Janneman Malan scored an outstanding 140 from 113 deliveries to lead North West University Pukke to a 229-run victory against the Burma Lads on a rain-affected day three of the Momentum National Club Championship in Pretoria on Friday.
Grant Mokoena (80) and Wimpie Viljoen (37) got the Pukke innings off to a good start with a solid 78-run opening stand. Malan stepped to the crease after Viljoen’s run-out, adding 67 runs for the second wicket with Mokoena before his dismissal at the hands of Ricardo Joseph. Malan continued to bat his side out of several interruptions caused by falling wickets. His score included 16 fours and five sixes before he was removed by Aiden Brooker at the back end of the 49th over.
Pukke posted a formidable 348 for five at the end of their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Northern Cape’s Burma Lads could only manage 118 for eight thanks to the triple team of Wihan Lubbe, Sampie Oosthuizen and Armand Erasmus, who took six wickets between them. Warren Bell was the top-scorer with an unbeaten 36 runs when play was ended by rain.
At Tuks Oval, the Mecer Madibaz PE claimed a four-wicket victory over University of Free State. Andries Gous did well to score 109 from 132 balls while wickets tumbled around him. They were 89 for six after 25.4 overs, with Gous one of the last remaining recognised batsmen at the crease. He batted his side out of trouble and helped his side post a respectable 208 for eigh at the end of their innings.
Shakir Abrahams and Tian Koekemoer took three for 23 and two for 44 respectively for Madibaz. The PE side had a good start thanks to opener Eddie Moore’s 83 off 78 deliveries. Although no one scored a century for Madibaz, captain Lloyd Brown (51) hit a half-century that steered their side to victory. They were 203 for six after 37.4 overs when the rain started.
In the last match of section one, Assupol Tuks suffered their second consecutive loss in the tournament when they were beaten by Steinhoff Maties by nine wickets. Aiden Markram scored 123 runs to lead them to 221 for seven at the end of their innings. Maties’ batsmen were in fine form. Jean Bredenkamp and Keegan Petersen were moving along swimmingly on 68 not out and 80 not out respectively before rain stopped play. Maties were 174 for one after 36.3 overs.
In section two, University of Johannesburg won their match before it could be decided by the weather, beating Union Stars CC by seven wickets and claiming a bonus point. In the last two matches, the HollywoodBet.Net Crusaders beat Benoni Northerns by 29 runs, while Erdinger Durbanville CC claimed a commanding 105-run victory over United CC.
The Madibaz top the section one log with 14 points, followed by Maties on 13, while Burma Lads bring up the bottom end of the log with none. The unbeaten Crusaders are on top of section two’s log with 13 points, while United CC, who have yet to win a match in the tournament so far, sit at the bottom of the log.
