WHS Old Boys and Wanderers played to a dramatic draw in their top of the log clash at Vegkop on Saturday.
In a remarkable outcome, Wanderers dismissed Old Boys for 175 runs, and then after Wanderers drew level with one wicket remaining, Old Boys’ national pace bowler Ruben Trumpelmann bowled Michau du Preez for 35, to tie the match.
The result leaves Wanderers at the top of the log on 18 points, followed by Old Boys on 14, while CCD moved up to 12 points after beating Trustco United by 40 runs at the CCD field.
After being sent in to bat, Old Boys got off to a strong start with Zane Green and Gerhard Janse van Rensburg putting on 51 for the first wicket before Green was bowled by Karl Birkenstock for 16.
Donovan Zealand added another 51 runs with Janse van Rensburg before being bowled by Bernard Scholtz for 20, while Scholtz also dismissed Janse van Rensburg for a top score of 64 off 90 balls (7×4, 1×6).
Old Boys were well set at 117/3 but Wanderers pegged them back to 5/128 with two wickets in two overs, as JJ Smit trapped Divan La Cock lbw for 2, while Malan Kruger became another Scholtz victim when he was dismissed for 12.
Ruben Trumpelmann (12) and JP Kotze (23) put on 40 runs for the sixth wicket, but Trumpelmann’s dismissal by Jan Frylinck started a slide as they lost their last five wickets for only seven runs to be all out for 175.
Birkenstock, who was the main instigator of the lower order collapse, took four wickets for 31 off 7,3 overs, while Scholtz took 4/32 off 10.
In reply, Old Boys got off to a shaky start as Zhivago Groenewald dismissed JC Balt for a duck, while Trumpelmann dismissed Niko Davin for 1 as they slumped to 2/2, but Birkenstock and JJ Smit put Wanderers back on track with a 56-run partnership.
Donovan Zealand got the breakthrough when he dismissed Smit for 32, and after Jan Frylinck was run out for 8, Trumpelmann dismissed Birkenstock for 29, to leave the match evenly poised at 97/5.
Michau du Preez and Ruben Claassen took the total to 123 before pace bowler Melrich Robyn struck by sending Du Preez back injured on 13 and dismissing Claassen for 25.
Divan La Cock dismissed Danie van Schoor (3) and Bernard Scholtz (10) in quick succession to leave Wanderers struggling any 136/8, but Du Preez returned to the crease and brought Wanderers back in contention with a brave knock.
He put on 24 runs for the ninth wicket with Nicolaas Scholtz (10) and 15 for the 10th wicket with Louis Peters (4 not out), to draw level on 175, but with just one run needed for victory, Trumpelmann bowled Du Preez for 35 to tie the match.
Trumpelmann was Wanderers’ most successful bowler, taking 3/15 off 9,2 overs.
At the CCD field, the home side was sent in to bat and got off to a shaky start as Michael van Lingen dismissed Wayne Raw for 3.
Stephen Baard and Joshuan Julies however revived the innings with a 95-run partnership before Julies was dismissed by Hendrik van der Walt for 37, but Nicol Loftie Eaton added 20 and when Baard was bowled by Michael van Lingen for a top score of 85 off 120 balls (4×4, 2×6), CCD were well set at 159/4.
Further down the order, Ramon Wilmot added 21 not out, before they reached 201/6 off a reduced 41 overs, due to a wet outfield.
For United, Van Lingen took 3/31 off 8 overs and Shaun Fouche 2/42 off 8.
In United’s innings, CCD pace bowler Ben Shikongo dismissed Shaun Fouche (5) and Adam Bassingthwaighte (2) early on, but Van Lingen and JW Visagie revived United’s hopes with a 68-run partnership, before Van Lingen was dismissed by Pikkie Ya France for 45.
Loftie Eaton struck with two wickets in one over, dismissing Visagie for 23 and Janlu Steenkamp for a duck, and although Lohan Louwrens added 20, Henry Hayes 23 and Rowan Chalmers 25 not out, it was not enough as they were all out for 161, falling 40 runs short of the target.
For CCD, Shikongo took 3/27 off 7,4 overs, Loftie Eaton 2/43 off 8, and Ya France 2/28 off 7 overs.
