Border nailed for poor play
It was another difficult weekend for the Border semi-professional team as they went down to North West in both their Cricket South Africa threeday and one-day competition matches at Buffalo Park.
After a poor start to the season that saw them lose three of their first four games across both competitions, Border were hoping that playing their first two games at home would help them kick their season into gear but in the end it wasn’t to be as they lost the three-day by 30-runs and the one-day by 54.
“We can't keep making the excuse that they are young and still learning, yes it is a young side and they have a lot to learn, but at some stage they need to start winning,” said Border services manager Deon Muller.
“We are not the only young squad in the country, there are other teams who also have a lot of youngsters, like North West, so these players have to start contributing more.
“We don't expect them to win every game, but we have played six games this season, three in each competition and have lost five and drawn one, so the results do have to get better over the rest of the season.”
Against North West it was poor batting in the three-day that cost them after the bowling department shone again.
North West were bowled out for 199 and 153 in their two innings, while Border were blown away for just 75 in their first innings, before showing some good fight in the second innings to get 247, but it was not enough.
“What I saw this past weekend was a lot of rash shots and players who didn't have patience, so what we need to see is these players have to play to the situation,” said Muller.
“In the second innings we had plenty of time but some players were playing like it was a T20 match in stead of building partnerships and taking their time, which they had plenty on, so that is something they have to work on.”
In the one-day it was the Border bowling department that faltered as they conceded 329 runs in 50 overs, but the top order batting was found wanting again as they lost their first six wickets for 123 runs, before a middle and lower order fightback saw them reach 275.
This is definitely something they will need to work on over the next week and a half before their next game, and the top order will need to improve if Border are to get themselves on the winning trail.
“They can definitely be ready for the next match,” admitted Muller.
“We have South Western Districts coming down next week and that is going to be an important game.
“It will be our last match of the year, so we need to try and get a win so that when the team returns in January they will be more confident and fired up for the second half of the season.”
The clash will take place at Buffalo Park from next week Thursday to Sunday.
We can't keep making the excuse that they are young and still learning