Warriors Cubs keep EC flag flying high
The Warriors Cubs team closed out their 2019 Cubs Week campaign on Monday in fine style by beating the champions and previously unbeaten Dolphins Cubs team by 75 runs in Stellenbosch.
The Warriors had seen their title aspirations go up in smoke with their second loss of the competition on Sunday, while the Dolphins sealed the title by winning their fourth game, but it was the Warriors who finished superbly by dealing the Dolphins their only defeat of the tournament.
In the match, captain Matt Dewar led the way for his side superbly, cracking a wonderful century, while he was backed up well by a Tristan Stubbs halfcentury during their 142-run stand. But both fell in the final three overs of the innings for 110 and 68 respectively, while the Warriors ended on a strong 248 for four wickets.
The Dolphins then got off to a good start and were cruising at 84/1 at a stage, but the Warriors top bowler Nonelela Yikha then came into the attack and broke the promising 76-run second-wicket stand and he went on to claim 3/29 in 10 overs.
Yikha was backed up well by fellow spinner Nicholas Fowler who picked up 2/43 and they helped dismantle the Dolphins’ challenge as their last eight wickets crashed for just 68 runs.
The win meant that the Warriors ended the week amongst two other sides, the Cobras Cubs and Knights Cubs who both also won three matches while losing two. Having picked up more bonus points this meant that the Warriors finished in second place.
The Warriors’ other wins in the week came against the Knights and Titans, while they lost against the Cobras and Lions.
“I am very happy about the team performance; the guys really went out and played as a unit, the guys from EP and Border really adapted our team culture very quickly,” said Warriors co-coach André de Beer.
“We were a bit disappointed by the two losses, especially against Gauteng (Lions) where a few errors crept in from the officials’ side that cost us a little bit, but that's the game and we need to take our chances also.
“I think we were good enough to finish first and it was unfortunate that we could not do that, but finishing second is still a really good result, so I was happy for the guys.”
At the Cubs week closing dinner Yikha was named the best Bowler of the Week after ending as the top wicket-taker with 12 scalps from his five games, while he. along with team mate Luke Beaufort were named in the SA U19 side to tour India next month.
A number of Warriors impressed over the week in both departments.
On the batting front Dewar and Stubbs reigned supreme. Dewar's main contribution came in scores of his final day 110, 52 against the Lions and 51 against the Knights, while Stubbs contributed in every game scoring 26 not out against the Knights, 37 against the Titans, 67 against the Cobras, 51 against the Lions and 68.
Beaufort also impressed on the first day with the Warriors’ only other century, scoring 103 against the Knights.
On the bowling front Yikha was the star with his best effort being 4/33 against the Knights, while other bowlers who impressed included Matthew Fourie, who took 3/48 against the Cobras and 2/42 against the Lions, and Ethan Frosler with 2/20 against the Knights and 2/31 against the Titans.
In all it was a solid week in the end for the Warriors Cubs and despite finishing as runners-up they should be proud of their efforts overall.