Unizul bounce back with a vengeance

Unizul’s Berto Basson, watched by umpire Riaan Pretorius, gets ready to flight one in during their Saturday afternoon league fixture against uMhlathuze at Addison Park. Set a massive target of 211 runs to win, the students passed the score with only three balls remaining, thanks to a brilliant 120 not out from Freedom Buthelezi

Thula Ngema bends his back for Unizul

William de Reuck opens his shoulders during the last few overs of uMhlathuze’s innings

The hero of the day - not only was Freedom Buthelezi the pick of the Unizul bowlers with 3/33, but his 120 not out gave the students victory

Saturday Afternoon League cricket ran to its conclusion this past weekend, with the Empangeni Rugby Club (ERC) and the Richards Bay Rugby Club (RBRC) qualifying to meet each other in the first division final this Saturday 20 February at Addison Park. In the second division, eSikhawini marched on triumphantly with a four wicket win over RBCT. They will meet RBRC II in the final at Veldenvlei, with the latter picking up a walkover victory over Thandanani. In a third match, Mtuba beat Brackenham by six wickets in a high scoring game. The first division ended in a bit of an anti-climax with Kwambo withdrawing from their clash against RBRC and Felixton doing likewise in their match against Village. In the only match that was played, Unizul came from behind to beat uMhlathuze by four wickets in a high scoring match at Addison Park.

Magnificent
The hero of Unizul’s victory was Freedom Buthelezi, who knocked the uMhlathuze attack all over the park to score a magnificent 120 not out, and won the match for the students with only three balls remaining. Thula Ngema was the next top scorer with 15. This victory gave Unizul 10 points for the season and joint third place on the log with uMhlathuze. Earlier on, uMhlathuze, batting first, ran to a handsome 210/6 in their 24 overs. Ruan Kruger 58, Lezar Holmes 30, Charl Groenewald 33, William de Reuck 20 not out, and Graeme Karg 24 not out, were the best of the batsmen. Buthelezi not only top scored, but was the pick of the Unizul bowlers with 3/33 from six overs. De Reuck 3/23, and Karg 2/59, were the best of the uMhlathuze bowlers.

Second division
Mtuba ended their league on a high. Brackenham totalled 160 all out, with Dylan Abrahams 56, their top scorer. Bollie Meyers 4/5, and Reinhardt Hedder 3/11, took the wickets. Mtuba, thanks to Leon Visagie’s 54, Lukas Kruger’s 37 and Jaco Bates’s 43, scored a handsome victory. In a second match, RBCT batted first and were dismissed for 151, with Rudi Koekemoer 50, Crusty Simmons 17, and Heino Redinger 37, their top scorers. Sundile Nzimande 2/13, and Walter Buthelezi 3/28, were the best of the bowlers. In reply, Paul Twala 38 not out, Zama Dlamini 32, and Basil Malemba 21, helped eSikhawini to victory.

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