United, Kempton play out to rare result
There were scenes reminiscent of the infamous 1999 Cricket World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Australia when United Cricket Club’s unbeaten, table-topping Premier XI travelled to Barnard Stadium to face Kempton Park in a first-versus-second clash on Sunday, January 31.
Fortunately (unlike ’99) nobody dropped their bat this time round.
This particular Eastern Premier League face-off will long be stored in the memory banks of those who witnessed the match as the outcome, a tied result, is quite the rarity in the sport.
Kempton Park’s skipper Johan Fourie, who has mostly seen it all in club cricket, summed it up perfectly when he said that in his 10-year tenure of playing at club level it was the first time that he has ever experienced a tied result.
Although both teams received three points for the result it will be the Brakpan outfit who will take the most positives from the result.
Firstly, the tie keeps them undefeated in the league and three points above Kempton Park on the overall standings and, secondly, the result against a formidable side packed to the rafters with amateur players, and those who have first class experience under their belts, will give the team oodles of confidence going forward.
The match itself was, as you would expect from a tied result, tense and dramatic.
United’s skipper Justin Gamble said: “It was so unpredictable. During the last 20 overs the team in the driver’s seat changed about 10 times and in the end it was a bit of a ’99 Wold Cup scenario for us.”
Having won the toss on Sunday the captain elected to field first.
His bowlers and fielders did not let him down as they rallied hard to have their opponents at 217/8 in their 50 overs.
Spearhead bowler Kevin Hinton was the main destroyer for United with figures of 3/39 in 10 overs, while Eden Links, Tshepo Motaung, Dylan Rayner and Gamble picked up a stick each.
All the bowlers in general were economical in their displays.
Kempton’s Wesley Coulentianos (50) and Kyle Marshall (66) did the most damage with the willow.
When United’s batsmen took to the crease it was recent signing Vaughn Humphrey who again shone with the bat.
The left-handed batsman played a gem of an innings to reach 64 runs, which was made even more impressive by the manner in which he handled the relentless onslaught of the richly talented Kempton bowling attack.
Easterns semi-professional all-rounder Links also played a valuable knock of 49 runs as United steered their way towards the target.
Wickets started falling in clumps due to intense pressure and the match would become more and more interesting and nervy.
Rayner stepped up to the plate with the tail-enders and his 26 not out helped get the team to the 49th over.
This left number 11 Tshepo Moutang on strike needing a single to win.
Similar to the confusion that dogged Lance Klusener and Allan Donald in 1999, Motaung called for a single that was not there and Rayner was uninterested in taking the run.
The former was subsequently run out and the match was tied leaving both sets of players and spectators alike bewildered and gobsmacked.
United’s team manager Des Gamble said that everybody was left unsure how exactly to feel at the end of the clash.
“The surprises just keep on coming in this league,” he commented.
With six matches remaining in the second half ahead of the play-offs United remain strong in their pursuit of their dream of winning the Premier League.
They will strive to continue their unbeaten ways in Boksburg on Sunday, February 7, against another difficult opponent, CBC Old Boys.
