It was a walk in the Senwes Park for NWU on Wednesday night against UWC in their Varsity Cricket encounter, as they thrashed the Cape side by a mammoth 91 runs.
NWU’s bowlers skittled out UWC for just 76 runs as they never looked close to chasing down NWU’s score of 167/6.
It was a combination of a superb 90 by Lourén Steenkamp and a team bowling performance from the NWU to set up the win. Steenkamp is also the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 195 runs.
NWU started like a house on fire in front of a partisan home crowd with Nico Davin and Lourén Steenkamp putting on a 51-run partnership, before Davin skied one to give UWC their first wicket.
Steenkamp (94 off 55) continued on his merry way, still in good form after his 100 against Madibaz, to reach a superb half-century in the eighth over of the match.
The students in purple reached 100/1 after 10 overs and were truly in the driver’s seat.
UWC also shot themselves in the foot a couple of times, one being a missed stumping of Michau du Preez when he was still on 0.
Steenkamp continued to entertain the crowd with one slog-sweep going out of the grounds and onto the adjacent soccer field. This was just one of the many lusty blows delivered by Steenkamp’s Bellingham & Smith bat.
Steenkamp eventually went for 90 as he edged behind off Mpongwana in the power play. A century was not to be for Steenkamp who couldn’t believe that he edged it.
NWU lost their way in the last five overs as they lost their last four wickets for only 30 runs. Mihlali Mpongwana was UWC’s star with the ball taking 4/27 in one of the spells of the tournament thus far. This gave UWC a chance in their chase of the 168-run target.
AJ Jacobs got the first breakthrough for the NWU as he clean-bowled Abubakr Samodien for 1. NWU were on a roll in the field too as smart play by Steffan Vorster ran out Karl Vermeulen to leave UWC on 27/3.
The mercurial Ruan Haasbroek, struck next, as he rushed Luke Philander into a false shot to take NWU closer to victory with the score on 35/4.
The wheels truly came off tonight as spinner Henro Janse van Rensburg (3/13) and Hlompho Modimokoane (3/11) set up the win. It was only a matter of time as NWU only needed 15 overs to bowl out their opponents and secure their second victory in a row.
FNB Player of The Match: Lourén Steenkamp (NWU)
MTN Pulse Bowler of the Match: Mihlali Mpongwana (UWC)
Steers Best Batsman: Lourén Steenkamp (NWU)
Teams
NWU: Nico Davin, Louren Steenkamp, Lesego Senokwane, Ruan Haasbroek, Michau du Preez, Bantu Dandala, AJ Jacobs, Hlompho Modimokoane, Danfred Sefoor, Steffan Vorster, Henro Janse van Rensburg
UWC: Josh Schippers, Abubkar Samodien, Axola Ngwana, Mujaahid Toffar, Karl Vermeulen, Luke Philander, Mihlali Mpongwana, Lwando Tywaku, Keane Solomons, Emmanuel Sebarame, Kyle Pluke
By Wouter Pienaar
