The visitors had set their hosts a relatively challenging target of 243 after they were put in to bat, racking up 242/7 in almost ideal weather conditions.
SCORECARD:
Eastern Cape Inyathi – 242/7 (50 ov) Marco Marais 65, Nonelela Yikha 41, Joshua Dodd 32, Mncedisi Malika 31. Evan Jones 3/52.
Northern Cape Heat – 247/8 (48.4 ov) Beyers Swanepoel 52, Aubrey Swanepoel 40, Victor Mahlangu 39, Isaac Dikgale 32. Jade de Klerk 3/38, Sinovuyo Ntuntwana 2/20, Thomas Kaber 2/54
BEYERS Swanepoel put in a Man of the Match performance when he rammed home five sixes to power Northern Cape Heat to a two wicket victory over the visiting Eastern Cape Inyathi in their CSA One Day Cup game played at the Diamond Ooval in Kimberley on Wednesday.
The visitors had set their hosts a relatively challenging target of 243 after they were put in to bat, racking up 242/7 in almost ideal weather conditions.
Opener Marco Marais top scored for the visitors with 65, and there were also good contributions form Nonelela Yikha (41), Joshua Dodd (32) and Mncedisi Malika (31).
ALSO READ: EC Inyathi set NC Heat tricky target in CSA One Day Cup clash
The pick of the NC Heat bowlers was Evan Jone with his 3/52. Johan van Dyk (1/33), Ernest Kemm (1/33) and Andrew Rasemene (1/51) were the other wicket-takers for the hosts.
There were tense moments for the home team when they lost two early wickets in quick succession to find themselves tottering on 22/2 after opener Ernest Kemm who was caught behind by Gideon Peters off the bowling of Sinovuyo Ntuntwana for eight, followed by his opening opening partner Jonathan Vandiar for 14.
No.3 batsman Gerhard Abrahams (7) went cheaply too, but the middle order dug in and patiently built the innings as the visitors toiled. It was slow going, but Isaac Dikgale (32), Victor Mahlangu (39) andl Aubrey Swanepoel with his run-a-ball 40 managed to keep the target in sight for the hosts
It was when the match was delicately poised that No.9 batsman Beyers Swanepoel cut loose, smashing an unbeaten 52 off 33 balls (1×4, 5x6s), and taking the match away from the Inyathi. His fellow tail-enders did well to defend and rotate the strike, while Swanepoel turned the screws into the visitors.
His match-winning effort was worthy of the Man-of-the-Match accolade, even though he went wicketless (0/47 – 10 overs) earlier in the day.
Wednesday’s win sees the NC Heat climb to third spot on the CSA Provincial Challenge Division Two table, while the Inyathi stay at position five.
The Heat’s next assignment will be at home against the Limpopo Impalas who are currently rock bottom of the log.
