United make it four out of four
Brakpan-based United Cricket Club’s Premier XI maintained their good winning start to the 2017/2018 Eastern Premier League with their fourth win in succession.
Skipper Justin Gamble and his men ensured their 100 per cent winning record with a 101-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method over KwaThema Cricket Club at the Prince Thethe Oval in the township on Sunday.
Gamble won the morning coin toss and elected to bat first.
It proved to be a good decision as his team put 270 runs on the score board in their batting innings.
The form of number three batsman JP Meade continued.
After two forties in his previous two innings, Meade (who represents Italy at international level) finally went to his half-century with a patient 63 runs from 109 deliveries (eight fours).
He was well supported by his skipper.
The left-handed Gamble added to his century against Duduza at Hosking Park the weekend prior to an almost run-a-ball 53 runs from 54 balls (five fours and a six).
Wickus Germishuisen (37 runs not out) and a late show from Rynard de Lange (42 runs from 24 deliveries, four fours and three sixes) helped United post a good score in KwaThema.
With the ball, United managed to get the required 20-overs in before the rain came down.
They had KwaThema at 82/6, enough to ensure a winning result via the Duckworth-Lewis calculation.
Dylan Rayner (2/14 in seven overs), Peter Trewick (2/33 in four overs) and Gamble (1/6 in three overs) got themselves among the wickets for United.
Gamble commented on the result: “It was good to go there and put in a dominant performance after our loss there last season.
“Our batsmen put strong partnerships together.
“JP was excellent again and well backed up by myself and Wickus.
“Rynard gave us a good boost at the end as well.
“With the ball we were disciplined again and never let KwaThema into the game.
“Luckily we managed to get the required overs in before the rain came.
“We host Tembisa at Hosking Park this weekend and will look to keep this momentum going.”
Meanwhile, the club’s Promotion League team also achieved a winning result.
The Promotion XI defeated Boksburg Cricket Club by six wickets at Prince George Park’s B-Field in Boksburg.
The team bowled out their hosts for 133 runs in 34 overs with Shaun Fourie (3/35 in seven overs), Alec van der Kruit (2/16 in seven overs), Kurt Thomson (2/28 in eight overs) and Travis Lakin (2/26 in six overs) causing problems for Boksburg’s batsmen.
United chased down the score in 20.3 overs despite losing four wickets.
The experienced Brendon Frost (36 runs) and Ryan Pfeifer (29 runs), along with the efforts of van der Kruit (27 runs not out) and Kade Justus (26 runs not out) carried United to the win.
In the Colts match, United suffered defeat to Champions.
Nico Pieters Junior (82 runs not out) and Nico Pieters Senior (79 runs) helped United to 248/7 in 40 overs.
Their opponents reached their score in 38.1 overs to ensure victory.
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