Gerry Pike scored an unbeaten 123 to set up Assupol Tuks’ first win in the 2015 Momentum National Club Championship in Pretoria on Wednesday. The defending champions beat University of Free State by 42 runs.
Pike was the star with the bat, but Heinrich Klaasen and Murray Coetzee played notable innings of 78 not out and 77, respectively to help their side to a hefty 334 for two at the end of their 50 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat first.
Kovsies fought valiantly against a rampant bowling attack led by Sean Nowak (three for 63), Lenert van Wyk scored a brilliant 131 from 143 balls to give his side a strong start, but was not backed up well enough by his team-mates. Michael Erlank was the second highest run-scorer with 34.
At Groenkloof, the Mecer Madibaz PE bowlers secured their side’s 45-run victory over Burma Lads CC. Eddie Moore, Anridge Nortje, Henco Vorstman and Bradley Dolley took two wickets each to restrict the opposition to 156 after setting them a 202-run target.
In the last match of section one, Steinhoff Maties beat North West University Pukke by three wickets.
Pukke were bowled out for 147 after they were put into bat first. Only Henning du Plooy was able to get a good start, top-scoring with 36 from 83 balls. Stephanus Fourie took three wickets for 44, while Justin Dill, Keegan Biassoni and Johanus Engelbrecht took two wickets each.
Pukke’s Julian Soutter made it a competitive game by taking four for 32 to put Maties on the back foot and make them fight for every run. Neil Botha, Gerhard Erasmus and opener Jean Bredenkamp scored a respective 32, 29 and 26 to get their side over the line in the end.
In section two, Jaco Castle of Erdinger Durbanville CC fell two runs short of 100 when they took on Union Stars and won by 54 runs. He scored 98, with Pieter Malan and Jean Strydom adding 51 and 44 respectively to bat their side to 268 for eight.
Castle completed an excellent all-round performance when he took four for 41 to restrict Union Stars to 214 for nine. Andre Olivier (55) and Glenton Stuurman’s (51) half-centuries were not enough to get their side to victory.
In the other section two matches, the HollywoodBet.Net Crusaders beat University of Johannesburg by seven wickets, while United CC suffered a 38-run defeat to Benoni Northerns.
