Western Province wrapped up their SuperSport Series cricket match against Border in a highly professional manner at Mercedes-Benz Park on Monday, winning by 176 runs.
Starting the day at a precarious 30 for two wickets and looking for 327 for victory, Border’s tale of woe started early in the day when overnight batsman Steven Pope was caught in the slips after not playing at a ball from Charl Willoughby, which appeared to strike the top of Pope’s bat.
Thereafter there was a procession as Claude Henderson weaved his magic spell from the Bunkers Hill end. He finished with 4-59 and seven wickets in the match to take the man of the match award.
What resistance there was came from firstly Pieter Strydom, who hit a quick 25 and Tyron Henderson who smote 43 belligerent runs off only 30 balls with eight fours and a six.
It was a dismal batting performance from Border coming a day after they dropped a number of catches that could have changed the course of the match.
”Yes, those dropped catches were a factor,” admitted Border captain Justin Kreusch after the game. ”Had we taken them, we could have been chasing 200; instead 300-plus is a psychological thing,” he added.
Man of the match Claude Henderson showed the scars of victory.
His spinning finger was torn and bleeding slightly after bowling 50 overs in the match, claiming 7-118 overall.
The ironic thing is that Henderson had been earmarked as 12th man for the match but on Friday morning pace bowler Alan Dawson had come down with a virus and had to be flown home later that day.
Derrin Bassage flew in on Saturday morning to act as 12th man for Province.
”On the last day the wicket helped a bit,” Henderson said after bowling throughout the morning session.
Henderson praised the three other bowlers — Willoughby, Roger Telemachus and Paul Adams — who had bowled opposite him and who had all helped to place pressure on the Border batsmen.
”It’s pressure that did it,” Henderson added.
Province take 16,78 bonus points from the match, while Border garnered 6,34 points. — Sapa