Cricket News

Proteas make three changes for 3rd Test

2012-11-30

Friday, 30 November 2012

The Castle Lager Proteas have made three changes to their team for the final Test match against Australia at the WACA in Perth. Robin Peterson makes a return to Test cricket after a four year absence, and replaces Imran Tahir as the spin option.

Dean Elgar will make his Test debut and becomes the 80th cap for South Africa since unity, he replaces Jacques Rudolph in the middle order. Vernon Philander has fully recovered from the stiff lower back that kept him out of the match in Adelaide and comes into the team for Rory Kleinveldt.

Jacques Kallis is fit enough to play as a batsman, but will not be able to bowl in the match. Imran Tahir and Thami Tsolekile will return back to South Africa on Friday evening.

South Africa XI: Graeme Smith (C), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wk), Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Ryan McLaren (12th man).

TITANS SQUEAK HOME BY FIVE RUNS

2012-11-29

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

KIMBERLEY: The Nashua Titans just about hung on to defeat a plucky Chevrolet Knights side by five runs in a thrilling Momentum One-Day Cup clash at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday.

Chasing an unlikely 323 to win, the Chevrolet Knights fell one heave away from the unthinkable, as they were finally bowled out for 317, with just two balls to spare. Their defiant stand almost stole the headlines from Nashua Titans opener Henry Davids, who was named man of the match after notching a career-best 166 off 139 balls to propel the visitors to 322 for eight.

But the Chevrolet Knights did all they could to flip the script, as contributions from all the top-order batsmen kept the home side in touch, before Werner Coetsee (67 off 56 balls) gave them real hope of an upset.

When he was run out, the Chevrolet Knights required 37 off the last three overs, but with just three wickets in hand. Dillon du Preez (17 not out) clubbed two fours in the final over to give the home side late hope, but Malusi Siboto was run out trying to give him a chance for one last shot at glory.

Earlier, the Nashua Titans had won the toss and elected to bat first. Davids was the undoubted story of the day, He added 149 for the first wicket with Heino Kuhn, who looked on his way to a century too, before he was run out for 72 off just 69 balls.

Davids then added 67 with Martin van Jaarsveld (38) and 59 with Farhaan Behardien (23), as he reached his fifth limited-overs century off 104 balls. Severe cramp, brought on by his skipping of lunch, saw him rely on boundaries in the latter stages of his innings, and he only needed 28 more balls to reach 150.

In all, he clubbed five sixes and fifteen fours, in a wonderful exhibition of clean hitting. Once he departed, run out by keeper Rudi Second at the end of the 47th over, the Titans folded rather limply, scoring just 15 runs off the final three overs of their innings.

Even then, that looked to be more than enough on an admittedly flat track. But the Chevrolet Knights had other ideas. Michael Erlank (33) and Rudi Second (36) gave them a good start with 66 for the first wicket, but both fell just when they had done the hard work of settling in. That was to be the pattern for the Chevrolet Knightsandrsquo; batters, as Rilee Rossouw (49), Ryan Bailey (43) and Obus Pienaar (29) all made starts but failed to kick on.

Ultimately, that was to cost the home side, as Coetsee needed an ally at the other end, as he fought a lone battle. Once he was desperately run out in the frenetic finish, the Nashua Titans were favourites to win again, and they managed to hang on for the four points in the end.

But only just.

Teams:

Chevrolet Knights: Rudi Second (wk), Michael Erlank, Rillee Rossouw, Ryan Bailey, Obus Pienaar, Werner Coetsee, Nicky Boje, Johann van der Wath (c), Dillon du Preez, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Malusi Siboto.

Nashua Titans: Henry Davids, Heino Kuhn (wk), Mangaliso Mosehle, Martin van Jaarsveld, Farhaan Behardien, Albie Morkel, David Wiese, Roelof van der Merwe, Shaun von Berg, Rowan Richards, Mario Olivier.

Michael Owen-Smith

Momentum 1-Day Cup: - Chevrolet Knights vs. Sunfoil Dolphins 14 November 2012

2012-11-14

The squad selected for the Momentum 1-Day Cup Match against the Dolphins at Chevrolet Park:

1. Ryan McLaren

2. Ryan Bailey

3. Reeza Hendricks

4. Rilee Rossouw

5. Werner Coetsee

6. Nicky Boje

7. Johan van der Wath

8. Dillon du Preez

9. Shadley van Schalkwyk

10. JP Triegaardt (wk)

11. Obus Pienaar

12. Michael Erlank

Team will be finalized before start of play.

