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Komani Royals have been tried and tested by good opposition and tricky pitches thus far in the Border Cricket Promotional League and with the odds stacked against them in both games, they persevered and came out on top during both occasions.
Komani Royals have been a rejuvenated outfit with a few school boys mixed with new faces combined with the seasoned campaigners to fuse an entertaining yet spicy flavour.
Royals travelled to Qonce on Sunday, December 11, to face the unbeaten Pioneers team in Breidbach.
Royals won the toss and elected to bat first.
Keaneo Maytham (17) and Siphiwo Ndaba (35) gave the visitors a good start with a partnership of 52 runs.
Maytham was the first batsman to take the long walk to the stands after being caught and bowled by Lynden Esterhuizen (8 overs, 30 runs, 3 wickets).
Justerino Davids (9 overs, 3 maidens, 28 runs, 3 wickets) took two quick wickets in the following over leaving Royals stuck at 66 for 3 after 14 overs.
Ndaba and Mkululi Takane (19) had to battle their way up until drinks, as the two batsmen had to withstand the mental battle against the team and the noisy crowd of Breidbach.
After the drinks break, Ndaba who looked the part and was taking the role of aggressor at the time was undone by a peach of a delivery that pitched on fourth stump and swung back with a bit off zip into Ndaba's pads (LBW) bowled by Daryl Fourie (4 overs, 2 maidens, 18 runs, 1 wicket).
Captain Anathi Joe came in and did what he could under the situation smashing five 4's and one six to top score for Royals with 37 runs from 37 balls.
The tail chipped in with a few needed runs to help the visitors get to 194 runs all out in 39.5 overs, with Esterhuizen and Davids causing the most damage tacking 3 wickets a piece.
Pioneers had a fairly positive start as they were on 36 in 3.1 overs before Ntsika Simayile pulled the game back in to Royals favour picking 3 wickets.
Fourie (29) stood firm on the non-strikers end as Simayile bullied his partners on the other end up until Andile Khazi who topped joined him scored for Pioneers with 49 runs.
Pioneers were bowled out for 166 and Royals won the game by 28 runs.
