SACricketmag.com looks back at the afternoon matches on day two of the Africa T20 Cup.
POOL A
Easterns vs Uganda – Uganda won by five wickets
Uganda pulled off a surprise five-wicket win against the Pool B leaders Easterns. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Easterns posted 143-6 with captain Grant Thomson top-scoring with 41 off 31 balls. Uganda were able to chase the target down in a valiant team effort that saw them get the winning runs in the final over with three balls remaining. The result ensures the African team got their first points on the board in the tournament.
Western Province vs KwaZulu-Natal Inland – Western Province won by 35 runs
Western Province secured their first win of the tournament with a convincing 35-run victory over KZN Inland in a high-scoring encounter. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Western Province posted an imposing 220-3 on the back of opener Janneman Malan’s destructive 128 not out off 67 balls, including 13 fours and seven sixes. Half-centuries from Cody Chetty (66 off 39 balls, 11 fours) and Grant Roelofsen (53 not out off 32 balls, seven fours) were not enough to get KZN inland over the line as they only managed 185-6 in the second innings.
POOL B
Gauteng vs Free State – Gauteng won by 35 runs
Gauteng continue to impress as they secured a convincing 35-run victory over Free State to stay top of Pool B. Gauteng’s Delano Potgieter (70 off 52 balls, six fours and four sixes) and Wiaan Mulder (50 off 38 balls, four fours) helped their team post 156-7 in the first innings after electing to bat first. Potgieter continued his destructive form in the second innings as his 5-22 helped his team bowl out the opposition for just 121 runs in the 18th over.
South Western Districts vs Northerns – Northerns won by nine wickets
Northerns got back into winning ways as they wrapped up a nine-wicket win against SWD. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, SWD posted 120-9 in their allocated overs with a highest contribution of 31 off 29 balls from captain Obus Pienaar. Northerns were able to chase the target down in the 16th over to propel them to second on the Pool B standings. Jiveshan Pillay’s 75 not out off 53 balls (seven fours, three sixes) got Northerns over the line with 29 balls to spare.
POOL C
Kenya vs Border – Border won by eight wickets
Marco Marais was at it once again to help Border cruise to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Kenya. Kenya could only manage 130-6 in a forgettable first innings before Marais displayed his destructive best, scoring 75 not out off 34 balls – smashing 10 fours and three sixes along the way – to lead his team to victory in the 11th over.
Namibia vs Mpumalanga – Namibia won by 66 runs
Namibia piled more misery on the struggling Mpumalanga with a 66-run win to take them to third place in Pool C. After losing the toss and being inserted to bat, Namibia’s captain Jan Frylinck led his team to a massive 216-4 in the first innings with his contribution of 82 not out off 46 balls (eight fours, four sixes). Namibia then bowled out the opposition for 150 in 19 overs. Gerhard Erasmus and Chris Coombe were the pick of the Namibian attack, picking up 3-23 and 3-35 respectively in their four overs.
POOL D
Nigeria vs Boland – Boland won by eight wickets
Boland had an early day as they wrapped up an eight-wicket victory over Nigeria with 88 balls to spare. Nigeria only managed 64-8 in their 20 overs after electing to bat first. The Boland bowling attack worked well as a unit to restrict the African side to a total well under par. Boland were able to chase the target down within the powerplay at the expense of only two wickets.
North West vs Limpopo – North West won by 102 runs
North West thumped Limpopo by 102 runs to take them to second in the Pool D standings. North West posted a mammoth 262-2 in the first innings thanks to a stunning 102 off 36 balls – including five fours and a massive 11 sixes at a strike rate of 283.33 – from Wihan Lubbe. Leighton Swarts (4-0-27-3) was the only Limpopo bowler who could walk away with his pride intact as the rest were smashed to pieces. In comparison, the North West bowling attack was brilliant in the second innings as they bowled the opposition out for just 160 runs in the penultimate over.
Photo: Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images
