United Cricket Club’s Tommy Jansen’s bowling figures of 3/19 from 10 overs played a crucial role in his side’s four wicket
win against Gugulethu during WP First Division A one-day match at the Green Point track on Saturday.
Gugulethu won the toss and sent the hosts to bowl first, only to encounter some slick medium pace bowling by Nasser Abrahams and attacking spin from Shaheed Abader from the get go. They were dismissed for 129 runs.
United are seventh on the log with nine points after losing two and winning two of their four games.
Abader and Abrahams each got a wicket to put Gugs on the backfoot early in the innings.
Assistant coach and player, Qaasim Adams said it was a top game against a top team.
“Usually the ball does a bit in the morning. But on Saturday it was a little bit different. We opened with spinners and realised we have to bowl a straight line,” he said.
Adams, who also got 2/42 of 10 overs while also scoring the winning runs from his 58 not out with the bat, said the success of their bowling was a result of all the bowlers chipping in a little of their talent on the day.
“Tommy took the most wickets, but our opening bowlers set the tone. Although I think we can still improve in some parts of the field.
Adams said in the past two games that he has returned to coach and play, following his provincial duties, he has seen a major improvement from a group of talented cricketers.
“We have a young side with a few injuries, but they are hungry to play,” he said.
On Saturday, United will face second-placed UCT, away, who are undefeated after four games.
“It is going to be no different. They are a quality side. We just got to be more disciplined and stay patient more than them for us to be on top of the game.
Gugulethu went on to win their Sunday encounter against St Augustine by three wickets.
In other First division A matches played at the weekend, Green Point lost by five wickets to Strandfontein; NGCC beat Avendale by 125 runs; Kraaifontein won by one run against Edgemead; UCT won by five runs against Primrose; Tygerberg won by 53 runs against St Augustine.
On Sunday UCT made it two out of two for the weekend, beating Kraaifontein by 61 runs.