Both teams of Macassar Cricket Club travelled to the West Coast to lock horns with their Atlantis CC counterparts at the Robinvale Sports Ground in Western Province Cricket Association league matches on Saturday (29 January).
Coming off close outings the previous weekend, the first and second teams of the Seagulls were hoping to get head-starts early in their respective encounters, laying the platform for eventual victory. However, the outcome was not positive for either teams, as they were both on the losing side at the end of a delightful day of 50-over cricket.
In the first team match, the home side won the toss and asked the visitors to field. The Atlantis CC openers enjoyed a steady start, until spinner, Morten Jantjies, claimed the first wicket of the day.
But the breakthrough was short-lived as another solid partnership formed until Steven Levendal got rid of the other opener. This pattern continued throughout the innings, with the batting side stringing together good partnerships, but wickets falling at a much slower pace.
The hosts eventually ended the innings on a total of 222, with Jantjies (1/36 in 10 overs) and Levendal (3/48 in 10 overs) the pick of the MCC bowlers.
In their innings, the Seagulls’ opening pair of Thomas Kemp and Quinton Bowman got off to a good start by rotating the strike and finding the middle of the bat, although they battled to pierce the field and find the boundaries.
After Kemp lost his wicket, the rest of the wickets continued to tumble and Macassar were all bowled out for a measly 125. Only veteran Bowman (35) provided some resistance in his team’s 97-run defeat.
Meanwhile, on the B-field at Robinvale, the home side also won the toss and chose to bat – a decision that seemed to pay off from the start as the Seagulls’ opening bowlers struggled to take wickets.
The Atlantis CC batsmen punished the visiting bowlers, keeping the scoreboard ticking throughout the innings. In the end, they set a massive 270-run target for the MCC seconds.
In the bowling department 14-year-old Shaygen Anthony was once again a stand-out performer for the Seagulls, recording figures of 3/46 in nine overs and taking a remarkable diving catch in the slip cordon.
For their part the Macassar innings started shakily as they lost three wickets in the first over without scoring a run. At age 49 captain Franco Delis stepped to the crease to try and steady the ship along with the talented young Anthony.
They managed to bring their team to a respectable tally before the teenager lost his wicket. Philip Swartz joined his skipper in the middle and, yet again, a steady partnership formed until Swartz was caught and Delis was left to guide his young team.
But the veteran could not drive the team to victory, as he lost his wicket after playing a true captain’s knock of 116 runs and brought his team closer to the target. The Seagulls were eventually all bowled out for 186, taking the knee to their more experienced counterparts with a 83-run loss.
The MCC teams will look to return to winning ways this coming weekend, hosting both schedule league matches at Riverside Oval. The first team is in action against neighbours Helderberg CC on Saturday (5 February), while the seconds host Ottomans CC on Sunday (6 February).
