Patience was a virtue at the NWC Oval on Wednesday evening, and it was rewarded as the rain SA20 Derby Series match-up between Potchefstroom Gimnasium and Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom produced classic entertainment on and off the field.
With the sun out all day in Potchefstroom, the schools’ U15s and teachers took the opportunity to play curtain-raisers, but just when 1st XI captains, Tlhoni Thabatha (Gimmies) and Andries Venter (Volkies), readied for the toss of the rain bat, inclement weather delayed matters.
It was a full 90 minutes later when Thabatha profited from Venter incorrectly calling “mountains” to elect to bat first, allowing the action to get underway. By then, the two sets of boisterous supporters were already in fine voice… and remained so for the whole match.
Gimmies‘ openers, dangerman Ulrich Botha and Jahndré Coetzee, made a steady if unspectacular start. Botha, who made nine from nine balls, with two fours, was the first to depart, but Coetzee and Lukas Kotze built a solid platform to take the score to 65/2 before Coetzee lost his wicket to AW van der Merwe after compiling 37 off 32, which included seven fours. Van der Merwe was not done, though.
Kotze, meanwhile, proved the mainstay of the Gimmies’ innings, scoring 51 off 37 balls.
Intriguingly, Volkies relied heavily on their spinners, not least their captain, Andries Venter. He went for 17 off his first over but, after a change of ends, he got stuck into the Gimmies’ batting, which went from 108/2 in the 15th over to 150/8 after their 20 overs.
In his second over, Venter accounted for Christivan Coetzer, who scored seven off eleven, and Lukas Kotze. Bennet Keet came and went after scoring five from six – a victim of Johandre Jacobs – before Venter’s third over included two more dismissals: Bernard Judels was run out for a single before Henré Cronjé was caught behind. He smashed a six in his innings of 17 off 11 deliveries.
Tlhoni Thabatha, after scoring six, became Venter’s victim, and was also the last batsman to fall, leaving the – and the final of the innings, leaving the Volkies’ skipper with an outstanding return of 4/31.
When Volkskool’s run chase began, they got off to a fast start, but also lost three wickets in the Powerplay, all claimed by fast bowler Adriaan van Niekerk.
Riekert Kruger was the first to go, chopping on at the end of the opening over after making five from five. Theunis Nel contributed six from five, but then feathered a hook to wicketkeeper Botha in the third over. When Venter mistimed a pull, he was out for 16 off 11, and Volkies had reached 38/3 in the fifth over.
Step forward, AW van der Merwe. His 65 off 49 balls broke the back of the chase. Juan van Niekerk provided him with the support he needed, scoring 31 from 29 balls, and sharing in an 87-run partnership.
The Volkies’ contingent in the grandstand could sense a third straight victory over their noisy neighbours.
Van Niekerk was caught at short third off Henré Cronjé’s spin, and Van der Merwe skied a leg-flick off Ruhann Steenkamp to follow soon after, but Volkskool kept their cool to seal a classic five-wicket win, which was eagerly celebrated at the end by their on-rushing classmates.
