Last-ditch stand wins the day

A SUPERB unbeaten 40-run eighth-wicket partnership between number eight and nine batsmen Bamanya Xenxe and Sithembile Langa secured a thrilling three-wicket victory over the Nelson Mandela University Madibaz in their Momentum Club Championship playoff at Fort Hare University in Alice yesterday afternoon.

The win seals Fort Hare’s progress to this year’s club champs later this month as Warriors representatives after being crowned champions of the Eastern Cape.

In the match the Madibaz batted first and despite a steady start that saw them on 118/1 at a stage, they fell apart in the second half of their innings to lose their final nine wickets for 92 runs to crash all out for 210.

Openers David Masterson and Josh van Heerden scored 42 and 44 respectively for the innings two highest scores, while number three Aubrey Ferreira also chipped in with 28. However with none of them managing to kick on to a big score middle-order batsmen Solo Nqweni (32) and Kyle Jacobs (28) had to add valuable runs to help them reach a competitive target.

Fort Hare’s bowling effort was led by recently crowned Border bowler of the season Langa who claimed 4/33, while he was backed up well by Sekela Ngadlela with 2/25 and Bongolwethu Makeleni with 2/34.

Fort Hare then got their chase off to a decent start and were well placed at 109/3, before steady wickets saw them slip to 177/7 in the 46th over.

Up to that point it had been middle-order batsman Kabelo Sekhukhune who was keeping the team in the match with a solid half century, while he was helped by starts from Mkhululi Calana (28), Mntabozuko Nqam (25) and Jerry Nqolo (28).

But once Sekhukhune fell for a well played 56 it looked as if Fort Hare had left themselves with too much to do in too little time, only for Xenxe to step up with an unbeaten 29 and Langa to add an unbeaten 13 that took their team to an unlikely win with five balls to spare. Fort Hare will now prepare themselves for club champs which will take place from Sunday in Pretoria.