Defending champions, Northerns, beat old rivals Gauteng to secure their place in the semi-finals of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s Provincial League. They join Gauteng (who qualified by virtue of topping the Highveld log), Western Province and KwaZulu-Natal in the penultimate phase of the tournament to be held on 6 April.
Northerns batted first, posting 266/8 in their 50 overs. A concerted effort by the batters saw J Viljoen score a notable 70 from 79 balls while she was provided with good support by Mignon du Preez (44), Sune Luus (42) and Anne Steyn (41).
Gauteng were not well equipped to deal with a determined Northerns bowling attack led by Luus, who took three wickets for 51 runs. Captain Cri-Zelda Brits was the leading run scorer with 72 from 57 balls to help them get to a respectable score of 185 before they were dismissed to give the visitors a satisfying 81-run victory.
In the lowest scoring match of this round, Western Province (WP) lost their match against Boland, but, like Gauteng, qualify for the semi-final round because they top the West/East log. WP managed a mere 80 runs before they were skittled out. Sunette Loubser was the leading wicket-taker with an impressive three wickets for ten, while Alicia Smith and Yolandi Potgieter took two wickets each.
Boland’s reply was little better. Moseline Daniels tore through the batting attack, taking an outstanding 5/20. Smith was the only notable scorer, being unbeaten with 31 runs.
In Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) beat KZN Inland by five wickets to book a place in the semis. Inland were restricted to 135/9 thanks to an exceptional fifer from Trisha Chetty (5/11). M Musonda top-scored with 58.
In reply, Chloe Tryon scored a half-century (53) while Chetty added 37 from 35 balls to get their side home.
In other matches, an unbeaten century by T Brits (134) led North West to a comprehensive 188-run victory over Free State, while Marizanne Kapp scored an unbeaten 125 for Eastern Province to lead them to a 87-run victory over Border. And in Oudtshoorn, South Western Districts beat Kei by 158 runs and Easterns beat Mpumalanga by nine wickets.
Gauteng will host KZN in Johannesburg, while Western Province will look for a home victory against Northerns in Cape Town to decide which two teams will make the finals.
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