NC Heat coach Mark Charlton conceded that the home side got themselves in a bit of trouble upfront in the first innings.
NORTHERN Cape Heat showed “some good resilience” according to their coach, despite their eight wicket loss to the visiting South Western Districts in their CSA 4-Day Domestic Series match which ended on Sunday at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.
The eight wicket win by SWD saw NC Heat slide down to second spot on the Division 2 log.
ALSO READ: Jones blasts NC Heat into strong position on day one
NC Heat coach Mark Charlton conceded that the hosts got themselves in a bit of trouble upfront in the first innings. They were rescued out of a dire situation by the superb batting of middle order batsman Evan Jones who racked up 157 not out in the team’s 351 first innings score.
“Jones batted very well then we unfortunately bowled poorly. They (SWD) got to 150 for no wickets,” the coach told the DFA.
In their reply SWD’s Leus Du Plooy had a superb innings, scoring 187 off 227 balls (21x4s, 4x6s) as he anchored the side and helping SWD to 555 which proved to put the game out of reach for the hosts.
Charlton remarked: “We worked better, nicely in the next session but then Du Plooy got a 180 and sort of took the game away from us. They had a lead of 204 and we had to go and bat again. We did so decently on that last day’s track, unfortunately we set them a hundred (target) that is as far as we could get ahead.”
The SWD bowlers, with their comfortable 204-run lead as a cushion, toiled in the Kimberley heat and managed to dismiss the hosts for 303 with seamer Marcello Piedt’s 3/50 the most impressive figures for the visitors..
“They came out firing and knocked us over,” Cahrlton said. “We lost by eight wickets. We showed some good resilience, unfortunately it just wasn’t enough for us this weekend,” he added.
Charlton said it was his hope that the side will improve in their next match as they prepare to host the Mpumalanga Rhinos on March 3-7 at the Diamond Oval.
