The young Willows Cricket Club players helped their side to a three-wicket win on Saturday 12 October.
The young Willows Cricket Club players helped their side to a three-wicket win on Saturday 12 October.
The Grahamstown Cricket Board First League match was played at the Albany Sports Club on Saturday.
Willows fast bowlers Winston Johnson (3 wickets for 17 runs), Duane Brown (3/24) and Abner Accom (2/28) and star batsman Marquin Loutz top-scored with 30 runs.
Salem won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that was not easy to bat on throughout the day. The Willows young bowling attack was on fire from the outset and they bowled with both aggression and control. They clinched three early wickets for 17 runs and put Salem under a lot of pressure, their batsmen also struggling to come to terms with the uneven bounce of the pitch.
Willows also took wickets at regular intervals, supported by great all-round fielding.
Greg Bradfield top-scored for Salem with 30 runs, including 5 fours. He was well supported by Steve Marais who contributed 20 runs.
Johnson and Brown were the destroyers-in-chief for Willows, taking three wickets apiece, while Accom took two.
Luvane Daniels and Ruwayne Brooks took one wicket each. In the end, Salem could manage only 111 all out in 33.3 overs.
In their turn at the crease, Willows lost two early wickets – the wicket worsening as the day progressed. Loutz and Anrico Quiens came in to bat and provide some stability to the innings, putting up a 51-run partnership.
Loutz went on to top score with a fine 30 runs, including 5 fours, while Quiens made 27 runs (4 fours).
Captain Lucius Jordaan (11 not out) and Brooks (12) supported well towards the end of the innings for Willows. Darren Long took 3 wickets for 35 runs in 7 overs, while Leard King took 2 for 29 in 4 overs for Salem.
Willows made 112 for 7 in 20 overs, winning by 3 wickets.
