SWD DEMOLISH GAUTENG
The SWD cricket team clinched one of their best victories ever when they defeated the highly rated team of the Gauteng Strikers by 59 runs the past weekend. The men from the Southern Cape now move to the second position of the CSA Provincial Three Day challenge after they bagged 18.78 bonus points from the win. They are now at 82.28 points after seven matches. Boland (89.18 points – after 8 matches) are leading the log – followed by SWD. Eastern Province 80.88 (after 8 matches) is third followed by Free State (78.46 after 7 matches).
After being put in to bat on a pitch that had a lot of moisture after the heavy rains, a third wicket partnership of 190 between the captain, Ross McMillan (125; 213 balls, 2×6, 14×4) and Glen Addicot (145; 230 balls; 10×6, 10×4) steered SWD to an impressive 339 (all out) in the first innings. Both McMillan and Addicot achieved their career best first class scores.
Gauteng was put under huge pressure and only managed to score 176 runs in their first innings. Reece Williams (2/24), Phabhama Fojela (2/22) and McMillan (3/27). SWD, who had a first innings lead of 163, preferred not to enforce the follow-on.
SWD, in their second innings, were in a spot of bother at 13/4 but Brendon Louw (53; 57 balls, 1×6, 6×4) rescued the innings with an aggressive batting display.
Gauteng was set a winning target of 301 and was in a strong position at 231/6 but McMillan (3/24) made the breakthrough. Marcello Piedt (2/84) and Williams (2/34) offered great support as Gauteng was dismissed for 242.
The Twenty20 match on Sunday was abandoned without a ball being bowled after rain.
LEAGUE RESULTS: SWD CRICKET BOARD
Sussex opened the door for a possible place in the quarter finals of the SWD Cricket Board’s Premier League when they produced their best performance of the season with a victory of 211 runs against George. Sammy-Joe Avontuur (134) was the batting hero as Sussex posted 308 and thereafter dismissed George for only 97.
In the other match Harlequins Forces consolidated their position for a place in the semi-finals after they scored 187 runs and dismissed Ramblers for 149 to secure a 38 runs victory. Ramblers will now need to win their last match against Union Stars to miss out on relegation.
The B and C teams of Union Stars will play in the Reserve League final’s on Saturday after convincing victories in the semi-finals.
The summarized score sheets for the weekend is:
PREMIER LEAGUE
Sussex vs George
SUSSEX 308 (Sammy Joe Avontuur 134, Craig Thanna 38, Curtly Kannemeyer 32, Erinn Ewerts 21, Wim Basson 3/36, Marlo Pienaar 3/50, Gideon Barnard 2/52)
GEORGE 97 (Aslin De Villiers 25, Craig Thanna 4/22, Erinn Ewerts 2/22)
Sussex won by 211 runs
Harlequins vs Ramblers
HARLEQUINS 187 (Rhupino Plaatjies 53, Bailey Aarons 22, Mario Jansen 20, Marshall de Klerk 3/27, Shael Lamini 3/31)
RAMBLERS 149 (Byron Botha 30, Theo Claasen 26, Warren Sevierus 2/12, Wayne Gelant 2/15, Ronald Dirks 2/26
Harlequins won by 38 runs
PROMOTION LEAGUE
Heidelberg vs Kranshoek Cobra’s
HEIDELBERG 132; KRANSHOEK COBRA’S 135/2
Kranshoek Cobra’s won by 8 wickets
Thembalethu vs Calitzdorp
THEMBALETHU 157; CALITZDORP 127
Thembalethu won by 30 runs
Albertinia vs Hartenbos
HARTENBOS 174; ALBERTINIA 178/7
Albertinia won by 3 wickets
Bongolethu vs Melkhoutfontein
BONGOLETHU 163; MELKHOUTFONTEIN 130
Bongolethu won by 33 runs
Pioneers vs Mayflower
MAYFLOWER 158; PIONEERS 132
Mayflower won by 26 runs
Dysselsdorp vs Selbourne
SELBOURNE 99; DYSSELSDORP 100/7
Dysselsdorp won by 3 wickets
RESERVE LEAGUE – SEMI FINALS
Union Stars B vs George B
GEORGE B 88 (Grant Simpson 13, Juan Heunis 4/23, Emile Titus 2/14)
UNION STARS B 90/4 (Enver Venter 32*, Jean Heunis 20, Grant Simpson 2/21, Hendrik Schoeman 2/35)
Union Stars B won by 6 wickets
Union Stars C vs Ramblers B
UNION STARS C 122 (Marco Jansen 28; Shagan Terblance 4/30, Eugene Swartz 3/39)
RAMBLERS 68 (Shaun Pretorius 26, Shagan Terblance 23, Marco Kammies 7/21, Gary Moos 2/13)
Union Stars C won by 54 runs
WOMEN’S LEAGUE
George vs Hessequa
GEORGE 166/8; HESSEQUA 51
George won by 115 runs
LEAGUE FIXTURES
5 February 2013
The last round of matches in the SWD Cricket Board Premier and Promotion leagues will be contested this weekend whilst the Reserve League will be concluded on Saturday with the final that will be played between the B and C teams of Union Stars at the REC in Oudtshoorn.
