Division 2, One Day Cup Wrap

Tuskers v Limpopo Impalas

Erlank stars as Tuskers impale Impalas

Michael Erlank was named Player-of-the-match for his brilliant half-century that propelled the AET Tuskers to a five-run victory over Limpopo Impalas in their CSA One-Day Cup match at Pietermaritzburg Oval on Saturday.

Erlank stroked six fours and a single six for his 63 runs from 64 balls as Tuskers raced to 237 for five in 45 overs. Yaseen Valli anchored the innings with a solid 52 from 88. In their chase, Limpopo Impalas were threatening in phases, thanks to the efforts of the Tuskers' bowling attack that took wickets at crucial points to restrict them to 232 runs all out with one ball to spare in the match.

The encounter, which started 30 minutes later than the scheduled time because of a rain delay, was reduced to 45 overs a side.

Limpopo Impalas won the toss and chose to bowl

Sithembile Langa did as his captain had hoped. In his first over, the 27-year-old pacer conceded a single run and also dismissed Thamsanqa Kumalo. Kumalo had only scored two runs off the five deliveries he faced. Kumalo’s dismissal brought Andile Mogakgane to the crease, and the 22-year-old joined forces with Yaseen Valli to see Tuskers through the first 10 overs without further loss of wickets. The pair shepherded the home team to 40 for one after 10 overs. Valli and Mogakane's 52-run partnership was broken by Zakhele Qwabe in the 14th over. Qwabe dismissed Mogakane for 34 runs from 38 balls.

Valli played an evenly-paced innings that featured a single boundary as he marched to an 84-ball 50. Valli's knock ended shortly afterwards. The former Lions player was dismissed by Ludwig Kaestner in the 30th over for 52 runs from 88 deliveries. Not long after Valli's dismissal, his erstwhile partner Michael Erlank brought up his 13th List A half-century. Erlank's inning was stopped in the 35th over when Kaestner broke through his defences. Erlank had scored 63 runs from 64 deliveries.

One wicket turned into two. Exactly 12 deliveries after Erlank's dismissal, Tuskers lost another experienced player. Allrounder Malcolm Nofal had a brief stay at the crease. The 31-year-old lasted for only five deliveries and scored two runs. Two became three when Sithembile Langa claimed Kyle Nipper's wicket in the first over of his second spell.

Tian Koekemoer and Dilivio Ridgaard compiled 62 runs in their seventh-wicket partnership. The partnership saw Tuskers beyond the 200-run mark. Their partnership was broken by Zakhele Qwabe when he dismissed Ridgaard in the 45th over. Three balls later Qwabe also dismissed Koekemoer. Koekemoer would consider himself unfortunate to fall three runs shy of his sixth List A half-century.

Zakhele Qwabe was Limpopo Impalas' most successful bowler with three wickets from eight overs at an economy of 5.25 runs an over. Ludwig Kaestner also took three wickets from the nine overs that he bowled but had a slightly higher economy rate of 5.56 runs an over.

Limpopo Impalas did not start their chase well. The visitors, who were trudging along at a subdued run rate of just under two runs an over, lost their first wicket in the fifth over. The dismissal of Ludwig Kaestner by Stefan Tait after 4.4 overs left them on eight runs for one.

Sizwe Masondo compiled a 56-run second-wicket partnership with Thomas Hobson. The partnership, which stabilized the innings, was broken in the 19th over when Kyle Nipper dismissed Masondo for 38 runs from 49 deliveries. Nipper made it two wickets in two deliveries when he dismissed Louren Steenkamp for a golden duck.

Thomas Hobson and Ruan Haasbroek brought up their List A half-centuries with a few deliveries of each other. The pair put together an impressive 103-run partnership that spanned 14.3 overs. The partnership was broken by the dismissal of Ruan Haasbroek. Haasbroek scored 61 runs from 50 deliveries before Stefan Tait after 32.5 overs. Haasbroek was still removing his pads in the dressing room when Hobson joined him two deliveries later. Hobson was dismissed by Malcolm Nofal for 58 off 78.

2.2 overs later, the Impalas' collapse continued when Nofal took his third wicket of the day with the dismissal of Khaif Patel for an eight-ball 10 runs. Two balls later, Nofal plunged the visitors into more trouble when he dismissed Shelton Ngobeni for a golden duck.

