HTS Drostdy captain, Bryan Cochrane, scored an unbeaten half-century and Alex Matthee bowled an inspired spell to help Drostdy put an end to an ignoble record of losing to Boland Landbou for close to 12 years with a six-wicket victory on the Dawie de Lange Oval at Drostdy on Wednesday.
Francois Prins, Boland Landbou’s captain, called correctly at the toss and opted to bat first. On a sluggish surface, his side marched to 140/4. In reply, Drostdy motored to 143/3 in 19 overs to claim victory.
“I am extremely proud of the fight and character the boys showed,” Xander Pritchers, the Drostdy first team coach and head of Cricket, told SuperSport Schools News.
Prins scored 31 in an assured 56-run opening partnership off 37 balls with Matthew Geldenhuys. Cochrane, who used five bowlers in the power-play, turned to Matthee in the seventh over, and the leg spinner struck immediately, dislodging Geldenhuys with his first delivery.
The next man in, Johannes Goosen, made his intentions clear by launching a six off the second ball he faced. Then, he misread the third delivery and holed out to Cochrane on the boundary. Matthee had two wickets in four balls.
The hosts took control in the next over, when Karel Hugo accounted for Prins, who looked good and was set to bat Drostdy out of the contest. Kobus Conradie did his best to seize the momentum for the Farmers, top-scoring for the visitors with an unbeaten 42 from 38 balls.
Under pressure, Drostdy’s bowlers maintained good discipline and allowed only eight boundaries over the last 12 overs to limit Boland Landbou to an achievable total. Matthee led the home side’s bowlers with a return of 2/9 from two overs, while Hugo and Cochrane chipped in with a wicket each.
Drostdy stumbled early in their reply, losing Albert Nel for a mere five runs. MJ van Reenen and Cochrane consolidated, however, and pushed the hosts forward with some outstanding batting. Each chose their moments to play expansive shots and were happy to take singles when they were on offer.
Van Reenen scored 37 from 29 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes. However, the star of the show was Cochrane, who cracked three fours and three sixes in a hasty 56 not out from only 35 balls. Fittingly, the Drsotdy captain struck the winning runs with a massive six off his opposite number, Prins.
Drostdy’s best partnership was between Cochrane and Stephen Steyn, who added 48 for the fourth wicket. Steyn stepped up and relieved the pressure off his captain at the backend with some good ball striking, contributing 26 from 18 balls, taking Drostdy to within five runs of victory.
Troy Davis was the pick of the Boland Landbou bowlers, picking up 2/30 in four overs. Louis du Plessis, the other wicket-taker, took 1/15 runs in a single over.
Summarised Scorecard
Boland Landbou 140/4 (Kobus Conradie 42*, Francois Prins 31, Gideon Kotze 22; Alex Matthee 2/9, Bryan Cochrane 1/19). HTS Drostdy 143/4 (Bryan Cochrane 56*, MJ van Reenen 37, Stephen Steyn 26; Troy Davis 2/30, Louis du Plessis 1/15). HTS Drostdy won by six wickets.
