Sport

Weather interferes in cricket match

Despite a brilliant performance, the Unlimited Titans had to settle for only two league points after the rain stopped play and brought the game to an end.

The Unlimited Titans had mixed success in the local Momentum One-day series last weekend.

After their shaky start in the first game, in which they narrowly lost to the Cape Cobras, they started collecting league points in this weekend’s matches.

Last Friday night they managed to keep the Lions’ great efforts at bay, but on Sunday the weather had the final say in their match against the Dolphins in Durban. Instead of the four points they were well on their way to getting, the Titans had to settle for only two league points, since the game being called off for rain left them at a loss. It was especially gratifying to see how the Titans’ top hitters came into shape on Friday. Henry Davids’ batting performance of 58 runs from 48 balls met the type of guidance that his teammates expected from him. He was also well supported by Jacques Rudolph, with 61 runs off 69 balls. The other national player in the Titans’ batting line-up, Farhaan Behardien, also did well with 59 runs. The biggest hitter in terms of the balls faced compared to the runs scored was the ever-improving David Wiese. He scored 42 from 33 balls and later on increased his contribution by giving an excellent bowling performance. He took two wickets at an economy rate of 5,6 per over.

The Titans were all out for 301 runs, while there were three balls left to bowl in the final over. However, for a change, the bowlers managed to defend their batsmen’s good total. This time it was the seamers that did the most damage. Marchant de Lange, David Wiese and Rowan Richards took two wickets each to tame the batting order of their neighbours from across the Jukskei River.

Eventually the men from Johannesburg were one run short when their overs ran out. On Sunday, against the Dolphins in Durban, it was the Titans bowlers who first got the chance to show their mettle. With Roelof van der Merwe and Rowan Richards at the forefront with two wickets each, they limited the Dolphins to 202 runs in 50 overs, taking seven wickets in the process.

Van der Merwe’s two wickets brought his total to five after just three games. He is among the top five bowlers in the series and he seems serious about his plan to get his place back in the national team before next year’s world cup.

Unfortunately, the weather had the final say in this game. Henry Davids and Jacques Rudolph gave the men from Centurion a running start. When Davids lost his wicket, Heino Kuhn picked up where he left off and the Titans were busy batting at almost six runs per over when the rain stopped play. Their score was 78 for the loss of one wicket. Each team scored two league points, with the game ending because of the rain.

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