IT’S game day as the Border semi-professional cricket team get down to business against North West in their Sunfoil Three-Day Challenge match at Buffalo Park this morning.
Border will be going in all guns blazing as they hunt their first win in the competition against an inform North West side who have set the pace early in the season and top the pool A log.
Border having lost their opening game from a winning position, and drawn their second when rain washed out the last two days of play will be desperate to put one in the win column and pull themselves off the foot of the table.
Border have made just two changes to their team for the match with Vuyisa Makhaphela out for family reasons and Martin Walters replacing him at the top of the order, while Aya Gqamane has been recalled by the Warriors and Papama Fojela has come into replace him.
“After only a game and a half I don’t think we need to make any changes unless they are forced,” said Border coach Frank Plaatjes.
Border’s bowling attack is their strong point.
They have a very good bowling unit who are usually on the top of their game and they will be banking on them being in that form over the three days.
Allrounder Darryl Brown is Border’s main weapon with the ball and he has already claimed 10 wickets in just three innings, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the first game against Eastern Province.
Brown, who was named Border bowler of the season for 2013-14, has a very strong group of bowlers supporting him with dangerous strike bowlers Thandolwethu Mnyaka and Yanda Pangabantu, spinners Gionne Koopman and Brendon Williams also performing well so far this season.
Their batting line-up is strong, but shaky at times, especially when they are put under pressure.
Senior player Burton de Wett will be expected to marshal the batsmen along with captain Abongile Sodumo and all-rounder Jerry Nqolo, and with exciting youngsters Marco Marais and Koopman in the mix they will be expected to perform.
“As a batting unit we want to have a good opening stand and for one of the top four to score a big hundred while others chip in with some half centuries around him,” said De Wett.
“We have a good mixture of senior players and youngsters and this should benefit us.”
Koopman is currently the form batsman in the three-day and one-day games.
North West come into the game off a comfortable seven-wicket win against Namibia and, after drawing their first game against Guateng due to rain, will be looking to continue their good momentum.
They will most likely look to use their dangerous batting order to give them the advantage especially with Andre Malan in fantastic form.
Malan has scored 274 runs in three innings so far this season hitting 57 in his only innings against Gauteng and then smashing Namibia all over the park in their last match with unbeaten scores of 166 in the first innings and 51 in the second.
He will definitely be the dangerman for Border and their bowling attack will look to get him in early and remove him as quickly as possible.
“If we can make early inroads and the bowlers hit their straps early we should do well,” said Plaatjes.
“We are a very good bowling unit and I back them.”
Border plan an airborne attack in Buffalo charge
Border will be going in all guns blazing as they hunt their first win in the competition against an inform North West side who have set the pace early in the season and top the pool A log.
Border having lost their opening game from a winning position, and drawn their second when rain washed out the last two days of play will be desperate to put one in the win column and pull themselves off the foot of the table.
Border have made just two changes to their team for the match with Vuyisa Makhaphela out for family reasons and Martin Walters replacing him at the top of the order, while Aya Gqamane has been recalled by the Warriors and Papama Fojela has come into replace him.
“After only a game and a half I don’t think we need to make any changes unless they are forced,” said Border coach Frank Plaatjes.
Border’s bowling attack is their strong point.
They have a very good bowling unit who are usually on the top of their game and they will be banking on them being in that form over the three days.
Allrounder Darryl Brown is Border’s main weapon with the ball and he has already claimed 10 wickets in just three innings, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the first game against Eastern Province.
Brown, who was named Border bowler of the season for 2013-14, has a very strong group of bowlers supporting him with dangerous strike bowlers Thandolwethu Mnyaka and Yanda Pangabantu, spinners Gionne Koopman and Brendon Williams also performing well so far this season.
Their batting line-up is strong, but shaky at times, especially when they are put under pressure.
Senior player Burton de Wett will be expected to marshal the batsmen along with captain Abongile Sodumo and all-rounder Jerry Nqolo, and with exciting youngsters Marco Marais and Koopman in the mix they will be expected to perform.
“As a batting unit we want to have a good opening stand and for one of the top four to score a big hundred while others chip in with some half centuries around him,” said De Wett.
“We have a good mixture of senior players and youngsters and this should benefit us.”
Koopman is currently the form batsman in the three-day and one-day games.
North West come into the game off a comfortable seven-wicket win against Namibia and, after drawing their first game against Guateng due to rain, will be looking to continue their good momentum.
They will most likely look to use their dangerous batting order to give them the advantage especially with Andre Malan in fantastic form.
Malan has scored 274 runs in three innings so far this season hitting 57 in his only innings against Gauteng and then smashing Namibia all over the park in their last match with unbeaten scores of 166 in the first innings and 51 in the second.
He will definitely be the dangerman for Border and their bowling attack will look to get him in early and remove him as quickly as possible.
“If we can make early inroads and the bowlers hit their straps early we should do well,” said Plaatjes.
“We are a very good bowling unit and I back them.”
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