Wade faces axe over CRICKET poor batting form
Dolley, Nortje’s six of the best for EP
BRAD Dolley and Anrich Nortje shared six wickets to give defending champions Eastern Province a chance of progressing to the Africa T20 Cup semifinals with a seven-wicket demolition of Northerns in their final Pool B encounter at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom yesterday.
Both bowled with accuracy and precision to help bundle out their opponents for just 98, before David White’s unbeaten 50 (40 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) ensured the 2016 winners cruised to their target with six overs to spare.
However, the men from Port Elizabeth did at least ensure that they will go down with a fight thanks mainly to the efforts of Dolley (3/17) and Nortje (3/14).
They had excellent support from Sisanda Magala (2/22) and Solo Nqweni (2/14), with only opener Jiveshan Pillay putting up any real fight for Northerns.
The South Africa U19 star was making his debut in the competition and topscored for his side for a third successive match after making 26.
Rubin Hermann (18) and Corbin Bosch (12) were the only two others to reach double figures as the Pretoria side were shot out in 19.2 overs.
White and Eddie Moore (36) then plundered 92 for the first wicket to flatten Northerns as EP needed just 14 overs to complete a lopsided win.
In the second match of the day Gauteng AUSTRALIA captain Steve Smith has said wicketkeeper Matthew Wade could be axed from the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong after failing to do enough with the bat.
Australia were upset by 20 runs in the opening Test in Dhaka.
This triggered a storm of criticism from local media while heaping pressure on Wade who has struggled for runs since replacing Peter Nevill during the home series against South Africa.
Smith said it was possible selectors could elect to throw the gloves to batsman Peter Handscomb for the match starting Monday.
“It certainly would be a tough call [on Wade]. I think when we are looking at Matty we just need a little bit more from him with the bat in particular,” Smith said
“And he knows this, he knows that he has to do a little bit better with the bat. And he’s had those conversations. So it’ll just depend which way we want to go on the balance of the team as well.
“Handscomb certainly has kept and we’ve seen him keep before and he’s done a good job, so, if we go that way we are confident that he will do a good job,” Smith added.
Wade managed nine runs from his two innings in the first Test and also had a poor series with the bat against India in February and March.
Queries have also dogged number three batsman Usman Khawaja, who failed twice in Dhaka and Smith declined to guarantee the lefthander a place at Chittagong.
Selectors will make at least one change after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood returned home injured.
Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe was drafted into the squad and could be included as a third spinner, along with Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar if selectors decide to go with only one paceman on a pitch expected to offer turn.
Australia were accused by home media of failing to give Bangladesh proper respect after their defeat, with selectors criticised for picking a “project” player in Agar.
Smith was also questioned for saying before the series that Agar was picked in favour of the more senior O’Keefe because he was seen as a candidate to take on India in the subcontinent in four years.
“I was open about that,” Smith said, defending his comments.
“I don’t think at any point we really said that we weren’t concentrating on this tour. I don’t think that was ever the case.” — Reuters beat NorthWest by six wickets with as many as four overs to spare.
Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso was in good form for Gauteng, taking 2/14 in his four overs and North West eventually totalled 128 for six wickets in their 20 overs.
Wicket-keeper Ruan Haasbroek topscored for North West with 33 while Andre Malan scored 32.
Stephen Cook with 33 was solid for Gauteng and he and skipper Mangaliso Mosehle (52) added 81 for the secondwicket to take Gauteng within reach of their target.
Gauteng finished on 129/4 in 16 overs with Wihan Lubbe taking 3-29. — DDC