The key match will be the one between Sussex and Pacaltsdorp where a victory for Sussex will keep their hopes for a place in the semi-finals alive. A victory for Pirates against Mossel Bay can also open the door for the men from Hornlee.
The fixtures are:
Saturday
Premier League
Harlequins vs George
Pacaltsdorp vs Sussex
Mossel Bay vs Pirates
Ramblers vs Union Stars
Promotion League
Knysna Cavaliers vs Mayflower
Pioneers vs Heidelberg
Riversdale vs Hartenbos
Bongolethu vs Calitzdorp
Selbourne vs NMMU
Melkhoutfontein vs Thembalethu
Ladismith vs Western Hope
Reserve League
Final (REC Ground): Union Stars B vs Union Stars C
SWD Women’s League
Hessequa vs Mossel Bay
Oudtshoorn vs SWD U/18
Sunday
Promotion League
Melkhoutfontein vs Selbourne
Bongolethu vs NMMU
Blanco vs Albertinia
FULL AFFILIATE STATUS FOR SWD CRICKET
The SWD Cricket Board’s ambition to become the 12th full affiliate member of Cricket South Africa (CSA) was fulfilled on Saturday at the CSA Annual General Meeting that was held at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. The entire members forum supported he recommendation by CSA Management CSA confirming SWD’s long term commitment to cricket in terms of structures, facilities, cricket programs, governance and potential. CSA resolved at the 2011 AGM that SWD be awarded conditional Affiliate Members status, with a proviso that a follow up visit by CSA Management be made during the 2012/13 financial year confirm SWD’s long term commitment to sustain cricket in the SWD area.
SWD President Rudy Claassen, who together with Chief Executive Officer, Albertus Kennedy, were in the hot seats in 2004 when CSA awarded associate status to SWDCB said that full affiliate status is a reward of hard work and dedication from his predecessors and their executive committee as well as the office staff under the leadership of the CEO, Albertus Kennedy as well as the current executive committee who work with passion and dedication to fulfill the objective. Claassen said that the elevation of SWD’s status will ensure that SWD will be able to maintain and expand existing structures and to explore new avenue’s in promoting cricket in the Southern Cape.
Cricket in the South Western Districts was managed and administered by two bodies in the pre-apartheid era. The establishment of the SWD Cricket Board (SWDCB) in 1991 brought about the organizational unity of all cricketers in the SWD for the first time after a century-and-a-half of segregation and division. Between 1991 and July 1998 the SWDCB was affiliated under the auspices of the Western Province Cricket Association as a Country Districts province.
As from July 1998 until the restructuring process of the South African cricket (September 2003) the SWDCB was affiliated as a sub-union of the Boland Cricket Board. SWD was withdrawn from the South African Country Cricket Association (SACCA) competition between 1999 and 2000 and the provincial team only participated in the leagues of the Boland Cricket Board. After recommendations from a United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) – the United Cricket Board of South Africa was founded in 1991; in 2006 after a Constitutional change the name was changed to Cricket South Africa – Commission (which was held in 2000), the SWDCB was funded directly from the UCBSA and was also re-introduced to the SACCA competition.
For the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, after associated status was awarded to five new provinces (including South Western Districts) as part of the re-structuring process of South African cricket, the SWD participated in the UCBSA Associates Amateur league competitions. As part of the re-structuring process SWD was geographically included as part of Cricket Eastern Cape (Warriors professional franchise). The SWD Cricket Board opened its first full time office in October 2004 in Oudtshoorn and cricket in the province was run for the first time on a day-to-day basis with Mr Albertus Kennedy appointed as the first General Manager. The Recreation Ground became the official home ground of the SWD Cricket.
The General Council of the UCBSA approved a new format for amateur cricket, incorporating the associates with the eleven affiliated provinces, during February 2006. First class status was afforded to the Three Day competition and continuation of participation was subject to review.
At the Annual General Meeting of Cricket South Africa (CSA) that was held in Port Elizabeth on August, 20th 2011 the CSA Board of Directors awarded conditional Affiliate status to the SWDCB.
The Honorary Life-President of SWD Cricket, Mr Simon Swigelaar, described this achievement as one of the highlights of his career. He thanked CSA for the confidence that they put into SWD and congratulated all involved.
SWD IN DRAGONS DEN
The SWD senior cricket team will be keen to keep their momentum when they travel to Potchefstroom where they will take on the North West Dragon at Senwes Park in a Cricket South Africa Provincial Challenge fixture.
Both Christiaan Jonker (released from Warriors) and Waldo Lategan (returned from injury) are back in the team and will certainly strengthen the title chasers.
A victory will put SWD right on top of the log but they will not underestimate the Dragons who are also still well placed for winning the competition.
The SWD team is: Ross McMillan (capt), Luthando Mnyanda, Christiaan Jonker, Glen Addicot, Pieter Stuurman, Brendon Louw, Waldo Lategan, Phaphama Fojela, Marcello Piedt, Douglas Baartman and Reece Williams. Justin Jordaan and Kobus Scholtz will be added to the T20 squad.
