Maties are the 2022 Varsity Cricket champions after a commanding batting display took them to a five-wicket victory in the tounrament’s final against the North West University at the Tuks Oval last Wednesday (5 October).
Maties captain Lehan Botha played a commanding captain’s innings of 25* (29), while Don Glover 21* (8) finished the game off with two fours and a massive six to put the cherry on top.
SA under-19 captain George van Heerden, with 35 (28), also played a major part in sealing the deal for the deserving Maties outfit, which put on a masterclass in chasing a target in a pressure-filled final. The Maroon Machine reached their target of 162 with 14 balls to spare.
A fast start with the bat and clever use of the power play in both innings gave Maties the advantage they needed to seal the deal and lift the crown.
Chasing 162 for their first Varsity Cricket victory, Maties got off to a speedy start reaching 40/2 after two frenetic overs. Ethan Cunningham looked in supreme touch with 20 (6) before he lost his wicket to JP King.
Maties continued on their merry way with Van Heerden 35 (28) providing momentum in a classy innings as they chipped away at the target.
Edumisa Dlulemnyango (2/22) bowled Van Heerden to give the NWU a glimmer of hope, but by then Maties were already cruising to victory with a required run rate below six an over.
Glover added the knockout blow with boundaries to put NWU out for the count.
Earlier, NWU won the toss and decided to bat, making the perfect start when in-form openers Eben Botha 56 (38) and JP King (75 off 53) put on 118 for the first wicket – the highest opening stand of the tournament as the pair smashed the ball to all parts laying their willow on anything loose.
The left- and right-handed combination frustrated Maties as NWU accumulated 89/0 after the first 10 overs. The team will also not be happy with their fielding, having dropped a couple of chances early on in the crunch game.
They finally got the breakthrough in the power-play over when the player of the tournament, Benjamin Ward, claimed the crucial wicket of Botha, who tried to up the scoring rate.
Ward showed his magic arm when he bagged the wicket of NWU captain Chris Britz (0) in the same over to turn the game in Maties’ favour.
In next over, the pick of Maties bowlers on the day, Phillip Kleynhans (2/18), struck as Heinrigh Pieterse (0) was dismissed LBW.
In the next few overs, Maties got the upperhand with tight and economical bowling as they restricted NWU to 161/5. NWU will feel that they ended 20 to 30 runs short after such a fantastic opening partnership.
This proved to be the case as Maties’ supreme ability to chase in the tournament once again came to the fore as they can now add the Varsity Cricket title to their trophy-laden cabinet.