Management:

Coach andndash; Sarel Cilliers

Assistant Coach andndash; Technical Development andndash; Adri Swanepoel

Physiotherapist andndash; Shaun Jankielsohn

Fitness Trainer andndash; Morne Castelyn

-ENDS-

Petri Watson

082 319 1373

ELGAR TO REPLACE DUMINY

2012-11-11

Sunday, 11 November 2012

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA (CSA) on Sunday named Chevrolet Knights all-rounder Dean Elgar as the replacement for injured JP Duminy in the Proteas Castle Lager Test squad.

Elgar will leave for Australia in the next couple of days once his visa formalities have been completed and will thus be available to play for the Chevrolet Knights in todayandrsquo;s Momentum One-Day Cup match against the Nashua Titans at SuperSport Park.

"We have opted for a like-for-like replacement," commented CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson. "Dean can bat anywhere in the top order and he also gives us a back-up spin bowling option. He is currently in good form and made 76 with a strike rate of 107 in the Chevrolet Knightsandrsquo; only 50 overs game to date.

"He had a good debut for the Proteas in their recent ODI series in England and he fully deserves his call-up to our Test squad as well."

Michael Owen-Smith

ELGAR TO REPLACE DUMINY

2012-11-11

KNIGHTS START WITH BONUS POINT WIN

2012-11-05

Sunday, 04 November 2012

THE Chevrolet Knights drew level with the bizhub Highveld Lions at the top of the Momentum One-Day Cup log when they scored an easy bonus point win by 91 runs over the Chevrolet Warriors at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Sunday.

The Knights batted well all down the order to set up a huge target of 326. Ryan Bailey went in the first over, but Reeza Hendricks, Dean Elgar and Rilee Rossouw all contributed half-centuries. Ryan McLaren added the impetus towards the end with 47, and there were also brief cameos from veterans Nicky Boje and Johan van der Wath with a good mixture of the innovative and the conventional shots.

All of the Warriors bowlers came in for their fair share of punishment, and the innings progressed at around six to the over throughout. Adrian Birch and Basheer Walters each took three wickets but went for six to the over and more while Wayne Parnell also took two for plenty. Old warhorse Makhaya Ntini was only given a single spell of four overs after not impressing with the new ball.

The Warriors were up against it from the start. The Kimberley crowd was treated to the rare sight of brothers opening the batting, but Kelly Smuts was unable to see out the opening over with Jon-Jon, who did not last much longer himself. Ashwell Prince made just eleven before playing across the line, and at 54 for three the Warriors were in early trouble.

Colin Ingram and Davy Jacobs put the visitors back on course with a solid partnership of 78 in 15 overs. Ingram was particularly severe on Johan van der Wath, at one stage hitting him for four boundaries in the space of eight deliveries.

However, scoreboard pressure kept mounting, with the required rate moving beyond seven. As well as the pair played, they were unable to claw it back to a more acceptable rate. The old man of the team, Nicky Boje who had in fact spent the last few seasons in Warriors colours, came in for some harsh treatment, but broke the partnership when he had Ingram caught in the deep for 70 (79 balls, 6 fours 3 sixes).

Jacobs did not linger much longer, going for 58 (66 balls, 7 fours 1 six) in the 34th over. McLaren had to come in quickly from the boundary on a day where he could do no wrong. Although Parnell hit some lusty blows in compiling a quick 39, the target was always out of reach. Even Simon Harmerandrsquo;s good fortune of being given a reprieve after being bowled off a no-ball could not turn the game in the Warriors favour.

McLaren cleaned up the tail to finish with a career best return of five for 38. Coupled to his innings of 47, there was no real competition for the Man of the Match award.

Michael Owen-Smith

MORNE RELISHES LEADING FROM THE FRONT

2012-11-02

Friday, 02 November 2012

THREE total wash-outs in four Sunfoil Series matches represents a frustrating start to the season for the Chevrolet Knights but captain Morne van Wyk is still taking a positive out of it.