The wheels continued to come off for Limpopo Impalas. 12 deliveries after Ngobeni's dismissal, Nipper dismissed Johannes Diseko for one run from four balls. Morne Venter kept running out of partners and was left stranded on 42 runs from 41 balls. After Diseko's dismissal, Venter lost Sithembile Langa and Zakhele Qwabe within a space of 12 deliveries. Both batters were dismissed by Keith Dudgeon. The Impalas were bowled out with one ball to spare.

Malcolm Nofal was Tuskers' most successful bowler with three wickets from nine overs at an economy of 3.11 runs an over. Kyle Nipper also took three wickets from his eight overs, but he did so at a higher economy rate of five runs an over.

Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers v Mpumalanga Rhinos

Christensen leads Badgers to victory over Rhinos

Matthew Christensen stroked eight fours and a single six to come within one run of equaling his List A career-best score as he led Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers to a six-wicket victory over Mpumalanga Rhinos. The Badgers and the Rhinos met at Recreation Ground for their CSA One-Day Cup encounter on Saturday.

In their innings, Mpumalanga Rhinos scored 213 runs, thanks to Rubin Hermann and Alexander Kok who scored half-centuries. But it was not enough to ensure victory.

Led by Player-of-the-match award recipient Matthew Christensen who scored 69 runs off 99 balls, in their chase the Badgers romped to 218 for four wickets in 38.5 overs to claim a six-wicket victory. No other batter from the Badgers crossed the 40-run mark, but they all contributed enough to make light work of the chase.

The Badgers won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Mpumalanga Rhinos found themselves in trouble in the third over when Basheeru-Deen Walters dismissed Muhammed Mayet for five runs off seven balls. The Rhinos' problems were doubled 3.5 overs later when the visitors lost their second wicket. For the second time that morning, Walters combined with fellow opening bowler Onke Nyaku, who took comfortable catches, to dismiss opener Tumi Koto for nine runs in the seventh over.

Walters, Nyaku and Marcelo Piedt conceded only two extras in the PowerPlay as they restricted the visitors to 31 runs for two wickets in the first 10 overs.

With both openers back in the pavilion for single-digit scores, it was up to Rubin Hermann and Yassar Cook to stabilize the innings by building a partnership. The partnership grew from strength to strength, and in the 24th over, Hermann brought up his fifth List A half-century. The 25-year-old faced 58 deliveries to bring up his 50 runs.

Hermann was dismissed shortly after his milestone. He was dismissed by Keenan Vieira in the 24th over for a well-played 51 off 62. Jurie Snyman was hot on Hermann's heels on the way back to the dressing room. Snyman fell for a five-ball duck, he was bowled by Pheko Moletsane six balls after Hermann's dismissal.

The Rhinos brought up their 100 after 26 overs.

Mpumalanga Rhinos' middle-order collapse continued when they lost their next wicket, Yassar Cook, 14 balls later. Cook had scored 32 runs from 60 balls. He was Vieira's second wicket of the innings.

Benjamin van Niekerk and Alexander Kok Kok tried to halt the procession of wickets and they succeeded for seven overs, during which they added 27 runs to the total. Their fledgling partnership was broken by Andre Malan when the allrounder dismissed van Niekerk for 19 off 27.

Eight deliveries later, the Rhinos lost another wicket. Sean Whitehead claimed his first wicket of the day by dismissing Kieran Kenny for one. 15 balls later, Whitehead had a hand in another wicket when the 25-year-old ran out Jon Hinrichsen for one run. 5.3 overs later, the Rhinos lost another wicket to a run-out. Gerald Ngwenyama had faced 14 balls for his eight runs when he was run out by Hanno Kotze.

With the risk of Mpumalanga Rhinos failing to bat out their 50 overs, Alexander Kok farmed the strike from the 44th over. Kok and Thula Ngcobo's 51-run partnership lasted for 38 deliveries, and Kok faced 28 of them. During the course of the partnership, Kok recorded his maiden List A half-century. Kok was dismissed on the last ball of the innings for a well-played 72 from 78.

Basheeru-Deen Walters was Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers' most successful bowler with two wickets from 10 overs at an economy of 4.3 runs an over. Keenan Vieira also took two wickets from his seven overs but had a marginally higher economy rate of 4.4 runs an over.

Matthew Christensen and Blayde Capell gave the Badgers a bright start to their innings. The pair was cruising, going at just over eight runs an over when their partnership was broken by Kieran Kenny five runs short of registering a 50-run opening stand. Capell was the man to vacate the crease after scoring 23 runs from 21 balls.