Rollers shot down in CMB Cross-fire
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The West Coast Rollers’ season of hell took a turn for the worse on Sunday with a first - and massive - defeat at the hands of the Craig Matthews Band.
Looking to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, the Rollers bowled first on a blisteringly hot day on a good wicket and quick Van der Stel outfield - and the early signs were positive.
Michael van Dewenter (7-0-28-2) continued his wicket-taking ways, while Handre Scheepers (7-0-41-1) will still be wondering how he took only one wicket in a devastating opening spell of late swing at some pretty decent pace.
It was much of the same for Sean Cooper (7-0-43-2), who struck in his first over to leave CMB reeling at 41/4 after 12 overs. The end of our horror run looked close, until we ran into the Cross brothers.
The pair added 81 for the fifth wicket before Michael (30 off 38) was caught at cover - Jarryd van Wyk (7-0-26-3) bowling brilliantly to get us back into the game - but Michael wasn’t quite done with us yet, smashing his way to a flawless 88 off 69 deliveries as CMB posted 188/7.
A good start was needed for the Rollers.
It did not materialise.
Aforementioned Michael, now sporting pink lipstick, ran through the top order, picking up the wickets of Bryan Bowler (0), Jarryd (1) and Neville Cooper (1) to leave the Rollers reeling at 19/3.
Fransie then took a blinder of a caught and bowled to send Ryan Cooper (13) back to the sanctuary of the shade, leaving the ‘home side’ in real danger of beating their lowest ever total of 75.
But Jacques Labuschagne came to our rescue, seemingly playing on a different strip altogether as he swept and drove his way to a brilliant unbeaten 40 off as many balls, denied a maiden half-century by the regular falling of wickets at the other end.
Ultimately though, it mattered little as the Rollers were dismissed for 97 as CMB cruised to a 91-run victory. As Albert Troost said afterwards, this was the ‘big one’ for them, and they got it in some style.
Thanks again to the CMB boys for a lekka day out, and to Hendrik ‘Jonty’ Cloete and Steven ‘Omo’ Janse van Vuuren for helping a depleted Rollers out at very short notice. Also a shoutout to young Ayden Janse van Vuuren for braving the heat in a 35-over umpiring stint!
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