Jets are Richelieu T20 champions

THE Windhoek Jets saved their best performance for last to win the Richelieu T20 Franchise series after beating Etosha Wildcats by 18 runs in the final on Sunday. 

The Jets had a mediocre run during the group stages, winning three and losing three matches, while they also suffered an eight-wicket defeat to the Wildcats, but on Sunday the Jets cruised to victory after a fine all-round performance by their batters and bowlers.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, the Jets got off to a solid start from their top-order batters, with captain Jan Frylinck leading the charge. 

Shaun Fouche and Niko Davin put on 36 runs for the opening wicket before Davin was dismissed for 19, which came off 16 balls. Frylinck, however,  joined Fouche and put the Jets in command with a 73-run partnership off just under 10 overs. 

Fouche was eventually dismissed off Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s bowling for 59 off 46 balls (2×4, 4×6), but Frylinck continued to attack the Wildcats bowlers, putting on 55 runs with Zane Green off the final five overs as they reached a commanding 164 for two wickets off their 20 overs.

Frylinck remained unbeaten on 63 which came off only 47 balls (4×4, 1×6), while Green was not out on 19 off 11 balls (1×4,1×6). 

In reply, the Wildcats got off to a quick start as their openers Michael van Lingen (10) and JP Kotze (20) put on 32 off only 3,2 overs, but they were both dismissed in quick succession, with Van Lingen caught and bowled by JC Balt for 10, while Kotze was caught behind off Fouche’s bowling for 20. 

Nicol Loftie-Eaton and JJ Smit led the Wildcats’ recovery with a 65-run partership, but the momentum swung in the Jets’ favour when they were both dismissed within five balls of each other. 

Loftie-Eaton was caught in the deep off Mika Mutumbe’s bowling for 30 off 29 balls, while Smit was also caught on the boundary off Fouche’s bowling for 35 off 28 balls (1×4, 2×6). 

That swung the match decisively in the Jets’ favour and although Darren van Dyk scored 21 not out and Danie van Schoor 16 towards the end of the Wildcats’ innings, they never came close, as the Jets romped to a comfortable victory. 

Fouche won the man of the match award for his fine all-round performance of 59 runs and three wickets for 24, but captain Frylinck walked away with the player of the series award, with a total of 1 169 points according to the player ranking statistics. 

Smit came second on 1 036, while Gerhard Erasmus of Namib Desert Lions came third on 922 points. 

They were followed by Zane Green of the Jets (755), Nicol Loftie-Eaton of Etosha Wildcats (727), JP Kotze of Etosha Wildcats (712) and Jean du Plessis of Namib Desert Lions (708).

Frylinck was the top batter with 330 runs at an average of 82,50, followed by Smit with 275 runs at an average of 68,75, and Erasmus with 231 runs at an average of 57,75, while Loftie-Eaton was the top bowler with 11 wickets, followed by Danie van Schoor of the Wildcats, Simon Shikongo of Windhoek Jets and Handre Klazinga of Namib Desert Lions, who each took eight wickets.