Trying Stars sent out a stern warning to the rest of the teams before the start of the Eastern Cape Super 14 Competition that kicks off this weekend. Stars outplayed Progress who are the reigning EPRU Super League Champs with a dominant 38-15 win in Alexandria on Saturday. Stars also took a firm 14-0 lead at halftime. Stars show early signs of form and look ready for the tough Super League Competition that comprises the top seven teams from both EP and Border. The game, as expected, started at a very high pace and intensity as Progress dominated the first ten…
Author: Chesley Daniels
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The second half of the Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) will resume this weekend in all earnest, with exciting and competitive cricket again expected. The players took a break for the festive season and are raring to go as the league gets more interesting. Cuylerville are currently the front runner in the GCB first league and are entering 2020 as favourites. They are in first position with 38 points after nine games. Defending champs Sidbury are hot on their heels in second place with 37 (9), followed by Southwell 31 (9), Rhodes 27 (8) and Manleys 24 (9). The race is…
The Eastern Province Rural (Grahamstown) cricket team performed exceptionally well and ended unbeaten in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Coastal Week in Mossel Bay recently. EP won all of their six games and ended joined winners with Boland at the conclusion of the tournament. This is a remarkable achievement for the young EP Rural side who went down to the Western Cape as a collective unit without the majority of the players involved in the set up in recent years. Their commitment and discipline on and off the field was key to their success. The eight teams participating were EP…
This year’s prestigious Goldrush Fabian Juries Community Fun Day was bigger and better than ever, and was packed with entertainment. Goldrush Bingo came on board as the title sponsor and provided much needed assistance to the organisers, Grahamstown Brumbies Rugby Club, as well as the community at large. Goldrush Currie Park Rebels and Goldrush Tantyi Rangers were crowned joint Champions at the 10s rugby event and shared the prestigious Cup. This came after the organisers dealt swiftly with an incident that put paid to a much anticipated final – but that came at the end of a day clearly enjoyed by dozens of sportsmen and women…
Goldrush, the title and main sponsor of last weekend’s Fabian Juries Community Fun Day hosted by Grahamstown Brumbies Rugby Club, handed over new kit to the rugby and netball teams ahead of the annual event. Team representatives, sponsors, EPRU President Andre Rademan, EPRU Executive, Makana Mayor Mzukisi Mpahlwa, SEDRU representatives, Grassroots Rugby Administrator Qondakele Sompondo, EPRU Marketing and Media Manager Kim Daniels and the local organising committee for this prestigious and popular event were there. EPRU President Andre Rademan spoke about Eastern Cape player Fabian Juries and his achievements as an International and provincial 7s and Provincial star. “I’m very proud…
Cuylerville 1st XI are now the new Grahamstown Cricket Board’s (GCB) first league leaders, after thrashing Port Alfred last weekend. They overtake Rhodes who had occupied the top position on the log for most of the season. Southwell moved to third with two fine victories last weekend, beating Manleys and Willows respectively. Southwell vs Manleys Flats (Saturday) Southwell beat Manleys by 5 wickets. Manleys posted 177, batting first as Southwell’s bowlers piled on the pressure. Keanen Fisher top scored with a solid 47 for Manleys. Jeff Rodgerson 3/33 (10) and Guy Bladen 3/29 (10) were the standout bowlers for Southwell.…
Progress (Uitenhage) successfully defended their title in the annual Trying Stars Sevens rugby tournament in Alexandria on Saturday. They beat Despatch Titans narrowly 15-14 in an epic final. They were also crowned the EPRU Super league champs and will represent Eastern Province at the National Gold Cup Competition next year. Thousands of rugby enthusiasts attended this prestigious event and the atmosphere was electrifying. Any team on the day could have won the tournament, but it was Progress whose experience in the format counted, along with big names that played provincial and national Sevens during their careers. Progress beat PE Harlequins…
Rhodes University 1st XI cricket side pulled off a fantastic 81-run win bonus point win over arch rivals Willows in their GCB 1st League match at Prospect Field on Saturday. Rhodes also conquered Port Alfred on Sunday and extended their lead at the top of the log with 27 points after eight games. With a clinical performance, Rhodes took sweet revenge against Willows, who beat them with a bonus point a fortnight ago. In a high-scoring game, the students batted first and totalled a mammoth 387/4 (50). Rhodes batsmen were aggressive from the outset with the openers laying a good…
Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima started his rugby career as an eighthman as a schoolboy at Graeme College in Makhanda. The Japanese winger is now the joint top try scorer and front runner with the most tries (five) at this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. He will, however, come up against his birth country South Africa, in the quarter final of the World Cup this Sunday. Ian Suttie, retired teacher and coach at Graeme College, recalls how quiet and shy Matsushima was as a young boy at school in the school’s under-13A rugby side. “He spent one year at Graeme while…
The Salem first XI got the better of Willows last Saturday at Rhodes Great Field, clinching a comprehensive nine-wicket win in their Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) First League encounter. Willows were flat-footed against a spirited Salem side who won the toss and sent Willows in to bat, taking full advantage with their swing and slower bowlers. Salem openers James Mullins and Chris van der Meulen put the Willows batsmen under pressure, bowling excellent line and length. Scoring was not easy on an uncertain pitch. Chesley Daniels top scored with 50 not out (36 balls, 5 fours and 2 sixes) and…