The Wanderers’ returned to winning ways on Saturday with an emphatic wicket victory over Masters Blues and with it secured a ‘fab four’ play-off place with one round of regular fixtures to go.
Skipper Dave Adams made two changes to the side with youngsters Ethan D’Souza and all rounder Thinus Steyn taking their place in the starting XI.
On losing the toss, the Wanderers were asked to take to the field and immediately the opening attack of Nav Naidoo and Kamran Shaheen put the Blues batters under immense pressure. Naidoo is simply having no luck currently and must have forced the batters to play and miss more than a dozen times as his control of line and length, coupled with his pacey deliveries were just too good on this occasion. Shaheen was in equally good form and he was rewarded with the crucial wicket of the league’s leading run scorer Siddiqui, trapping him LBW for just two. The Blues batting was soon in disarray once Clint Berkenshaw made his way into the bowling attack. Again, he bowled with pace and accuracy and ripped the heart out of the middle order with two crucial wickets, one well caught by D’Souza at point from a leading edge and then by wicket-keeper Ben Willgoss after a vicious bouncer.
The Wanderers’ spinners then entered the fray and continued the theme of pressure and regular wickets. The left arm spin of Sid Jhurani and the off-spin of Avi Karia compliment each other well and in tandem they accounted for six wickets. Jhurani claimed 3-27 and Karia 3-24. They were well backed up the field too with Willgoss taking a sharp stumping; captain Adams hanging on to an excellent catch running back from cover and Steyn showed incredible speed across the ground before diving forward to take a superb catch. The Blues innings finally finished on 118-9.
In reply, the Wanderers lost the wickets of both openers with just 33 on the board. However, any concern of a tighter result than what was needed were quickly dispelled thanks to an un unbeaten 97 run partnership between men of the moment Jhurani and Berkenshaw. After taking some time to get themselves in, they then both played with freedom and skill to turn the screw on the Blues fielders and bowlers. Berkenshaw returned to form in magnificent fashion and was brutal on anything pitched up to him and his six, to win the match, also brought up his half-century, his first for the Wanderers. His unbeaten 51 came from just 38 balls and included four fours and two maximums and, with his earlier bowling figures, earned him the DSL Player of the Match award. Jhurani finished unbeaten on 33 as the winning line was crossed with 10 overs to spare.
The win pushed the Wanderers back into second spot ahead of a mouthwatering fixture against Dubai Exiles on Saturday, 1pm start at the Sevens Stadium.
For the full scorecard of Saturday’s victory please visit here https://cricheroes.in/scorecard/2370502/Wombats-DSL-Premier-3A/Masters-Cricket-Club-Blues-DSL-vs-Dubai-Wanderers-DSL
Clint Berkenshaw picked up the DSL Player of the Match award for his performance on Saturday after claiming 2-17 with the ball and blasting an unbeaten 51 with the bat.