Erasmus leads Old Boys to victory

A great all-round performance by Gerhard Erasmus led WHS Old Boys to a comprehensive 31-run victory against archrivals Wanderers in the T20 Premier League on Saturday. 

Erasmus starred with the bat, scoring 73 runs as Old Boys reached a competitive 149 for four wickets off their 20 overs. 

In Wanderers’ reply, Erasmus then also starred with the ball, taking four wickets as Wanderers were bundled out for 118.

After being sent in to bat, Old Boys lost the wicket of JP Kotze early on for nine runs, but Erasmus joined Malan Kruger and revived their fortunes with a 46-run partnership before the latter was dismissed for 28.

Zane Green didn’t stick around for long, being caught and bowled by Danie van Schoor for five, but Gerhard Janse van Rensburg joined Erasmus, who put Old Boys in charge with a great innings.

He was eventually dismissed for 73 off 52 balls, which included six fours and three sixes), while he shared a 64-run fourth wicket partnership with Janse van Rensburg, who remained not out on 21, as they reached 149/4.  

Karl Birkenstock was Wanderers’ most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 31 runs. 

In reply, Wanderers got off to a stuttering start, losing the wickets of JC Balt (1) and Niko Davin (1) with only two runs on the board, before Erasmus struck with two wickets in two balls, bowling Jan Frylinck for 8, and catching and bowling JJ Smit for a duck to leave Wanderers reeling at 12/4. 

Michau du Preez led a determined comeback by Wanderers, but Old Boys tightened their grip on the match with regular wickets, before the whole team was out for 118. 

Du Preez top-scored for Wanderers with 42 runs off 35 balls (4×4, 2×6), while Nyasha Nyashadzaishe scored 23 off 20. 

Erasmus’ was Old Boys’ top bowler, taking four wickets for 10 runs, while Tangeni Lungameni took 3/26. 

It was Old Boys’ third successive victory in the competition which put them at the top of the log on 12 points, while Old Boys, with two wins and one loss, are second on eight points.

Trustco United, meanwhile, recorded their first win of the tournament when they beat CCD by six wickets on Saturday afternoon. 

After winning the toss and electing to bat, CCD struggled to get going and were eventually restricted to 117 for five wickets off their 20 overs. 

Norbert Manyande was their top scorer with 32 not out off 32 balls, while Ryan Moffett added 24.

Francois Rautenbach was United’s top bowler, taking three wickets for 15 runs.

In reply, Ben Shikongo made an early breakthrough for CCD when he bowled Henry Hayes for one, and when United also lost Michael van Lingen (11) and Handre Klazinga (13), they were struggling at 28 for three wickets.

Darren van Dyk and Christian Schumacher, however, put United in charge with an 84-run partnership, with Van Wyk scoring 41 off 38 balls (2×4, 2×6), while Schumacher scored 32 not out, as they reached the victory target for the loss of four wickets, with two balls to spare. 

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