A sublime all-round performance with both bat and ball powered Eastern Storm to a commanding innings and 46 runs victory over Northern Cape Heat in their CSA division two four-day encounter at Willowmoore Park.

The fixture, which got underway on January 15 and concluded two days later, saw a ruthless Storm outfit assert authority across all three disciplines, leaving little room for their visitors to mount any resistance.

After the Northern Cape Heat won the toss and elected to bat, they were bundled out for a modest 204. Eastern Storm responded emphatically, piling a mammoth 424 before bowling the Northern Cape side out for 174 in their second innings to seal a comprehensive victory.

Northern Cape Heat began their first innings on the back foot after losing Liam Doherty early. Their struggles mounted as wickets fell at regular intervals, and they failed to build any meaningful partnerships.

Ruan van Rooyen, batting at six, and opener Tahir Isaacs were the only batsmen to show signs of resistance for the visitors. Van Rooyen scored an unbeaten 48 off 103, while Isaacs fought gallantly for his 32 off 129.

Andrew Rasemene and Thabiso Ndlela led the Storm surge with three wickets each, with Captain Ernest Kemm and Amaan Khan taking two scalps apiece.

In response, Dewald Marais was instrumental with the bat for the hosts, scoring an unbeaten 180 off 260 deliveries and also sharing 126 for the fifth wicket with Grant Thomson. Marais’ innings were studded with 18 boundaries and five maximums.

Thomson scored 71 off 131, while opener Kemm contributed 43 off 87 balls. Jessie Albanie and Amaan Khan were crucial at the death, sharing stands of 68 and 55 with Marais, with knocks of 38 and 31, respectively.

With a 220-run advantage, Kemm and Rasemene got to work, dismissing openers Doherty and Isaacs early, as the visitors found themselves in trouble on 12/2 in the fifth over. But Nonelela Yikha and Ronan Hermann wrestled back the momentum with an 81-run third-wicket partnership.

Hermann was the chief destroyer in this stand, contributing 69 off 46 with 12 fours and a six, before Yikha fell to Khan.

After Hermann was caught and bowled by Kemm, Morne Venter fought hard to save the game with a quick-fire 52 off 73, but ran short of partners in the lower order as no other batsman registered double figures.

Kemm and Ndlela took three wickets each, with Rasemene chipping in with two, as Eastern Storm moved to the top of the log. They will travel to Oudtshoorn to meet the Garden Route Badgers in their last league match on January 29.

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