Bumpy plays the anchor role for KCD
THE old cricket adage is: ‘catches win matches’.
Well, so do run outs; and with no fewer than three in their tight Castle Premier League fixture against Delta on Sunday, this proved to be the winning difference for RH Construction King Cetshwayo.
Batting first, home side Delta were on their way to a big total, with danger man Wassem Rehman at the crease on a solid 56 and looking to bat through the innings.
However, a superb combination of a brilliant throw by Sizwe Ntanzi and a spectacular whipping-off of the bails by keeper Simon Savides saw Rehman heading back to the shed.
Standing in behind the stumps for the first time in a few years after the late Covid-19 withdrawal of Daryl Hattingh, Savides acquitted himself well and no doubt nursed some aching muscles for the next few days.
The run out also put paid to the partnership between Rehman and
Kishen Kishun, who continued to fight on alone for an unbeaten 48 runs, as Delta managed just 153 in their 50 allotted overs.
Two further run outs, courtesy of Neill Jordan - one a fantastic direct hit from the boundary - and a fine spell of 3/23 off 10 by Francois ‘Faff’ Fourie, limited the target to a manageable one for KCD.
But they made heavy weather of it on a difficult track, with wickets falling at regular intervals.
Skipper and opening bat Jason Redinger is going through a run drought at the moment, and was first to go after posting just four runs in the score book; but his undoubted class will no doubt tell before long.
Albertus Basson (11), Stephan Joubert (15) and Savides (16) all fell cheaply by their standards, but along came Ruan van Rensburg with the score at 56/5 and KCD staring down the barrel.
Contrary to his captain, ‘Bumpy’ can do nothing wrong at the moment. He not only steadied the ship but took it all the way to destination victory. This was thanks to excellent support from the middle order and tail, who hung in long enough for him to reach the objective.
Fourie was the perfect foil, with 20 off 40 balls, while Thokozani ‘Spha’ Thuzi lashed out with an invaluable 23 off 18, and Jordon Graven kept his end up with a solid and undefeated 9 off 26, allowing Van Rensburg to post a patient but potent 46 not out after facing 81 balls.
It’s not the normal style for the bighitting all-rounder, but he adapted his game brilliantly to suit the occasion as King Cetshwayo reaped the required 154 runs with six overs to spare.
Again, the balance between the side’s mature leaders and exciting young guns proved a winning combination, one that moves KCD to the top of the log.
It is interesting to note that the city and district at present have three teams topping their respective logs, with KCD Vets and, of course, the Natal Rich Boyz also looking down on the rest from their lofty pole positions.