Maidstone takes advantage of unpredictable wicket
The second team played a 40 over challenge reserve game against Tongaat Second team on a excellent wicket at Harlequins one.
UMBILO Harlequins Cricket Club played in four official matches and a fifth team friendly match on Sunday, 26 January.
Quins first side travelled to Maidstone, Tongaat North for a Challenge League match against an opposition that thus far have had a moderately successful challenge league campaign during the course of the summer.
Quins were least favourites to win this match. Early scrutiny of the Maidstone wicket revealed an acute absence of compaction and an abundance of dormant lawn, indicative of a slower wicket with unpredictable characteristics. A fair outfield was presented by the opposition’s grounds specialist. All round dry conditions prevailed. Quins elected to field first. Railways bashed some wayward deliveries during the first three overs and their batsmen appeared well acquainted with their adverse conditions, but two successive leg before wicket appeals by paceman Kevin kettle were successful, putting Quins ahead for the first and only occasion during this match, as Railways’ middle order soon accumulated considerable runs in their batting quest. This aided their team to a commendable tally of 209 runs all out in 42 overs.
Right arm wrist Spinner Dieter Liebenberg was Quins’ most economical bowler, claiming two wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs and Kalvin Venter took two wickets for 43 runs in six overs.
Quins’ response was again abysmal on a wicket with unusual characteristics, with just a few of their batsmen showing brief glimpses of their talent. Opener Kevin Kettle struck 13, during which he fractured and displaced a concrete roof tile from the clubhouse roof top, middle order batsmen George Smith and Tyrelle Smith scored 11 each in sprightly yet brief engagements at the crease. Andre Viljoen top scored for the second consecutive week with 31 superlative runs, finally being bowled after a patient and responsible innings. Quins’ final batsman succumbed with the team score on 92 runs, 117 runs short of their opposition’s total.
The second team played a 40 over challenge reserve game against Tongaat Second team on a excellent wicket at Harlequins one. Quins 2 managed 192 for the loss of nine wickets, with Mark Goviea top scoring with an impressive 54 runs, Shane Manicom got 23 runs, Andre Nepgen scored 22 runs, Sheldon Spindler accrued 15 runs and Adam Mather compiled 13 runs in the lower order. Quins 2 managed to dismiss Tongaat 2 for 105 runs in 25 overs, primarily through the endeavours of medium paced seamer Adam Mather, who claimed six wickets for 18 runs in seven overs, and secondarily through the contribution of paceman Mark Goveia who took three wickets for 29 runs in six overs. Quins 2 won by 87 runs.
The fourth team took on Merebank 2 on a good wicket at Harlequins 2 in a 30-over apiece division two match. Merebank managed 157 runs, losing seven wickets. Medium paced away swing bowler Theo van Heerden proved to be the most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 20 runs in six overs. However Quins’ attempt at acquiring the required runs was well below expectation. Donavon Steele top scored with 13 runs but seemed unfortunate when holding out to a catch on the long on boundary, where the opposition fielder seemed to have come awfully close to overstepping the imaginary boundary line. No-one else scored double figures. This was a poor effort by Quins 4.
The U11 team played Umgababa U11s in a 30-over south stream league match at Harlequins 2 on Sunday morning. Sheldon Walters top scored with an innings comprising undefeated 45 runs. Ryan Wood scored 40 runs, Corben Stubbs scored 22 runs. Quins U11s’ total was 153 for the loss of five wickets in their 30-over allocation. Neo Jones took 5 wickets for nine runs in four overs and Brennan David claimed two wickets for 11 runs in 16 deliveries. Quins U11s won by 121 runs.
The annual awards event is scheduled to be held on Friday, 28 March at the Fynnland Combined Sports Club, situated off Smith Drive at Lt King Park, Fynnland.
Due to the 20-over Ram Slam match at Kingsmead on Friday, 31 January, there will be no senior training that day. A practise session will be held on Wednesday, 29 January at 4.30pm at the Harlequins nets.
Juniors will be coached on Thursday from 5.30pm onwards at the same venue.
Contact Ernest on 031-467-3270 for any further club information.
