Pretoria Cricket Club hopes to retain title

Pretoria’s Martin Swart blasts the ball during a President League encounter at the Soshanguve Cricket Oval on Saturday. Photo by David Tlhoaele

Alfred Makhubela

Thunderstorms denied Pretoria Cricket Club’s second team an opportunity to go to the top of the log during the President League encounter against Soshanguve Cricket Club second team at the Cricket Oval in Soshanguve Block DD on Saturday.

Soshanguve won the toss and elected to bowl. Pretoria had a partnership of their star batsmen Reghardt Bezildenhomut and Jaque Swart, but their threatening partnership was easily dealt with by Isaac Sebola. The first victim for Pretoria was Bezuldenhomut who was dismissed for a duck from seven balls and Swart was dismissed for nine runs during the third over. Soshanuguve seemed to be controlling the game with their fast pace bowlers getting 4 wickets in 16 overs.

Pretoria’s batsmen gained momentum and their captain, Martin Stols scored 42 runs, one six and two fours. He was the highest scorer of the innings until he was dismissed by Percy Moloto.

Pretoria finished the first innings with 201 all out.

Half way into the second innings, Soshanguve was 97/5 during the 24^th over when thunderstorms forced the umpire to stop the match as the pitch was no longer conducive for play. “It was disappointing that the game ended this way. We could have won it because we registered a good score during our innings and I doubt if they were going to reach it,” said Martin Stols, captain of Pretoria.

Pretoria Cricket Club headed to this game trailing log leaders AC.O Boys Cricket Club by a point. The defending champions were adamant that they would overtake their counterparts during their next crucial encounter against AC.O Boys with four games remaining before the 2012/13 season will come to an end.

“Our next encounter against the log leaders is vital. We have to win if we want to see the title remaining in Pretoria. We are certain that we will win our next game”, added Stols.