United finish fourth, in with a sniff
At the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park on the public holiday, United’s batsmen were blown away by the Kempton bowlers, bowled out for 117 in 42.3 overs.
Brakpan-based United Cricket Club’s Premier League XI played their final encounter of the league portion of the Eastern Premier League One on March 25 against Tembisa at Hosking Park.
Before that, on Human Rights Day, March 21, the team suffered a big eight-wicket defeat at the hands of eventual table-toppers Kempton Park Cricket Club away from home.
Besides good innings of 62 runs from 81 deliveries from André Johnson, there was not too much to write home about as batting partnerships floundered.
With the ball, Kempton lost two wickets in their reply but soon got themselves over the line in 27 overs to earn the victory.
“Against Kempton we were poor, apart from André’s good innings and Xolane Shongwe sticking around for a while, we were shocking with the bat,” said Gamble.
“Unless we took five or six early wickets we were never going to trouble them with the ball so it resulted in a big loss.”
On Sunday, United almost let their final home match of the season slip from their clutches.
After losing the toss and getting put into bat, United’s willow-wielders again had difficulty in establishing solid partnerships.
Their skipper Gamble made the only real telling contribution (45 runs from 58 deliveries) to the United score as his team was bowled out in the 36th over for 140.
Tembisa would feel like they were in with a terrific chance of chasing down the United target and they sure did get close.
United’s slower bowlers Brendan Grutter (3/26 in eight overs) and Gamble (3/5 in three overs) himself took a trio of wickets each while Rynard de Lange bagged a brace of wickets.
Also read: Alberton defeat means slim play-off chance for United
Despite Tembisa edging closer to the United score, Gamble’s men managed to hold them off and bowl them out in 38 overs with eight runs to spare.
“Against Tembisa we struggled with the bat again,” added the United captain.
“Although the conditions were tougher we still aren’t putting the partnerships together.
“We showed good fight with the ball, though after, Tembisa were in a good position to win the game.”
United finished in fourth place on the final league table.
Although the third-best team Alberton should play second-best Benoni Northerns in a second-versus-third play-off semi-final at Willowmoore Park on April 7, United could replace the former due to there being questions around Alberton not fulfilling required transformation targets.
A decision will be made soon by the powers that be at Eastern Cricket.
Overall, United played 18 matches in the league, winning 12 and losing six.
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