Wanderers, Old Boys pull away 

Wanderers and ATG WHS Old Boys continued their dominance of the T20 Premier League with contrasting victories on Saturday. 

Wanderers hardly built up a sweat as they thrashed CCD by 132 runs, but Old Boys were made to work harder and eventually prevailed by 11 runs against Trustco United. 

The results saw both teams moving well clear at the top of the log on 16 points each, with Wanderers leading on nett run rate, while United and CCD follow well behind on four points each. 

CCD made an early breakthrough against Wanderers when Junior Kariata dismissed Lohan Louwrens for a duck, but JC Balt and Michau du Preez put Wanderers in charge with a century partnership. 

Scoring at just over 10 runs an over they took the total to 113 before Du Preez was dismissed for 39 from a fine catch by Junior Kariata off Tangi Nuuyoma’s bowling. 

Balt went on to score 65 off 41 balls (7×4, 2×6), while Karl Birkenstock added 20, but Quincy Beukles and Ben Shikongo gave CCD hope with some late wickets as they restricted Wanderers to 172 for nine wickets off their 20 overs.

Beukes was CCD’s top bowler, taking three wickets for 14 runs, while Shikongo took 2/34. 

In reply, CCD were in trouble from the start as Ryan Moffett was dismissed for a second ball duck off Bernard Scholtz’ bowling and from then on it was one way traffic as Wanderers’ bowlers cut through their battling lineup. 

The only CCD batter to reach double figures was Simon Shikongo with 13, before the whole team was out for a meagre 40 runs to give Wanderers a huge victory. 

Wanderers’ top bowlers were Jan Izak de Villiers with three wickets for two runs, Scholtz with 2/9 and Balt with 2/7. 

In Saturday’s second match, Old Boys were pushed all the way before beating Trustco United by 11 runs. 

After being sent in to bat, Old Boys, scored a competitive 141 for six wickets, before dismissing United for 130. 

JP Kotze and Riaan Minnie gave Old Boys a solid start with a 57-run partnership before Kotze was dismissed by Markus van Heerden for 30 off 24 balls (3×4, 1×6). 

Minnie soon followed for 24, but solid contributions down the order by Malan Kruger (25), Henry Oliver (23) and Zhivago Groenewald (21 not out) saw them setting United a competitive target.  

Van Heerden (2/37) and Steph Fourie (2/25) were United’s best bowlers. 

United’s reply got off to a poor start as they lost regular wickets and when Michael Muller was dismissed for 11 they were in trouble at 50/5 midway through their innings. 

Handre Klazinga and Steph Fourie, however, triggered a fine revival, putting on 64 runs before Klazinga was bowled by Henry Oliver for 53 which came off 38 balls (5×4, 2×6). 

Fourie maintained United’s challenge, but he ran out of partners and was eventually run out for 24, as United fell 11 runs short of the target.