Ian Johnston

NCU Junior Development Squad v Boland Invitation XI, at Van der Stel CC, Stellenbosch, 2 April.

It was hard going for the Junior squad today against a talented Boland XI who scored freely on a fast outfield with smallish boundaries.

The home side had taken the score to 54 before the first NCU success when Adam Kennedy had opener Davids caught by Shane Burke and it was 95 before an Ethan Hanna run out claimed the second.

Things were looking ominous for the tourists with Chemaly and Pienaar scoring freely and it was no surprise when they were retired by the Boland management and others took up the challenge.

A further 92 runs had been added before the NCU managed to 'take' another wicket when Carson McCullough held a catch off James Lambert to give the NCU only their third wicket of the six to appear in the book.

Leading wicket-taker for the NCU then was: 'retired' with 3 and then 1 wicket each for Kennedy and Lambert and that Ethan Hanna run out.

Spinners Carson McCullough and James Rose were able to exert some control in the middle of the innings and although wicketless it was the tourist's best period of play in the game. 227-6 then for Boland - an imposing total but a major disappointment will be the continuing stream of extras conceded by the NCU side - 45 today to go with yesterday's 50!

Having spent three hours in the field in oppressive heat batting was always going to be a challenge and so it proved to be.

The Boland opening attack was penetrating and Ian Nol's opening 3 wicket burst was enough to rock the NCU on its heels and with Loots Miller's 2-8 the score at 21-5 was mirroring the Seniors' performance across town.

The last five wickets went down each putting on about ten runs with Michael Humphreys' 20 the best effort for the tourists. Nol returned to claim the final wicket and his fourth to give Boland victory by 128 runs.

NCU Junior Development Squad v Boland Invitation XI, at Van der Stel CC, Stellenbosch, 2 April
Boland XI - 227-6 (45 overs: S Chemaly 46 ret., A Pienaar 36 ret., A Burger 35 ret.)
NCU XI - 99 (31.3 overs: M Humphreys 20; I Nol 4-15, L Miller 2-8)
Boland XI win by 128 runs