Zululand Observer - Weekender

Dramatic last ball victory for KCCD

- Dave Savides

IT took a run off the final ball for King Cetshwayo Cricket District (KCCD) to pip Amanzimtot­i CC in a T20 Premiershi­p thriller at the Toti Oval on Sunday.

Minus star players, including captain Jason Redinger and all-rounder Neill Jordan - both engaged in the internatio­nal Blitz T-20 tournament in India - as well as Faf Fourie who is representi­ng the Proteas U21 team at the Indoor Cricket World Cup in Australia, it proved a tense outing.

KCCD put the home side in to bat, restrictin­g them to 112/8 at the end of the allotted 20 overs.

Apart from losing opener Jared Michaux for a duck, clean bowled by Steph Joubert, the Toti top order all reached double figures, with Corne Nel’s 29 the best on the score card.

But KCCD mopped up the tail, with Joubert and Dale van der Merwe each claiming two scalps, and Jonty van den Berg, Ronald Harrison and Dewald Wessels one each, to go with a Juan Greeff run out.

The visitors’ response got off to a bad start with Michaux exacting revenge on opener Joubert, dismissing him without scoring.

A 42-run second wicket partnershi­p between Thokozani Thusi (11) and Dewald Wessels (27) steadied the ship, and the win looked in the bag as Dale van der Merwe scored 38 in even time.

But, after he was run out, wickets fell at regular intervals.

Only Daryl Hattingh (13) offered resistance and the scores were tied on 112/8 with one ball to be bowled.

Courage Chaibva lived up to his name, coming in to face the final delivery and scrambling a run to give KCCD the narrowest of possible wins.

The scoreboard will show a total of 113/8 for a dramatic two-wicket victory that sees KCCD still on the hunt for the T20 trophy.

 ?? ?? Courage Chaibva in action with the ball against Toti on Sunday, but it was his single run that gave KCCD the victory*
Courage Chaibva in action with the ball against Toti on Sunday, but it was his single run that gave KCCD the victory*

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