T20 Trial Match Three
CWC Trial XI A vs CWC Trial XI B
Day 1, Match 3 saw a number of players eager to make an impression before the day was out; and with the B side yet to register a win, stakes were a little higher than one would expect in such a match.
Trial XI A batted first for the 3rd time in succesion, and a slightly tinkered order saw new opening partnership Ames and Townsend looking to dominate from the outset. Brilliant captaincy from Trial B leader JD Hurricane made this a tough ask, rotating his bowlers regularly and taking the initiative away from the batting side. The A's struggled throughout, with only a slight rallying partnership from Monk and Wayne of any note. Spin twins Fagina and Beaver proved a slippery prospect, time and again beating the bat and generally troubling the batsmen. Fast man Morne Morkel was at times unplayable in a ferocious spell, leading the bowlers in limiting Trial XI A to 8/90.
Du toit and Ingram would have been looking for a positive start to a relatively small chase; they had not counted on the pressure created by Wisney and Yamadera with the new ball. The pair led a disciplined attack, with all the bowlers chipping in to create the pressure and captain Lewis the only man unrewarded. Despite the strong bowling performance, defending such a meagre total was always going to be diffuclt; and when Trial B captain JD Hurricane started to settle, deflecting the pressure from his team-mates in the process, the B's looked to be in a good position to record their first victory.
MOTM: JD Hurricane