Border bring home silverware
Proud moment for coach and captain
THERE is no doubt that it is no easy task to appear in a limited-overs cricket final and challenge a team away from home and then return with the spoils.
But this is exactly what the Border senior semi-professional team did Saturday, beating Free State in Bloemfontein by three wickets with 27 balls to spare in a magnificent game of fighting cricket.
The team returned home yesterday with the prestigious CSA OneDay Cup safely in their possession and this piece of silverware will go on display at Buffalo Park, the first limited-over trophy ever won by Border in its 115-year history.
And so heartiest congratulations must go to coach Frank Plaatjes, skipper Abongile Sodumo and the rest of the side.
The win is the culmination of some exceptionally hard work by the dedicated team which started during the cold winter months and has ended in triumph.
Saturday’s victory was a real team effort, with all 11 Border players doing just that little bit extra to ensure the win.
Free State won the toss but pace bowler Lundi Mbane struck early and the home team were soon four runs for one wicket.
Border restricted the early batsmen to about four runs per over and only a spirited innings by veteran former Test and ODI star, Nicky Boje, who hit 40 not out with four boundaries, enabled Free State to pass 200 and they were all out for 207 in 48.5 overs.
Mbane finished with the brilliant figures of 4/36 in 9.5 overs while Darryl Brown, 2/38, and Aya Gqamane, 2/48, both supported well.
A solid opening partnership of 83 by Vuyisa Makhaphela and Bevan Bennett at four runs to the over gave Border a wonderful foundation and set Border on the path to victory.
This was just what the doctor ordered. But then things didn’t go exactly according to plan as four wickets fell for 17 runs and suddenly Border were 112 for five wickets after 30 overs.
Bennett had scored 65 of those runs with eight fours, and when he was out allrounder Brown, as he has done on numerous occasions throughout his career, stepped in, this time possibly to play the innings of his life.
He came to the crease at 108 for four and he and Sodumo took the score to 142 for six before Sodumo was out for 13.
Gqamane, 20, and Brown then steadied the ship and their partnership of 41 for the seventh wicket was the one which took the game away from Free State.
Brown finished on 43 not out and he and young Jerry Nqolo took Border through to 208 for seven and the win. Boje was the outstanding bowler for his team, finishing with 3/35 off his 10 overs.
“The boys are over the moon about the win,” said proud as punch Plaatjes. “It’s a fantastic feeling winning the Cup.”
Plaatjes added that although there were worrying times when Border batted, he had kept back three allrounders – Nqolo, Shaund de Kock and Mbane – who could bat until late in the innings.
“We had some wonderful support at the game.” Plaatjes added.
Scoreboard page 18