Curro Durbanville‘s decision to bat first on HTS Drostdy‘s Dawie de Lange Oval backfired when they quickly found themselves in deep trouble, on 12/4, only three overs into Saturday’s 50-over contest.
Malan Prinsloo and JP Smith steadied the visitors’ innings with a 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Prinsloo played patiently for 20 off 41 balls, striking four fours, while Smith weighed in with Curro’s top score of 26 off 18, hitting four fours and six.
Donkies‘ bowler Leonaydio Mackenzie led the assault on the visitors’ batting, snapping up a stingy 3/12 from four overs. Opener Jannes Krynauw bagged 2/10 in three, and captain DJ Luck picked up 2/11 from two.
Curro Durbanville’s innings ended in the 19th over, with the visitors all out for 83.
Chasing a small total, opening batsman MJ van Reenan gave the hosts a positive start, stroking four fours in a rapid 19 off 13.
Leonaydio Mackenzie then followed up his bowling heroics with Drostdy’s top score. He hit three fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 35 off only 25 balls, leading the home team to a five-wicket victory as they raced to 86/5 after only 9.5 overs.
Curro’s Alex Lombard claimed 2/25, while Tiergan Govender took 2/23, both in two overs.
Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr vs Hoërskool Strand
In Ceres, Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr was forced to grind their way to victory after a tough limited-overs arm wrestle with Hoërskool Strand.
Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors struggled. Matthew Barnard, the number five batsman, was the first Eagles‘ player to make it into double figures, scoring 22. Bevan Botha, the next man in, assisted with a circumspect 28 off 56 balls, and the pair added 39 for the fifth wicket to advance the total from 25/4 to 63/5.
The Charlies’ opening bowlers, Arno November and Lian Visser, were in top form. November captured 3/24 from 10 overs, while Visser wrapped up the innings in his ninth over, finishing with 3/19.
Captain Dewald Scholtz chipped in, snaffling 2/25 from six as Strand was dismissed for 123 in the 42nd over.
Like Strand, the Ceres locals didn’t start well. Number four batsman, Martin du Plessis, was the first Charlies’ player to reach double figures, but, crucially, he pressed on, scoring a cautious but invaluable 37 from 62 deliveries, with three fours and a six.
Ruben Giliomee, batting at six, tallied 19 runs in the middle overs and struck three fours, as Charlie Hofmeyr chased down Strand’s total in the 38th over, aided by 16 wides and 27 extras.
Aqeeb Fanie and Keathon Gertze challenged the home side’s batsmen, claiming 2/31 and 2/24 from 10 overs, respectively, while Joshua Human played his part by picking up 2/17 from six overs.
Summarised Scorecards:
Curro Durbanville 83/10 (JP Smith 26, Malan Prinsloo 20, Extras 20; Leonaydio Mackenzie 3/12, Jannes Krynauw 2/10, DJ Luck 2/11). HTS Drostdy 86/5 (Leonaydio Mackenzie 35*; Tiergan Govender 2/23, Alex Lombard 2/25). HTS Drostdy won by five wickets.
Hoërskool Strand 123/10 (Bevan Botha 28, Matthew Barnard 22, Extras 21; Lain Visser 3/19, Arno November 3/24, Dewald Scholtz 2/25). Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr 125/8 (Martin du Plessis 37, Extras 27; Joshua Human 2/17, Keathon Gertze 2/24, Aqeeb Fanie 2/31). Charlie Hofmeyr won by two wickets.
