‘Unknown’ Boksburg become familiar with United
Prior to their Eastern Premier League encounter on Sunday, November 8, United Cricket Club’s Premier XI team manager, Des Gamble, described their visiting opponents, Boksburg Cricket Club, as an “unknown quantity”.
The fact that Boksburg, who regained promotion to the elite league at the start of the season, upset the applecart against defending champions Benoni Northerns, on October 18, made them an even more unfamiliar outfit to the Brakpan-based team.
Captain Justin Gamble and his side were, however, coming off the back of five straight victories, with the goal to maintain the consistency in their performance ahead of three titanic tussles in the next three weeks, against Kempton Park, Benoni Northerns and CBC Old Boys.
On Sunday, at United’s Hoskins Park home base, that consistency shone through again, as United stormed to a mammoth 195-run bonus-point win over Boksburg.
Their guests won the toss and put Gamble’s men in to bat – a move that would backfire as the United batsmen took control and posted their highest ever Premier League score of 309/8 in 50 overs.
With the loss of opener Kabelo Sekhukhune for 20 runs, fellow opening batsman Jose van der Berg was joined at the crease by number three Rian van der Merwe, with the score at 34/1.
The pair put on a 126-run partnership to give the hosts the platform to set a large target.
Van der Berg played well to put 66 runs on the scoreboard (off 77 balls), while van der Merwe scored his second century for the club with 103 runs off 108 deliveries (an innings that included 15 fours).
It was also the third ton scored by a United player this season, after Eden Links’s back-to-back centuries in October.
When van der Berg was dismissed in the 28th over, links joined Van der Merwe at the wicket and the two put on a 64-run partnership before the latter was finally caught out off the bowling of Maxwell Meyer.
Links would eventually fall two short of a half-century, but, together with Gamble, who scored 30, the team were on track for their club record breaking score.
When United stepped out to bowl they continued that good momentum, despite Boksburg’s heavy hitter at the top of the order, John Haywood (36 runs off 30 balls), flashing hard at virtually every delivery bowled.
His castle was eventually toppled by the left-arm spin of Gamble, and that was all she wrote in terms of the chase for the visitors. as they were all bowled out for 114in the 27th over.
Gamble had best figures of 4/22 in 7.4 overs, and Dylan Rayner had 3/36 in seven overs.
“The guys are upbeat and the hard work is paying is off,” said the team manager.
“There is a real sense of accomplishment at the club and a feeling that we can do this.
“We are hoping to unsettle a few more of the big guns in the upcoming matches.”
- In other Sunday results the club’s Promotion XI defeated Avion by two wickets, the Directors XI defeated Vosloorus by seven wickets (Luan Els scoring 102 not out) and the President’s League beat Duduza by three runs.
United’s Colts 1 side were defeated by Benoni Northerns by 137 runs, while the Colts 2 team were winners by seven wickets over Wattville.
- On Saturday, November 7, the First League side defeated Kempton Park A by 59 runs, while the club’s women’s side crushed KwaThema by 10 wickets.
They bowled their opponents out for 11 runs (Kyla Styles with 6/6 in 4.5 overs) and chased the score down in 1.4 overs.
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Previous articles:
Consistency bears fruit for United
United win edge-of-seat thriller
‘Small negative in hugely positive win’
United’s new ‘Links’ in the chain
Sights set on successful season
