wicket, ‘Quins seamer bowlers were not expected to be penetrative and just one wicket was claimed between the three seamers. However the three slow bowlers who were expected to make inroads into the ACC batting line up failed to do so and performed poorly taking just two wickets between them, resulting in ACC passing the target with five wickets remaining in the 38th over. ‘Quins first team was outplayed by a stronger opposition on the day.

Shane Manicom made arrangements to have the long lawn trimmed by contractors at a late juncture so that the ‘Quins third side could play Newlands cricket clubs third team on home ground. A superb batting performance by the upper middle order saw ‘Quins 3 amass 133 runs for the loss of five wickets in a reduced 25 over match. The two prime wicket takers for Quins 3 were seamers John Meintjies who took three wickets for 16 runs in 5 overs and Coennie Germishuizen who claimed three wickets for 24 runs in 5 overs. Newlands 3 were dismissed for 112 runs in 23, 2 overs. Quins won by 21 runs and could be at the top of division one, having lost just one match during the current season.

‘Quins second side played a 40 over challenge reserve match against East Coast on a green wicket Lt King Park. However ‘Quins 2 were dismissed for 81 runs in 25 , 1 overs, with just the openers Kevin Norris and Mark Kritzinger scoring 18 and 17 runs respectively. No one else scored double figures indicative of the inability to adapt their techniques to the adverse conditions of a green surface, like the two veteran opening batsmen did.

Quins 2’s defence of their total was equally poor with only the quick bowler Mark Goveia having any credible bowling statistics such as 5 overs one wicket for 21 runs. East Coast 2 passed ‘Quins 2 total with just two wickets lost in the twelfth over, thereby winning by eight wickets..

The final coaching session for the year but not for the season, for under elevens will be held on Thursday 5 December at 5pm. Contact Shane Manicom on 083 402 7964 for enquiries. Seniors will practice on Wednesday and Friday at 4.30 pm. Contact Ernest on 031 4673270 for further club information.