Ken Borland

Assupol Tukkies crept ahead of the Steinhoff Maties in the last 10 overs of the match as they beat the University of Stellenbosch by 19 runs in the third and final game to secure a clean sweep of the Red Bull Campus Cricket finals at the University of Pretoria on Wednesday.

Maties, chasing for the first time in the tournament, were set a target of 145 by Tukkies and seemed ahead of the game as they reached 70 for two at the halfway mark of their innings thanks to captain Emile Kriek’s 33 and Keegan Petersen’s 27 off 21 balls.

But this Tukkies team is remarkably focused and determined and their depth is not to be underestimated, and they dominated the final stages of the game to restrict Maties to 125 for six in their 20 overs.

Seamer Tian Koekemoer had only bowled two overs in each of the first two games, taking one wicket, but on Wednesday afternoon he was the key bowler for Tukkies, taking three for 26.

Left-arm quick Vincent Moore once again showed what a talent he is as he bowled his four overs for just 22 runs.

Spin is also an important part of the Tukkies attack and off-spinner Ruben Claasen bowled his four overs for just 20 runs, leggie GC Pretorius bowled Kriek for the crucial breakthrough and finished with one for 23, while David Mogotlane’s single over brought the other vital wicket of Petersen, also bowled.

From that position of strength on 70 for two after 10 overs, Maties crashed to 94 for six after 15 overs, and Leon le Roux (11*) and Niel Botha (15*) were unable to score at more than 10 runs an over against a Tukkies attack that stuck to their disciplines admirably.

Tukkies had earlier won the toss and elected to set a target for the first time in the three-match series, captain Theunis de Bruyn getting to 17 off 12 balls before he was caught behind off paceman James Groom.

Sean Dickson contributed 20 off 16 balls to the tally, Tukkies getting to 50 in the eighth over, but it was wicketkeeper Gerry Pike who provided the bulk of the scoring with his impressive 40 off 41 balls.

Johan Wessels also contributed 18, but it was important for Tukkies that Koekemoer (19 off 11) and Corbin Bosch (13 off 9) were able to get the maximum out of the closing overs and see the Pretoria students to a competitive total.

Groom was particularly impressive with the ball for Maties, taking three for 28 in four overs, while spinners Johan Koegelenberg (2-21) and Niel Botha (2-19) also produced fine bowling performances.

– http://www.redbullcampuscricket.com/southafrica/latest/final-match/

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Founded in 1866, the University of Stellenbosch, known as the Steinhoff Maties, are one of the oldest cricket clubs in South Africa and have been one of the most consistent performers in tertiary institutes cricket for several years.

They lost to Tukkies in the hard-fought 2013/14 final of the University Sports South Africa A Weekin Potchefstroom in December, their second appearance in the final in the last three years.

Maties have come off an unbeaten season in the Boland Premier League, winning the title for the third year in a row, and they have also made five appearances in the National Club Championships, finishing in second place to Tukkies in 2012 and to Constantia of Western Province in 1997.

Several of their players have donned Boland senior colours, most notably batting star Keegan Petersen, captain Emile Kriek, Dewald Botha, Jean Bredenkamp, Leon le Roux and Riyaad Henry.