A Gionne Koopman-inspired Border claimed a 15-run win over Boland in their Cricket South Africa T20 Challenge match at Buffalo Park yesterday.
It ended a frustrating few days for the hosts after a wet outfield caused the first day of their Sunfoil three-day match to be called off on Thursday. The match ended in an inevitable draw on Saturday afternoon.
Morning rain yesterday then saw a delay to the T20 match, with the game being reduced to 11-overs a side. It finally started just after noon after a two-and-a-half hour delay.
From then on, it was just raining boundaries as a very entertaining battle ensued, with Koopman’s all-round effort proving match-winning in the end.
Koopman first clobbered a quick-fire 12-ball 22, featuring five boundaries, to get Border’s innings off to the perfect start and then with Boland absolutely cruising in their chase, came on to bowl and claimed four wickets in his first 11 balls to put the brakes on their chase and leave them with too much to do in the end.
Boland won the toss and elected to field and as expected in such a short match, Border attacked from the outset.
Openers Koopman and Somila Seyibokwe added 30 for the first wicket in the first three overs, with Seyibokwe a spectator for most of the partnership before Koopman was bowled by Zakhele Qwabe.
Marco Marais then joined Seyibokwe at the crease and they shared in a 36-run stand in 3.1 overs.
However, a double strike in Grant Edmeades’s first over threatened to derail their progress as first Marais (19 off 10, 2x4 1x6) and then Seyibokwe (18 off 17, 2x6) were both dismissed as Border slipped to 73/3.
Jerry Nqolo and Darryl Brown then took centre stage and starred in a 37-run stand off 20 balls before Brown (26 off 14, 4x4) was caught by Keegan Petersen off the bowling of Ferisco Adams in the last over.
Nqolo (23no off 11, 4x4) and Mkhululi Calana (5no, 1x4) hit few lusty blows to get Border to an imposing target of 120.
Boland’s chase then got off to the perfect start before Koopman had his say.
Openers Petersen (25 off 14, 4x4) and Michael Loubser (23 off 13, 1x4 2x6) smashed 49 runs off the first four overs, only for Koopman to trap Petersen LBW with his first ball and then have Loubser caught by Thandolwethu Mnyaka three balls later to reduce them to 51/2.
Koopman’s next over then saw him have Adams (8) caught by Brown off the first ball and then Dewald Botha (3) stumped by keeper Mncedisi Malika off the fifth ball to leave Boland floundering on 64/4 after seven overs.
The first ball of the eighth over then saw David Bedingham (1) caught by Koopman off the bowling of Nqolo to see Boland deeper in trouble at 64 for five wickets.
The total then became 68/6 as
Nqolo bowled Godfrey Stevens (1) four balls later to practically end any chance Boland may have had of winning the game.
Edmeades (25 off 13, 1x4 2x6) and Cebo Tshiki (15 off 10, 2x4) did make a good fist of it, but in the end the visitors came up short as they posted 105/6 at the end of their 11 overs.
Koopman, 4/22 off three overs and Nqolo, 2/11 off two overs, were the best of the Border bowlers.
Border collected four valuable points from the game.
Koopman inspires Border to fine win
It ended a frustrating few days for the hosts after a wet outfield caused the first day of their Sunfoil three-day match to be called off on Thursday. The match ended in an inevitable draw on Saturday afternoon.
Morning rain yesterday then saw a delay to the T20 match, with the game being reduced to 11-overs a side. It finally started just after noon after a two-and-a-half hour delay.
From then on, it was just raining boundaries as a very entertaining battle ensued, with Koopman’s all-round effort proving match-winning in the end.
Koopman first clobbered a quick-fire 12-ball 22, featuring five boundaries, to get Border’s innings off to the perfect start and then with Boland absolutely cruising in their chase, came on to bowl and claimed four wickets in his first 11 balls to put the brakes on their chase and leave them with too much to do in the end.
Boland won the toss and elected to field and as expected in such a short match, Border attacked from the outset.
Openers Koopman and Somila Seyibokwe added 30 for the first wicket in the first three overs, with Seyibokwe a spectator for most of the partnership before Koopman was bowled by Zakhele Qwabe.
Marco Marais then joined Seyibokwe at the crease and they shared in a 36-run stand in 3.1 overs.
However, a double strike in Grant Edmeades’s first over threatened to derail their progress as first Marais (19 off 10, 2x4 1x6) and then Seyibokwe (18 off 17, 2x6) were both dismissed as Border slipped to 73/3.
Jerry Nqolo and Darryl Brown then took centre stage and starred in a 37-run stand off 20 balls before Brown (26 off 14, 4x4) was caught by Keegan Petersen off the bowling of Ferisco Adams in the last over.
Nqolo (23no off 11, 4x4) and Mkhululi Calana (5no, 1x4) hit few lusty blows to get Border to an imposing target of 120.
Boland’s chase then got off to the perfect start before Koopman had his say.
Openers Petersen (25 off 14, 4x4) and Michael Loubser (23 off 13, 1x4 2x6) smashed 49 runs off the first four overs, only for Koopman to trap Petersen LBW with his first ball and then have Loubser caught by Thandolwethu Mnyaka three balls later to reduce them to 51/2.
Koopman’s next over then saw him have Adams (8) caught by Brown off the first ball and then Dewald Botha (3) stumped by keeper Mncedisi Malika off the fifth ball to leave Boland floundering on 64/4 after seven overs.
The first ball of the eighth over then saw David Bedingham (1) caught by Koopman off the bowling of Nqolo to see Boland deeper in trouble at 64 for five wickets.
The total then became 68/6 as
Nqolo bowled Godfrey Stevens (1) four balls later to practically end any chance Boland may have had of winning the game.
Edmeades (25 off 13, 1x4 2x6) and Cebo Tshiki (15 off 10, 2x4) did make a good fist of it, but in the end the visitors came up short as they posted 105/6 at the end of their 11 overs.
Koopman, 4/22 off three overs and Nqolo, 2/11 off two overs, were the best of the Border bowlers.
Border collected four valuable points from the game.
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