MARK WARD
While the Western Province Cricket Club entrenched their top spot on the Premier League standings, champions Claremont recorded an emphatic victory and Primrose did the double over Rondebosch.
Some may have thought Primrose’s win over Rondebosch last week was just lucky. However, coach Qaasim Adams and his committed squad beat the Rondebosch in their second-round fixture at the Terry Eksteen Oval on Sunday by 6 wickets.
This victory comes just days after the Roses, as they are affectionately known, beat Rondebosch by 8 runs, and just 24 hours after losing to Bellville by 3 wickets.
But if last week’s win over Rondebosch was a squeeze, this win was more convincing with both the batters and bowlers combining forces to produce an overall good performance.
After electing to bat, the homeside were skittled out for 117 in just 36 overs, thanks mainly to some outstanding left-arm spin-bowling from David Schierhout who took 4/27 in 10 overs while paceman Maahir Eksteen took a fiver (5/37) in just eight overs.
It was, however, Abdul-Qadeer Salie’s patient knock of 52 from 85 balls which set Primrose off on a winning march back home.
Justin Pringle (11*) and Abdallah Bayoumy (15*) were the not out batsmen for Roses.
Primrose now prepare to meet Durbanville next week with 14 points in 10th spot on the table from 12 games while Rondebosch trail log leaders WP Club who has 52 points by 10.
Meanwhile, WP Club beat the University of the Western Cape (UWC) by three wickets with Gavin Kaplan (62), Ridaa Isaacs (33) and Justin Behrens with a blistering 36 from 20 deliveries leading the run chase to victory.
Claremont’s Daniel Smith led his side to a 9-wicket win over Kraaifontein with an unbeaten 148 runs from 110 balls which included 26 fours at Constantia on Saturday. Smith’s opening partner, Harry Came (70) set off the (292/7) run chase with an opening stand of 145 before Josh Breed (48*) and Smith reached the winning target in just 35.1 overs.
Weekend fixtures:
Bellville vs Cape Town; Green Point vs WP Cricket Club;
Kraaifontein vs UWC; Primrose vs Durbanville; Rondebosch vs Claremont; Rylands vs Milnerton
Sunday: Cape Town vs UWC
