Border smashed their way to a stunning six- wicket win over Western Province in their CSA Provincial One Day Cup match at Buffalo Park yesterday.
It was an exhibition of batting as Border chased down a mammoth score of 354 to win, powering their way to 357/4 thanks to a fantastic unbeaten 193-run stand between Christiaan Jonker and schoolboy Jason Niemand, which saw them home with an over to spare.
“I couldn't have asked anything more, I am so proud of the boys. It was a big total to chase down but the maturity that some of our younger players showed here was absolutely amazing,” said a happy Border coach Frank Plaatjes.
Jonker powered his way to 108 off 73 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, while Niemand, still in his matric year at Hudson Park High School, stroked his way to his maiden one-day half-century in just his third match, ending on 85 off 71 balls which included 10 fours and one six.
Other contributions from the Border batting order came from captain Gionne Koopman who scored 66, while Marco Marais and Mkhululi Calana chipped in with 32 and 28 respectively.
In the morning session Western Province won the toss and elected to bat first.
The early wicket of Matthew Kleinveldt (1), caught behind by keeper Mncedisi Malika off the bowling of Sithembele Langa gave Border the perfect start, but Western Province then took charge on their way to a big score.
Derek Mitchell (44) and Neo Mlumbi (41) shared in an 87-run second-wicket stand before falling within 15 runs of each other, Mitchell bowled by Clayton Bosch and Mlumbi popping a catch back to bowler Koopman as they slipped to 107 for three wickets.
However, this just brought Qaasim Adams and Dayyaan Galiem to the crease and they embarked on a superb 129-run fourth wicket partnership, with both passing their half-centuries and taking the visitors past 200.
Galiem was then out for 57, caught by Gerhardt Abrahams off the bowling of Langa before Adams fell agonisingly short of a century, out lbw to Koopman for 92, with Province on 263/5.
With the stage set Michael Loubser and Carlos Koyana then powered Western Province past the 300 mark with an 89-run partnership, with Loubser out off the second- last ball of the innings for a cracking 58 off 33 balls, while Koyana finished unbeaten on 39 off 25 balls as Province ended on 353/6.
It was thus the perfect weekend for Border as they had sealed a thumping 10-wicket win over Province in their Sunfoil 3-Day Cup match on Saturday afternoon.
Having declared their first innings overnight on 292/6, with Kabelo Sekhukhune unbeaten on a career-high 71, the visitors were up against it with a deficit of 121 runs.
The Border bowling attack then put in an even better bowling performance than in the first innings, dismantling Western Province for 122 all out, leaving Border the simple task of chasing down only two runs.
Only five Province batsmen reached double figures and it would have been an innings victory for Border if it weren't for a 47-run last wicket stand between the innings top scorer, George Linde, 35 not out, and number 11 batsman Renaldo Meyer, who scored 18.
Aya Gqamane led the Border bowling effort with 4/35, taking his match figures to an impressive 7/83, while fellow opening bowler Sithembele Langa backed him up superbly with 3/28.
This sets Border up well for their next match, a home encounter against neighbours Eastern Province in two weeks’ time.
Border win epic battle in one-dayer
It was an exhibition of batting as Border chased down a mammoth score of 354 to win, powering their way to 357/4 thanks to a fantastic unbeaten 193-run stand between Christiaan Jonker and schoolboy Jason Niemand, which saw them home with an over to spare.
“I couldn't have asked anything more, I am so proud of the boys. It was a big total to chase down but the maturity that some of our younger players showed here was absolutely amazing,” said a happy Border coach Frank Plaatjes.
Jonker powered his way to 108 off 73 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, while Niemand, still in his matric year at Hudson Park High School, stroked his way to his maiden one-day half-century in just his third match, ending on 85 off 71 balls which included 10 fours and one six.
Other contributions from the Border batting order came from captain Gionne Koopman who scored 66, while Marco Marais and Mkhululi Calana chipped in with 32 and 28 respectively.
In the morning session Western Province won the toss and elected to bat first.
The early wicket of Matthew Kleinveldt (1), caught behind by keeper Mncedisi Malika off the bowling of Sithembele Langa gave Border the perfect start, but Western Province then took charge on their way to a big score.
Derek Mitchell (44) and Neo Mlumbi (41) shared in an 87-run second-wicket stand before falling within 15 runs of each other, Mitchell bowled by Clayton Bosch and Mlumbi popping a catch back to bowler Koopman as they slipped to 107 for three wickets.
However, this just brought Qaasim Adams and Dayyaan Galiem to the crease and they embarked on a superb 129-run fourth wicket partnership, with both passing their half-centuries and taking the visitors past 200.
Galiem was then out for 57, caught by Gerhardt Abrahams off the bowling of Langa before Adams fell agonisingly short of a century, out lbw to Koopman for 92, with Province on 263/5.
With the stage set Michael Loubser and Carlos Koyana then powered Western Province past the 300 mark with an 89-run partnership, with Loubser out off the second- last ball of the innings for a cracking 58 off 33 balls, while Koyana finished unbeaten on 39 off 25 balls as Province ended on 353/6.
It was thus the perfect weekend for Border as they had sealed a thumping 10-wicket win over Province in their Sunfoil 3-Day Cup match on Saturday afternoon.
Having declared their first innings overnight on 292/6, with Kabelo Sekhukhune unbeaten on a career-high 71, the visitors were up against it with a deficit of 121 runs.
The Border bowling attack then put in an even better bowling performance than in the first innings, dismantling Western Province for 122 all out, leaving Border the simple task of chasing down only two runs.
Only five Province batsmen reached double figures and it would have been an innings victory for Border if it weren't for a 47-run last wicket stand between the innings top scorer, George Linde, 35 not out, and number 11 batsman Renaldo Meyer, who scored 18.
Aya Gqamane led the Border bowling effort with 4/35, taking his match figures to an impressive 7/83, while fellow opening bowler Sithembele Langa backed him up superbly with 3/28.
This sets Border up well for their next match, a home encounter against neighbours Eastern Province in two weeks’ time.
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