THE 77-run partnership between Gareth Bishop (50) and Ashley Lombard (40) helped the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal District (KZNCD) side to post a great score which resulted in a 41 run victory over Mpumalanga Rural Districts at Addison Park on Saturday.
The KZNCD side went into the clash unbeaten and had already qualified for the South African Rural Cricket (SARC) Week in Kimberley on 14-18 February.
The home side won the toss and elected to bat on what could be described as a ‘tennis ball bounce’ pitch.
The visitors ripped through the first couple of wickets, leaving the home boys with work to do.
But Bishop who smashed a superb half century and Lombard made the visitors sweat and toil as they got the innings back on track.
With small contributions from all batsmen and Morne Bishop with 25, the home side reached 195 all out in the 48th over.
Shaun Neethling 3/33 and ex-Zululander Freedom Buthelezi 3/39 in 10 were the pick of the bowlers.
Mpumalanga were bowled out for 154 in 41.1 overs to hand the KZNCD side a handsome 41-run victory.
Siyabonga Mahima 34 and Johann Stadler 28 were the only two batsmen to put up a fight.
Schoolboy Sizwe Mthembu 3/18 and Neil Jordan 3/32 were the pick of the bowlers.
Spinners Stephan Joubert 2/28 and Otto Rode 2/33 also came to the party.
The KZNCD side will travel down to Kimberley on 25 January to take on Griquas in their last game before heading off to the SARC week.
Twelfth man Trevor Kietzmann described the result as ‘floccinaucinihilipilification’, as this result would not have actually affected their standings in the league.
PHOTOS: Richard Springorum
