Andre Malan’s entertaining century ensured that Durbanville Cricket Club made it four wins from four on the fourth day of the Momentum National Club Cricket Championships in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The all-rounder smashed 101 off 78 balls (9 fours, 1 six) as the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras representatives comprehensively beat Kovsies Cricket Club by 84 runs at the Mandela Oval.
There was also an important win for Assupol Tuks over Clares as the local side regained their second position on the table with a solid win, while Madibaz Cricket Club overcame Impala Cricket Club for their maiden win of the week.
Malan though, was the toast after his sizzling innings helped DCC maintain their 100 percent record in the competition. Asked to bat first after losing the toss, the Cape side posted 245/7 thanks to their top-scorer, with Jaco Castle striking 43.
Wizard Ncedane (3/35) and Christo van Staden (3/43) bagged three wickets apiece.
Their opponents made a good early run of the chase after a half-century from opener Wihan Victor (55 off 71 balls, 4 fours) got them to 126/3 at one stage. But they lost their way from there, losing their next seven wickets for only 35 to be all out for 161 in 42.5 overs.
Tashwin Lukas, Durbanville’s star from the previous day, was again the pick of the bowlers with 3/21. He was well supported by Kudakwashe Samunderu’s 3/41.
At the TUT Oval, Francois van Heerden struck a run-a-ball 84 (86 balls, 9 fours) to guide Tuks to a five-wicket win over Clares. The hosts won the toss, put the visitors in to bat first and had them on the ropes for most of the innings as they restricted them to 193/6.
The Durbanites were in huge strife early in their innings after slumping to 113/6, before unbeaten 40s by Yergesh Naidoo (40) and Abdul Hack Razak (44) lifted them to a competitive total.
Clares needed early wickets to stand a chance, but that never happened and Van Heerden’s measured innings guided Tuks to a comfortable win.
Justin Banks claimed four wickets to help Madibaz overcome Impala by 62 runs at the Tuks Oval. Batting first after losing the toss, the side from the Eastern Cape amassed 263/6.
There was no stand-out batsman, but contributions all-round, including not out 40s by Morne Venter (47) and Sean Callaghan (40).
In reply, the Bizhub Highveld Lions representatives fell for 201 in 46.3 overs with Banks finishing with 4/52, while Venter completed a good-all-round showing with 2/35.
Opener Dwaine Fielding top-scored for the winless Impala club with 47.
The event, which is put together by Cricket South Africa (CSA), encompasses the six outright winners of the Franchise regional playoffs, all playing against each other in a 50-over format.
African News Agency