MPL Update: Team now desperate to qualify for the play-offs

Another triple-header Sunday will take place at Valencia Cricket Oval this coming weekend.

After all games rained out the previous week, the Valencia Cricket Oval was abuzz with a feast of cricketing action on Sunday. Three games were contested with teams now desperate to qualify for the play-offs.

White River Challengers took on Orchards Cricket Club in the early morning game that started at 09:00. Batting first on what turned out to be a batting paradise, White River Challengers scored 169 for six wickets in
20 overs. Akib Larya was in good form with the bat, scoring 46 runs of 58 balls.

Opening bowler for Orchards Cricket Club, Sikandar Mangroli, was the pick of the bowlers and conceded only 20 runs in his four overs. Chasing 170 runs for victory, Orchards Cricket Club batsmen, led by captain Majid Bapu, took the attack to the bowlers from the first over. Bapu in particular was in fine form as he raced to 88 not out of 57 deliveries that included seven fours and four sixes. Suhail Patel chipped in with a flawless 70 runs of
41 balls as Orchards passed their target in the 17th over of their innings. Majid Bapu claimed the man-of-the-match prize for his batting performance.

Back from a well-deserved break, the students of University of Mpumalanga came up against a formidable Valencia All Stars outfit. In the most favourable conditions for batting, Valencia All Stars batted first and amassed a total of 240 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Provincial U19 cricketer, Sameer Mahomed, was unstoppable with the bat as he raced to a personal T20 best of 111 runs. Mahomed was well supported by all-rounder Maaz Randera (46) and Mohammed Larya (43 not out). Chasing 241 in any format is no easy task, let alone in 20 overs. With their famous victory in mind where they chased down close to 200 for victory earlier in the season, the “Clever Boys” were determined to make good of the run-chase this time around.

It was, however, not to be, as bowlers of Valencia All Stars were in fine form with ball. The students were restricted to 116 for eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Senior players Manelisi Kilani and Vusi Mathebula were the main contributors with the bat as they both scored 29 runs. All Valencia All Stars bowlers were reasonably economical, with the pick of the bowlers being rookie player Devon du Plessis, who picked up one wicket and conceded just 17 runs in his four overs. Mahomed was man of the match for his brilliant batting performance.

The ‘Onderberg Derby’ completed the triple header as two teams from the Onderberg, Malelane Cricket Club and Kings X1 Cricket Club, contested the third game. Kings X1, opting to bat first, found themselves in early trouble as their top order collapsed to 46 runs for five wickets. Captain Asif Dhaya dug in his heels and led by example as Kings X1 resurrected their innings. Dhaya made his way to a hard-earned 70 runs as Kings X1 stuttered to a defendable score of 154 runs in 20 overs. The pick of the bowlers for Malelane Cricket Club was rookie player Rayyan Patel, who picked up four wickets in his four overs and conceded just 20 runs.

Malelane Cricket Club were determined to surpass the target of 155 for victory, but failed to put together any meaningful partnership. Several batsmen got into the twenties and failed to convert to a match-winning score. Malelane Cricket Club were eventually bowled out for 135 runs, handing Kings X1 a much-needed five points. Asif Dhaya backed up his batting display with a good performance with the ball for Kings X1 and was adjudicated man of the match.

“We are at the business end of the league, as teams are fighting for a spot in the play-offs. It is fantastic to see our rookie schoolboy cricketers improving every week and making meaningful contributions to their respective teams. Sameer Mahomed, Devon du Plessis, Adnan Larya, Rayyan Patel and Suhail Patel are some of our rookie players in the league who have stood out so far in MPL. Another triple-header Sunday will take place at Valencia Cricket Oval this coming weekend,” said MPL chairperson, Idris Nomani.