It was a frustrating and disappointing weekend for the SWD senior team after lost their important limited over match against Easterns by one wicket on Sunday. In a shortened match due to a wet outfield the match was reduced to 37 overs per team.
SWD, who were put in to bat, only managed to post 161/9 in their allotted 37 overs. Jean du Plessis played brilliantly for his unbeaten 87*. In spite of an hard-fought effort Easterns reached the winning target (162/9) with one ball to spare.
Northerns, who defeated Border by 9 wickets in East London on Sunday, surpassed SWD as log leaders in Pool B. They are now on 30 points (after 8 matches) with SWD on 28 points after 9 matches. SWD simply need to win their last encounter against Eastern Province on 3 March and hope that Northerns lost their last two matches – which are both in Pretoria – against KwaZulu Natal and Western Province.
In the three-day match only 29.4 overs of play was possible due to rain and a wet outfield. The match ended in a draw.
The summarised score cards are:
Three Day
EASTERNS 1st innings 130/3 (29.4) (Jurie Snyman 74*, Kabello Sekhukhune 34, Stefan Tait 2/40)
Match drawn
One Day
SWD 161/9 (37) (Jean du Plessis 87*, Yamkela Oliphant 20, Imran Manack 3/23, Dyllan Matthews 2/29)
EASTERNS 162/9 (36.5) (Kabello Sekhukhune 50, Armand Erasmus 32, Hershell Amerika 3/21, Bailey Aarons 2/10, Neil Hornbuckle 2/25)
Easterns won by 1 wicket