Table-toppers Maties made to work, but cruise past Madibaz

Maties reconfirmed their tournament favourites tag with a comprehensive seven-wicket Varsity Cricket T20 victory over Madibaz at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

The Maroon Machine from Stellenbosch came into the fixture on the back of three straight wins, while Madibaz had suffered defeat earlier in the day against UJ to leave them one-from-three and desperate in the hunt for a playoff place.

Maties captain Fritz de Beer then won the toss and put the men from Nelson Mandela University in to bat.

A captain’s knock from Joshua van Heerden proved the foundation of the Madibaz innings as he carried his bat for 85 not out which included seven fours.

At the top of the order, the 21-year BCom General student was joined by Jarryd Lookwhy and they got the underdogs off to a good start before the hard-hitter fell for 21.

Wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs, who was in top form on the opening two days, joined his captain at the crease and they took the score from 34-1 to 74-1 without much hassle.

Then, however, Benjamin Ward got among the Madibaz batsmen. The Maties leg-spinner first trapped Stubbs LBW for 16 off the final ball of his second over. The same fate befell David Masterson in his following over, before Michael Hansel was bowled a ball later to leave the score 84-4 and Ward on a hat-trick. It wasn’t to be for Ward and Van Heerden took charge of the innings.

Van Heerden brought up his 50 in 36 balls and with contributions from Morné Venter (10 off 8 balls), Sean Callaghan (18 off 16) and a Steers Powerplay Plus over which (when doubled) accounted for 16 runs Madibaz rattled up 166-6 from their 20 overs.

When Fritz de Beer raced to 18 off 12 balls during Maties’ turn to bat it looked like it was to be a batting battle between the two captains. He though chipped a catch off Callaghan’s canny off-spin with the score on 29 to spark a mini-collapse.

Louis du Preez came to wicket but lasted only two balls when he tried to sweep Callaghan and was trapped LBW, 29-2. Isma-eel Gafieldien, a Boland regular, came to wicket and scratched around for nine balls before playing a poorly executed loft-drive to be caught off Keeran Forbes’s off-spin, 41-3.

All the while Vezokuhle Mntungwa had been accumulating at the other end and when he was joined by David Rushmere, Maties’ wicketkeeper-come aggressor, it looked the perfect partnership for the situation.

That it proved to be with the pair first thwarting, then targeting the Madibaz change bowlers. In truth they were starting to leave themselves with much to do – needing 101 off the final 10 overs – before they made game-changing use of the Steers Powerplay Plus.

Rushmere and Mntungwa chose to take the ‘double-up’ in the 15th over and promptly took Morné Venter for 16 runs scored runs but 32 off the score to leave the remainder of the innings as a run-a-ball doddle.

That they did, with both bringing up their landmarks (Rushmere’s fifty off 29 balls and Mntungwa’s off 47 balls) before cantering over the line with nine balls remaining.

With the win, Maties moved clear at the top of the table on 17 points while Madibaz (five points) are now in fifth – three points behind fourth-placed UWC.

Awards FNB Player of the Match: David Rushmere (Maties) Steers Best Batsman of the Match: Joshua van Heerden (Madibaz) MTN Pulse Bowler of the Match: Benjamin Ward (Maties)