Back to back victories for Badgers

CRICKET NEWS - The Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers recorded impressive back-to-back bonus point victories in their first two home fixtures in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Division 2 One-Day Cup competition.

Onke Nyaku and his troops added a seven-wicket bonus point victory against the Eastern Storm at the Six Gun Grill Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn on Thursday.

The Storm, who won the toss and opted to bat first on a hot summer day in perfect batting conditions, made a solid start and was at 174/4 thanks to a 5th wicket partnership of 121 between Mekyule Pillay (38 from 71 balls; 1x4) and Shane Dadswell (87; 71 balls; 3x6, 5x4). A brilliant fightback by the Badgers bowlers led by Sintu Majiza (4/30), Sean Whitehead (3/35) and Jarred Jardine (2/29) dismissed the visitors for a modest 191 (all out).

In the run chase of the Badgers, both Blayde Capell (20) and Jhedli van Briesies (21) were dismissed in the twenties, but it was, however, Matthew Christenen (54 from 81 balls; 2x5, 3x4) who posted his second consecutive half-century. An unbeaten 73 runs partnership for the fourth wicket between Hanno Kotze (52* from 34 balls, 1x6, 7x4) and the skipper Onke Nyaku (35*; 52 balls, 1x6, 1x4) took the Badgers over the line with 11.5 overs to spare.