Three exciting clashes occurred today (12 September 2015) at Senwes Park as KZN Inland tightened their grip on first position in Pool B while North West’s dreams of a semi final appearance were dashed by Border.
Both matches provided good entertainment for the few cricket fans around the ground and could have gone any team’s way during the course of these matches. KZN Inland’s SJ Erwee and Kyle Nipper were the heroes in the first match against Boland that they won by 9 runs. Darryl Brown and Jerry Nqolo of Border were the best players in their match against North West where they won by three wickets.
Here is a look at what occurred during two of the three respective matches that has been completed on Saturday.
KZN Inland versus Boland (KZN Inland win by 10 runs)
KZN Inland started their second match of the tournament on a high after beating North West in the opening match of group B on Friday. They once again batted first with Vaughn van Jaarsveld and SJ Erwee hoping to give them a solid start. This did not happen as the former went cheaply 8 off the bowling of Niel Botha. Botha along with Tshepo Moreki were the star bowlers for Boland as they both picked up two wickets. Moreki also bowled Khaya Zondo for three as frustration lead to his downfall with the score on 31/3.
KZN Inland needed to repair the damage and they duly did that with Kyle Nipper joining Erwee in putting the structures in place again. Slowly but surely they picked up singles and rotated the strike without trying to do anything too flashy. Their 69 run partnership provided a good base from which Erwee could then take control in the latter stages as he hit a few mighty blows to push his score to 75 not out.
Boland started positively in their chase as Protea opener Stiaan van Zyl showed his talent in blasting a run a ball 38. His opening partner, Jean Marais, also chipped in with 40 before Nipper dismissed him with flight and clean bowled him.
Van Zyl was looking good but got dismissed in one of the strangest and unlikely ways possible. The ball got jammed between his paf and eg and then as he turned around the ball popped out and into the hands of bowler Craig Alexander. The ball never touched the ground and Alexander and his teammates were in their right to appeal. Van Zyl was given out and from there on the match turned in KZN Inland’s favour.
Keegan Petersen and Michael Loubser struggled against the pace of Alexander and Abbott and eventually fell short of their target. Nipper’s penultimate over that only went for a miserly four runs also greatly contributed to their victory.
North West versus Border (Border won by three wickets)
The Potchefstroom based team disappointed as the failed to take their chances against a seemingly nervous Border batting unit and had to swallow a bitter pill with two losses from two matches.
Darryl Brown was the best batsmen for Border with 60 not out, but could have been run out when he was on 45 if Aaron Phangiso had only held on to a routine throw at the stumps.
North West’s defeat though cannot only be ascribed to one single moment as they made a poor 104/8 score after being sent in by Border earlier in the day.
North West never got into their rhythm as Border’s bowlers bowled to their field and kept it tight with fantastic line and length. They also constantly took pace off the ball and forced man batsmen into rash shots.
One such case was an uncharacteristic shot from the experienced T20 payer, Rassie van der Dussen who skied a ball for an easy catch to Clyde Fortuin. Border’s opening spin bowler, Gionne Koopman was one of the start as he flummoxed batsman with his range of deliveries.
Jerry Nqolo (4/21) and Loyiso Mdashe (2/6) was also standout bowlers on the day. The stuffing had been taken from the Dragons batting and Border went into the break needing only 104 runs to score.
The Dragons fire though could not be easily soused as they knew they needed to fight to stay in the competition. Bjorn Fortuin got the early breakthrough with his left arm spin when Julian Soutter pulled off a miraculous catch at long on with one hand. The team’s ecstacy grew Clyde Fortuin went for a first ball duck in the next over from Soutter.
Wickets fell at regular intervals but Brown kept his head in the game and steered Boland’s ship even though it encountered waves of attack from North West.
Proteas spinner, Phangiso made things interesting when he picked up a wicket with his first ball of match as he trapped Marco Marais in front. Phangiso also made a great catch late on to increase the tension for Border as Nqolo fell victim with 21 runs still needed.
Brown though dispatched Brady Barends for two sixes in the penultimate over as Barends bowled too short. The deliveries were easy pickings for Brown as he steered his team to a fantastic three wicket win.

* In the final match of the day, Boland beat Border comfortably by 8 wickets with a bonus point after a fantastic hundred run opening partnership from Jean Marais and Stiaan van Zyl.