Badgers to face Northern Cape Heat after big collapse
Following a nail-biting one-run victory against the Eastern Cape Iinyathi in East London on Thursday, 28 September, the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers let themselves down on Sunday, 1 October, against the SA Emerging XI.
The Badgers produced a disappointing performance against the Emerging XI when they lost by seven wickets. The Badgers play Northern Cape Heat on 12 October.
Last week Thursday they won by one run in a Cricket South Africa Division 2 One-Day Cup match at Buffalo Park.
Put into bat in favourable bowling conditions the Badgers were in trouble at 59/3 after 15 overs, but Hanno Kotze - top scoring with 74 (from 110 balls; 7x4) and Jhedli van Briesies (30 from 56 balls; 2x4) steered the innings forward before Kelly Smuts hit 46 from only 35 balls (1x6, 3x4) to take the Badgers to a respectable 234/9 in their allotted 50 overs.
The match was always in the balance as the home-side threatened to take control, but impressive bowling spells by Marcello Piedt (2/39), Kwezi Gumede (2/45), Thomas Kaber (2/46) and Kelly Smuts (2/46) restricted the Iinyathi to 233/8. The dangerous Marco Marais, who scored 86 from 101 balls (5x6, 7x4) received good support from Jason Niemand (50 from 103 balls; 3x4). Jade de Klerk scored 38 at the end.
In Sunday’s match at Oudtshoorn the Badgers, who batted first, had a good start and collapsed from 98/2 (22nd over) and were dismissed for a modest 150.
Ruan Terblanche scored 32, Matthew Christensen 31 and Jhedli van Briesies 29. Junaid Dawood was the main destroyer with 4/27 (in 10 overs). Tristan Lees bagged 3/31.
The SA Emerging XI only needed 25.4 overs to pass the target for a bonus point victory. Modire Litheko scored an unbeaten 65*.