The first team of Somerset West Cricket Club (SWCC) continued their surge for league glory with a dominant 70-run bonus-point win over hosts Blue Downs CC in a First Division C encounter on Saturday 5 March.
Somerset West skipper Larry Morkel lost the toss and his troops were sent in to bat. The visitors faced some good bowling from Blue Downs CC and lost opener Wilhelm Esterhuizen (0) with the score on 11 in the fourth over.
But Morkel (69) and Wiehann Meyer (42) put on a 70-run partnership to stabilise the innings before Meyer lost his wicket. The SWCC batsmen kept the scoreboard ticking and eventually finished their allotted 50 overs on 177/8.
At the start of the home side’s innings, opening bowler Jason Lee Josephs struck in the second over, setting the tone for the rest of bowlers as they picked up wickets regularly. Disciplined bowling and accurate fielding put pressure on Blue Downs CC, which led to them struggling to score runs and deliver any notable partnerships.
They were eventually all bowled out for 107, handing SWCC a 70-run victory. The visitors’ best bowlers were Neil Theron (4/20), Lukholo Gwangqa (2/5) and Meyer (2/38).
Meanwhile, the SWCC women’s premier team travelled to Chukker Road in Kenwyn, Cape Town to take on Victoria CC on Sunday 6 March.
The hosts won the toss and decided to bat first, a decision that worked in the visitors’ favour as they bowled-out Victoria for 19 runs in 7,1 overs. Alexa Jooste (6/6 in 3,1 overs) was the chief destroyer, while Bea Swart claimed 3/10 in four overs. Yulandi van der Merwe ended the host’s innings with a magnificent run-out from square leg.
It took SWCC only 6,2 overs to knock the target off, winning by eight wickets.
