A brilliant all-round performance by Somerset West Cricket Club’s (SWCC) first team saw them claim the spoils in the crucial top-of-the log win against Wynberg CC this past Saturday (26 February).
The local team travelled to Wynberg for the low scoring affair against the hosts, who topped the First Division C log on net run rate with 59 points. SWCC were in second place on the same number of points due to an inferior net run rate.
Captain Larry Morkel lost the toss, and the visitors were sent into field. The home side got off to a good start and were cruising at 44/0 in the ninth over, but the tide turned when opening bowler Wiehann Meyer claimed the first wicket in his fifth over.
From then on the SWCC bowlers kicked into gear and brought their team back into the game and picked up regular wickets, with the Wynberg batsmen doing much damage to the score.
Economical bowling by Jason Josephs and Niel Theron eventually brought a halt to the home side’s innings in the 47th over, as they were eventually bowled out for 111. Josephs (3/12 in 10 overs), Theron (3/28 in 10 overs) and Meyer (2/35 in 10 overs) were the chief destroyers with the ball for SWCC.
The visitors’ innings got off to a brisk start thanks to the efforts of opener and skipper Morkel (18). But the batsmen gave away their wickets by playing loose shots in their pursuit of the target.
However, a 55-run innings between Jan Rademan (41) and Dieter Kotze (16) stabilised the innings before Kotze lost his wicket with the score on 82 runs. Rademan lost his wicket soon after (99/5), but Jovan Snyman (9*) and Estiaan Groenewald (10) guided SWCC to an emphatic four-wicket bonus-point win.
With his triumph the club’s side has increased its chances for league glory and ascended to the top of the table on 64 points, followed by Wynberg (59) and Blue Bells CC (54).
This coming weekend (Saturday 5 March), the Somerset West charges will again be in action away from home when they take on Blue Downs CC.
