Students heading for top marks after double win
MECER NMMU1 underlined their superiority in Eastern Province club cricket when they romped to two eight-wicket victories in NMB premier league action at the weekend.
Their victory over their second side NMMU2 yesterday was expected but it was Saturday's game against SA Home Loans Union in which they were most impressive.
Unbeaten until Saturday, Union had swotted away all opponents with relative ease in previous matches this season and were touted as real contenders for the league title.
But, after winning a crucial toss, NMMU1 produced a ruthless performance with the ball to roll the home side for a paltry 78.
Only allrounder Ryan Harris made any impression with the bat in making an unbeaten 27.
Their bowlers gave precious little away and they were decisive in the field. Seamer Matthew Kennedy was the most successful of the attack taking four for 12, at the same time delivering a sobering blow to Union's top order. Fellow seamer Devon Adams chipped in with three wickets of his own.
The students knocked off the required runs in under 13 overs to complete an emphatic hiding with David White making 32 and Umar Abrahams unbeaten on 20.
NMMU1's double triumph this weekend has set them well on their way to a sixth successive title unless weather or Maritime Motors Old Grey stymie their charge.
The weekend's summarised scores were:
Saturday
SA Home Loans Union v Mecer NMMU1
Union 78 in 27.5 overs (R Harris 27no; M Kennedy 4/12, D Adams 3/18) NMMU1 82/2 in 12.4 overs (D White 32, U Abrahams 20no). NMMU1 won by eight wickets
Heatherbank v United Brothers
United Brothers 37 (J Ellis 5/18, D Nel 3/1) Heatherbank 40/1 (S Terblanche 22no). Heatherbank won by eight wickets
Despatch v Maritime Motors Old Grey
Despatch 97 (S McGillewie 5/19). Old Grey 98/1 in 17.2 overs (R Wessels 31, B Thompson 38no). Old Grey won by nine wickets
PECC v Motherwell
Motherwell arrived too late for the fixture. PECC awarded six points
Buco Uitenhage v ADT Pirates
Uitenhage 238/9 (D Botha 30, R Gelderbloem 26, B Vlooh 23, M Swanepoel 47, L Mohammed 34, C Botha 32no; J Pretorius 3/35, M Robey 3/46) Pirates 214/9 (A Charinda 44, J Thompson 22, M Robey 20, J Hardiman 32, J Stander 25, M Calitz 21; N Howard 4/35). Uitenhage won by 24 runs
Gelvandale v NMMU2
NMMU2 189/9 (K Carrol 43, L Brown 42, J Engelbrecht 31; R Telling 2/32) Gelvandale 194/9 in 49.2 overs (D Benjamin 62, R Masimela 38; L Brown 3/41, O Nyako 2/31). Gelvandale won by one wicket
Northville v Welcome
Welcome 111 (L Goliath 20, D van Rooyen 25; M Beydon 4/33, W Coetzee 3/25) Northville 81 (C Haarhoff 28; S Stemmet 6/16). Welcome won by 30 runs
Yesterday
NMMU1 v NMMU2
NMMU2 99 in 43.3 overs (A Ferreira 36; S Magala 4/18, D White 2/17) NMMU1 100/2 (E Moore 49no, P Furstenburg 30no). NMMU1 won by eight wickets
PECC v Welcome
PECC 282/7 (S Conradie 112, H Conradie 24, J Lewis 26, U van Dyk 68; S Smous 3/54, C Dase 2/52) Welcome 56 (H Snetler 5/25, U van Dyk 4/8). PECC won by 226 runs
Tavcor Greenbushes v Motherwell
Greenbushes 122 (S Wilke 36, M Smith 23; N Botha 2/12, S Zokoza 2/14, T Bukakwe 2/18) Motherwell 125/8 in 31 overs (N Botha 38, T Ngozi 28; M Smith 3/25, S de Ridder 3/27). Motherwell won by two wickets
