A superb batting effort from Mbeka Cricket Club laid the foundation for their comfortable 27-run win over Zondeki Cricket Club in the final of the 2019 Amacal'egusha tournament at the Amacal'egusha Oval outside King William’s Town on Friday afternoon.
It was a fantastic performance from Mbeka as they went into the final as slight underdogs as Zondeki were defending champions, and looked well on course to seal a second consecutive triumph.
But in the end a solid effort up front set the new champs up for the victory.
There was a delayed start to the match as a wet pitch saw the start pushed back from 10am to 1pm and the match reduced to 35 overs a side.
Mbeka, who won the toss and chose to bat, then got off to a careful start moving to 45/1 after the first 10 overs. That was before kicking up the scoring rate over the next 25-overs, scoring at over seven runs an over during that period to power their way to 223/7 from their 35 overs.
Former Selborne College pupil Jerome Bossr was the star of the batting effort, smashing a 63-ball 73 that featured four boundaries and three sixes, while a number of other cameos helped along the way.
Zondeki's top bowler was Lucky Pangabantu who claimed 2/56, although at an expensive rate having bowled six overs.
Zondeki were then never really in the chase as they battled to score at a quick enough rate, with it going up constantly until they could only reach 196/8 in their 35 overs.
Lwando Lwana put up a brave effort for the defending champs, striking 49 off 69 balls (3x4; 1x6) but he fell just short of what would have been a well deserved half century.
The pick of the Mbeka bowlers was Luyanda Fojela who picked up an impressive 3/39 in seven overs to help keep the Zondeki chase in check.
A good crowd turned up to enjoy what became an entertaining spectacle to end the latest edition of the Amacal'egusha Historical Tournament. The next edition of the competition gets under way in December this year...