The first team of Somerset West Cricket Club has hit a rich vein of form following two bonus-point victories in league matches at the weekend.
The team hosted Cravenby CC at Radloff Park on Saturday (29 January), a match that saw an all-round performance seal the deal for the home side. SWCC captain Jan Rademan lost the toss and the home side was sent in to bat.
The hosts got off to a great start with Wiehann Meyer scoring quickly before opener Wilhelm Esterhuizen (3) lost his wicket. Rademan (20) walked in to bat and assisted Meyer in a good partnership, but he soon lost his wicket and a middle-order collapse made it harder for the hosts to get any form of momentum.
A strong 49-run contribution by Neil Theron along with cameos by Hein Claassen (15) and Jason Lee Josephs (21) took the hosts to a respectable total of 216. Birthday boy Meyer was the team’s top scorer with a well-played 81.
In their innings, Cravenby were in trouble right from start as they lost wickets in quick succession. Josephs (4/12 in nine overs) and Frans Geldenhuys bowled extremely well up front, restricting the visitors and claiming scalps.
In the end, the bowling prowess of the SWCC charges were just too strong as the visiting batsmen were all back on the sidelines with the score on 86.
Apart from Josephs, Gouws Koen (3/13 in 6,2 overs) and Claassen (2/7 in five overs) were the top bowlers.
The visitors only managed to score 86 runs which gave Somerset West a 130-run bonus-point victory.
The following day, the SWCC troops were off to Atlantis to take on the home side at Robinvale Sports Ground.
This time, Rademan won the toss and chose to field, and there was great excitement when the visitors picked up a wicket from the very first ball.
However, extreme heat got the better of the fielders and made it tough, as the hosts managed to edge some balls over the slips countless times.
SWCC stuck to their guns and bowled and fielded to bowl out Atlantis for 113 runs. Youngster Josephs (4/35 in 9,4 overs), Eugene Geldenhuys (2/11 in six overs) and Koen (2/3 in three overs) were the dominant bowlers for Somerset West.
The visitors then took strike and the opening pair started well until Meyer (17) lost his wicket. This was soon followed by Esterhuizen (12) running himself out just before the lunch break.
Rademan and Jacques Fourie (15) were at the crease and were steadying the ship before the latter also lost his wicket. Estiaan Groenewald then stepped up and, together with Rademan, built a solid partnership.
Rademan (23) also lost his wicket, followed by two more sioft dismissals, but Groenewald (25*) and Josephs (3*) stuck it out to take their team to a hard-fought bonus-point win.
This Saturday (5 February), the SWCC first team will host Mitchells Plain CC in an outing at Radloff Park.
