Old Boys strike back 

ATG WHS Old Boys struck back with an impressive 53-run victory against Wanderers on Saturday to blow the T20 Premier League title race wide open. 

Wanderers went into the match as favourites, having won their opening three matches, while they also thumped Old Boys by 75 runs in their first round encounter on 12 October. 

On Saturday, though, Old Boys were in dominant form as they amassed a formidable 171/7 and then restricted Wanderers to 118/9. 

After winning the toss and electing to bat, JP Kotze gave Old Boys a quick start with some boundaries and when Morkel Malan was out for 5, Kotze was already on 25.

He continued to attack the bowlers, reaching his 50 with a six off Bernard Scholtz, but three balls later Scholtz dismissed Malan Kruger for 14, while Kotze’s swashbuckling innings came to an end in the next over when he was bowled by JC Balt for 56 off 35 balls (3×4, 5×6). 

With Old Boys reaching 82/3 at the halfway stage of their innings, they were well set, and despite losing two quick wickets with Henry Oliver and Dylan Leicher both dismissed for four, Gerhard Erasmus continued their onslaught with a fine innings. 

He hit two fours and a six off Luhendro de Waal’s opening over, and kept the run rate ticking with some quick running between the wickets.

He dominated a 50-run partnership with Shaun Fouche before the latter was dismissed for 14, and then took 18 runs off the penultimate over Scholtz, including two sixes and a four, and a sublime reverse sweep to reach his 50. 

Erasmus was eventually out for 64 off 38 balls (6×4, 3×6) to steer Old Boys to an impressive total of 171. 

In reply, JC Balt and Lohan Louwrens gave Wanderers a steady start with some boundaries, but Old Boys pegged them back with regular wickets. 

Louwrens was caught behind off Shaun Fouche for 11, Balt was trapped lbw off Lungameni for 18, and when Karl Birkenstock was bowled by Zhivago Groenewald for 12, they were three down with 45 on the board. 

JJ Smit never got going, and after being struck on the head by a bouncer from Dylan Leicher, was bowled four balls later for only eight runs. 

That effectively brought an end to Wanderers’ hopes, and Old Boys tightened the screws with some more wickets. 

Michau du Preez was dismissed for 16 while De Waal added 15 not out further down the order, but they never got close and eventually fell 53 runs short of the target. 

That win put Old Boys level with Wanderers at the top of the log on 12 points each, although Wanderers still lead with a better nett run rate of 2,78 compared to Old Boys’ run rate of 1,80.

They are also now well ahead of CCD and Trustco United and assured of reaching the final. 

Trustco United, meanwhile, got their first win of the season when they beat CCD by 13 runs on Saturday. United posted 144/6 before restricting CCD to 131/8. 

After being sent in to bat, Erik Lintvelt and Gerhard Janse van Rensburg gave United a solid start with a 68-run partnership for the first wicket, before Lintvelt was dismissed by Simon Shikongo for 28. 

Janse van Rensburg added 38 before being bowled by Tangi Nuuyoma, and with the rest of their top order making some useful contributions they reached a competitive total.

In reply, Ryan Moffett and Joshuan Julies gave CCD a solid start with a 45-run partnership, and when Julius was out for 32 the match was evenly poised with CCD at 71/2 at the halfway stage. 

Simon Shikongo added a rapid 28, but United struck back with four wickets in three overs to regain the initiative. 

At the end, Nuuyoma added 19 and Junior Kariata 16 not out, but it was not enough as they fell 13 runs short of the target.