Ernest Kemm, captain of the Northern Cape Heat, has shown that he’s dangerous both in white- and red-ball formats of the game, and he’ll need to be at his best in their upcoming match against the Tuskers. File Picture: Samuel Shivambu, BackpagePix
AFTER their impressive and convincing win over the Eastern Cape Iinyathi at the Diamond Oval last week, the Northern Cape Heat have to roll up their sleeves, dig deep and find a few other suitable metaphors as they prepare for their next challenge, and what a challenge it’s going to be.
Last week, the Heat batsmen, unimpressed with their performance in the first innings of their CSA 4-Day Division 2 clash against the Eastern Cape Iinyathi at the Diamond Oval, turned on the burners and managed to win the encounter by eight wickets on the third afternoon of the match.
The hosts had been bundled out for just 99 runs, well short of the 186 that the visitors managed in their first innings. But their recovery on home soil was impressive.
Set a target of 200 for victory, the hosts stormed to 200/2 with Cole Abrahams 77 not out and skipper Ernest Kemm 55 not out ensuring a big and comfortable win for the hosts.
ALSO READ: Northern Cape Heat cruise to big win over Iinyathi in CSA 4-Day clash in Kimberley
However, the next clash, and their next opponents, will definitely not be as forgiving or accommodating should the Heat wobble again. The KZN-Inland team, the ACDC Express Tuskers, currently sit atop the CSA 4-Day Division 2 log after two impressive wins.
And they are not prepared to step off their perch.
Also, consider this: Their opening wins in the competition have both been on the road. So the Heat will be visiting a team on a high and determined to make a powerful statement in their first home match of the competition. The match is scheduled to start on Thursday, November 28 at the AET Pietermaritzburg Oval.
Last week, the Tuskers demonstrated their excellent form with a strong six-wicket victory against the SSG Garden Route Badgers at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.
Cameron Dean Shekleton smashed his way to 117 in the first innings, while opener Kagiso Rapulana fell just short of his ton on their way to a total of 448.
But the Heat will also have in the back of their minds and at the forefront of their concerns that, two weeks ago, the same Tuskers team dispatched the Eastern Storm with an innings and 19-run trouncing in Benoni.
The KZN team racked up a mammoth 550/5 in their first innings in reply to the Storm’s 361. Tuskers skipper Michael Erlank was dominant, scoring a massive 234 off only 290 balls at a strike rate of 80.68, while Sean Gilson contributed 128 runs in 194 balls.
They then dismissed their shell-shocked hosts for just 170 runs in their second knock to confirm the victory. Ziyaad Abrahams was the main destroyer in the second innings, taking 6/50 in 15 overs – this after he had claimed four scalps (4/83) in the first innings.
So it’s clear that the Tuskers batsmen are on song, currently enjoying an impressive purple patch. Their bowling attack has also shown that it has teeth.
Now, having shown what they are capable of on the road, the table-topping Tuskers are preparing for their first home game of the competition against the defending champions, the Northern Cape Heat.
One thing is certain, this upcoming clash between the top two teams promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Cricket fans can catch the action on the CSA YouTube channel and watch what promises to be an intense arm wrestle unfold live.