T20 semis beckon for United
The batsmen did a good job of seeing out the initial sticky phase with the new ball and still went at a decent run-rate.
Having got off to the best possible start with a double dose of wins in their first two Eastern Cricket Premier T20 Competition matches recently the Brakpan-based United Cricket Club Premier XI continued their winning ways on Sunday.
The team played the first of their Sunday T20 double-headers against Bedfordview Cricket Club at Lords Cricket Grounds in Actonville.
After losing the toss and getting put into bat on a sticky Lords wicket by opposing skipper Jason Smith, Justin Gamble’s men notched up 153/5 in their 20-over batting innings.
Opener André Johnson, fresh off a sublime 106 runs versus KwaThema the weekend before, continued his good form with a run-a-ball 48 at the top of the order.
Wickus Germishuizen, batting at three, was the next best of the willow-wielders with 31 runs from 33 deliveries.
United’s bowlers performed well with the ball.
Rynhard de Lange (2/10 in four overs) and JP Meade (2/16 in three overs) bagged the best figures, while Gamble, Branden Grutter and Dylan Rayner each picked up a wicket.
Their good efforts with the leather saw them restrict Bedfordiew to 99/7 in their reply to secure a 54-run victory.
Speaking about the win, Gamble said: “I thought 130 runs would have been a par score on that wicket.
“The batsmen did a good job of seeing out the initial sticky phase with the new ball and still went at a decent run-rate.
“Once we had established a good platform, mainly set by André and Wickus, the middle order could play freely with wickets in hand.
“A score of 153 was well above par and the bowlers bowled disciplined lines and never gave the Bedford batsmen much to put away.
“Rynard bowled exceptionally well and was backed up well by the rest of the attack.
“We got the bonus point we were looking for.”
Rain points were shared in United’s second T20 of the day versus Kempton Park at Willowmoore Park’s A-Field.
Kempton had found themselves on a score of 166/7 in 17.1 overs before the heavens opened and no more cricket could be played.
“With the two points from the afternoon we are six points above Actonville in third place in Pool A and have qualified for the semis already,” added the United captain.
They will hope to get their eye in when they face Actonville in their final pool match this Sunday at Lords before the semi-final (most likely against Alberton Cricket Club) at 1.30pm.
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