Date Added : 2010-02-23
Kingswood treated to Karoo brand cricket hospitality
The KC 1st XI travelled to the Karoo this weekend to play against the Karoo Ruspe Cricket Club on the picturesque cricket oval in the Asante Sana Private Game Reserve at the foothills of the majestic Petersburg mountains outside Graaff Reinet. The Ruspe Cricket Club includes members from the various cricket clubs in the Karoo who become members of this club by invitation only. The ‘ruspe’ is a worm that feeds on the Pentzia Incana bush unique to the Karoo, so it is an appropriate name for a unique club whose main aim is to promote cricket in the Karoo. The Kingswood team was treated to the special brand of hospitality that is synonymous with cricket in this area, an early morning game drive being one of the highlights. Despite its Karoo setting the cricket oval was luxurious and green after good rain in the area – a nice change from the many parched grounds in the drought stricken Eastern Cape. Cricket ovals don’t come much more beautiful than this one.
Kingswood batted first and were soon into their stride with openers Hansel and Evans laying a sound platform. Hansel was particularly severe on any over-pitched deliveries, dispatching them to all corners of the field. Fortunately, the rhinos grazing close by did not take any exception to balls being retrieved close to them by the fielding side. Kingswood number three batsman and captain, Neil Hornbuckle, joined Hansel at the crease and together they flayed the Ruspe bowling attack. Hansel was run out with his score on 65 and Hornbuckle went on to score an excellent 101 – his third century of the season. Scott van Breda kept up the batting tempo with good attacking batting ending up with 51 not out. Kingswood ended up on 284 for 5 in their allotted 40 overs. The pick of the Ruspe bowlers were ex EP Nuffield opening bowlers, Chris Lee and Grant Marais.
The Ruspe batsmen struggled against a steady Kingswood attack and lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 138. Mziyanda Mangi was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 21.
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Stephen Hansel batting the match against the Ruspe Cricket club played at Asante Sana Private Game Reserve this weekend.
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The beautiful cricket oval at Asante Sana
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The KC 1st XI who enjoyed cricket hospitality Karoo style!