The Knights are currently preparing for their opening match in the Momentum One-Day Cup against the Chevrolet Warriors at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Sunday.

"In a way, the weather has worked well for us," commented Van Wyk. "The players are fresh and hungry to go. At this stage last season we had a lot of cricket behind us, and it had taken a toll on the players."

Van Wyk is himself looking forward to going back to the top of the batting order. He is comfortably the leading run-scorer in domestic one-day cricket, and relishes the challenge of leading from the front. "I enjoy the early opportunity to make an impact on the game," he said. Veterans Nicky Boje and Johan van der Wath are two other players in the squad who are experienced impact players.

The Warriors have been more fortunate with the weather although they did lose out in their match against the Knights in East London last weekend, and have had a better than normal run in the four-day competition thus far. Like the Knights, they have tended to perform better in the shorter formats.

There are some interesting new and not-so-new faces in the Warriors squad. Evergreen Makhaya Ntini is back, while young Border bowler Ayabulela Gqamane, a wicket-hungry medium pacer, is rewarded for his prolific form. They are joined in the squad by Eastern Province middle-order batsman Colin Ackermann. There is still no Rusty Theron, as a back injury will see him lying low for two months.

Coach Piet Botha is happy with the form of his batting line-up. Colin Ingram has been a top performer and captain Davy Jacobs has already recorded two Sunfoil Series centuries. "Davy gives us a lot in all formats of the game," he said.

The weather forecast is good and the normally flat Kimberley surface should provide rich entertainment. Play starts at 10am.

Michael Owen-Smith

CHEVROLET KNIGHTS vs CHEVROLET WARRIORS

2012-11-01

1 November 2012

Momentum 1-Day Cup: - Chevrolet Knights vs. Chevrolet Warriors

4 November 2012

The squad selected for the Momentum 1-Day Cup Match against the Warriors at De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley:

1. Dean Elgar (Captain)

2. Ryan Bailey

3. Reeza Hendricks

4. Rilee Rossouw

5. Werner Coetsee

6. Ryan McLaren

7. Nicky Boje

8. Johan van der Wath

9. Dillon du Preez

10. Shadley van Schalkwyk

11. JP Triegaardt (wk)

12. Obus Pienaar

13. Aubrey Swanepoel

Team will be finalized before start of play.

Management:

Coach andndash; Sarel Cilliers

Assistant Coach andndash; Technical Development andndash; Adri Swanepoel

Physiotherapist andndash; Shaun Jankielsohn

Fitness Trainer andndash; Morne Castelyn

-ENDS-

Petri Watson

082 319 1373

FURTHER FRUSTRATION FOR WARRIORS AND KNIGHTS

2012-10-22

THE second successive day of play wash-out on Monday has left the Sunfoil Series match between the Chevrolet Warriors and the Chevrolet Knights heading for an inevitable draw at Buffalo Park in East London.

Umpires Adrian Holdstock and Dennis Smith decided that there was no prospect of a waterlogged outfield drying in time for the match to start and a forecast of further showers made their decision even more straightforward.

Good news for the two teams is that play will start at 9:30 am on Tuesday, weather permitting. The Warriors and the Knights will feel a bit despondent that an outright result is unlikely, as there will only be two days of play, but bonus points will be up for grabs, and they will look to gain as many as possible to close the gap on log leaders, the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras.

Michael Owen-Smith

RAIN FRUSTRATES WARRIORS AND KNIGHTS

2012-10-22

THERE was no play possible on the first day of the postponed Sunfoil Series match between the Chevrolet Warriors and the Chevrolet Knights at Buffalo Park in East London on Sunday due to heavy rain overnight and further morning rain.

The two captains, Davy Jacobs of the Warriors and the Knightsand#39; Dean Elgar, will now only make the toss on Mondayandrsquo;s second day.

The Knights have seemed to attract bad weather this season as their last two matches have been drowned out by inclement weather. The two teams were hoping for better weather so they could try and close the gap on the current log leaders, the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras. But the weather has also affected the match in Pietermaritzburg between the Cobras and the Sunfoil Dolphins which means for the moment log positions remain unchanged.

Michael Owen-Smith