IN an explosive start to the KZN Inland Premier League season, Zingari earned a surprising seven-wicket victory over reigning champions Maritzburg Varsity at the Varsity Oval on Sunday.
And in a heartening development, the rest of the matches were close affairs, in contrast to the regular lopsided results of past seasons.
An admittedly weakened Varsity, missing their provincial players who were doing duty against Northerns, must have been fairly pleased with their 176 for four against Zingari’s attack in the allotted 40 overs on a weekend where runs were scarce.
Maritzburg College schoolboy Tyler Lortan continued his good form with a 77 to top Varsity’s run-getters. He was aided by his College top-order team-mates, the prolific Nic Hendrie (62) and the cricket factory’s captain, Jarryd Walsh (53).
Varsity’s comprehensive seven-wicket defeat signals the 125-year-old Zingari’s resurgence under the stewardship of club president and first-team coach Harry Brown, who is a legend in local cricket circles.
Varsity’s new coach, Faizel Simon, has plenty to chew on in what was an unwelcome baptism in his new job at the campus.
The result also gives early warning that Brown and his sons, skipper Lyndon and last season’s captain, Gareth, are determined to take the distinguished club — that boasts among its former players Vintcent van der Bijl and Roy McLean — back to its glory days.
Midlands, on home turf at the Eston Country Club, had to draw on all they had to pull off a nailbiting seven-run win over newly promoted Cosmos.
The powerful Clint Lock, who hits a long ball, and newcomer Allan Porristan had worked hard in taking Midlands to 155 for seven in the face of Ranaik Singh and Reshen Sewcharran’s accurate bowling. Cosmos made a good fist of overhauling the target with Nashil Jeewan top-scoring, but it was old hands Murray Hampson and Scott Hosking who stopped the victory charge.
The Young Natalians versus Lancashire clash at Khan Road had lots of edge to it, as the off-season player movement had been quite significant.
Alex Blake was left unbeaten on 34 as Lancashire’s Reilly King and Kevershan Padayachee picked up three poles apiece. However, Natalians weren’t about to throw in the towel, despite Lancs’ modest 139-run victory target, and the Woodlands boys were made to sweat all the way to their one-wicket win, Tahir Essack notching a match-winning 44 not out and holding off the penetrative bowling of Darryn Mortimer and Ryan Stanbury.
Home side K&L posed questions of Standard in their match in Ladysmith, with Shaun Fourie top-scoring in his side’s 139 for nine. Sanveer Maharaj was the chief wicket-taker for the Wanderers Club-based boys.
In reply, Standard were not runaway winners as six wickets fell in pursuit of victory, K&L’s Faraaz Khan troubling the batsmen, but provincial player Scott Tarr steadied the Standard ship to see his side safely home.
SCORES IN BRIEF
At Varsity Oval: Varsity 176 for 4 (Tyler Lorton 77). Zingari 177 for 3 (Nicolas Hendrie 62, Jarryd Walsh 53; Tafadzwa Chiota 2-39). Zingari won by 7 wickets.
At Eston: Midlands 155 for 7 (Clint Lock 40, Allan Porristan 35*; Ranaik Singh 2-28, Reshen Sewcharran 2-32). Cosmos 148 Nashil Jeewan 30; Murray Hampson 2-17, Scott Hosking 2-5). Midlands won by 7 runs.
At Khan Road: Young Natalians 137 (Alex Blake 34*; Reilly King 3-16, Kevershan Padayachee 3-21). Lancashire 138 for 9 (Tahir Essack 44*; Darryn Mortimer 2-21, Ryan Stanbury 2-21). Lancs won by 1 wicket.
At Ladysmith: K&L 139 for 9 (Shaun Fourie 34; Sanveer Maharaj 3-24). Standard 142-6 (Scott Tarr 39*; Faraaz Khan 2-16). Standard won by 4 wickets.
Sunday’s fixtures: Zingari vs Lancs (Collegians); Cosmos vs Varsity (Khan Road); K&L vs Young Natalians (Ladysmith); Standard vs Midlands (Wanderers).
