Delfos and Roodepoort get their Black Widow seasons off with a bang
Cricket hopefully back for good for the remainder of 2021
The Central Gauteng Lions Black Widow series is back to grace cricket pitches around the city.
The greater Roodepoort area’s two greatest conveyor belts of talent will spend the next several months engaged in Saturday T20 battles in their weekend whites. The gentlemanly spirit extends beyond the boundary rope as Roodepoort Cricket Club welcomed their familiar friendly foes, Delfos Cricket Club, for several match-ups across multiple age groups on August 7 and 14.
In the opening weekend, both club’s U/17 teams would take part in a double header for visitors, Short Handle Cricket Club, all the way from Vanderbijl Park. In the first match, Short Handle would set Roodepoort a target of 127 with Nandus Mclean top-scoring with 38 off 40 balls. Divan de Villiers would lead the hosts to victory with a 40 ball 61, including seven fours and two sixes, as Roodepoort chased down the total in 15.1 overs.
Delfos U/17s made the 160km round trip for Short Handle that much longer as they comprehensively beat the plucky visitors. Charging at over 10 runs per over for the innings, Delfos set a mammoth 220 which Short Handle would fall 100 runs short of, despite only losing three wickets. Kyle Glennistor top scored with 85 off just 41 balls going at an impressive strike rate of over 200.
The spotlight was given to juniors in the afternoon as Roodepoort and Delfos’ U/11s resumed the friendly rivalry. With many duels to come in the future, Delfos set the tone for the youngsters, notching up a 99-run win. Set a target of 210, Roodepoort could only muster 111 all out in 13.5 overs, with Delfos openers Zander van Niekerk and Liam Venter putting the game out of Roodepoort’s reach early with 89 off 39, and 60 off 25 balls, respectively.
The following Saturday, August 14, Roodepoort U/17s had a chance to avenge their junior club mates. Delfos batted first, posting a competitive 114/2 in their allotted overs, but Roodepoort’s openers were brutal in reply. Henricus Meyer and Luhan-dré Pretorius smashed their way to a 10-wicket win with nine overs to spare, Luhan-dre’s 51 off 37 bettered only by Henricus’ 56 off 29.
