A third-wicket partnership of 107 runs between Martin van Jaarsveld and Neil McKenzie set the foundation for the Northerns Titans’ six-wicket victory over Boland in their Standard Bank Cup day/night encounter at Boland Bank Park on Wednesday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Boland went on to score 226 for nine wickets in their 45 overs. Northerns replied with 228 for four, scoring the runs with eight balls to spare.
When openers Alviro Petersen (11) and Jacques Rudolph departed, the match appeared to be evenly poised. But by the time Van Jaarsveld was caught by Gerhard Strydom off the bowling of Ryan Groeneveld for 77 in the 33rd over, the visitors merely had some mopping up to do to win the game.
Van Jaarsveld’s runs came off just 85 balls and he struck 10 fours in reaching his 77.
McKenzie was joined by captain Gerald Dros and they took the total to just 11 runs short of the winning total when Dros was bowled by Groeneveld for 20.
Justin Kemp then came to the wicket and he and McKenzie steered the visitors home. McKenzie finished unbeaten on 73 and while he played a solid innings, his was a little more pedestrian than that of Van Jaarsveld. It came off 96 balls and contained just four boundaries.
The Boland innings revolved around a superb 88 (5×4, 4×6) off just 89 balls from number-three batsman Wesley Euley. Euley entered the fray in the eighth over after opening bat Neil Carter was bowled by Alfonso Thomas for 37 and once he was joined at the crease by Gerhard Strydom, the pair put on a very useful partnership of 94 for the fourth wicket.
Euley looked to be heading for his ton but the return of opening bowler Reon King into the attack proved successful for the Titans and he had Euley caught by Van Jaarsveld in the 41st over.
Once Euley was gone the home team began to compound with none of the tailenders able to reach double figures.
Kemp had a good night with the ball, taking 4/37 in his eight overs. He grabbed two wickets in the 44th over of the innings, first bowling Wallace Albertyn for just three and then on the final ball of the over, having Henry Williams caught behind for one.
Thomas weighed in with figures of 3/32 in his nine overs. — Sapa