George suffocate Union Stars in final

Update

OUDTSHOORN CRICKET NEWS - George, against all odds, became the new SWD Cricket Premier league champion on Saturday when they outplayed Union Stars in the final at the REC cricket ground in Oudtshoorn.

George, who played in their third consecutive final and won the Petersen trophy for the first time since 2003/4, deserves credit for the impressive way in which they outmanoeuvred Union Stars who dominated the pool stage during the season.

From the onset, George seemed much hungrier for success than captain Leroi Bredenkamp and his troops.

Stars, who won the toss and elected to bat, never got their innings going thanks to tight and economical bowling spells by Joshua Klue (0/10 in 6 overs), Jaco Fourie (1/14 in 10 overs) and Grant Simpson (0/20 in 10 overs).

With their score at 95/5 after 30 overs, a total of 150 looked out of sight but the 38-year old Pieter Stuurman showed his class with a more than a run-a-ball 43 (from 35 balls, 2x6,2x4) to enable Union Stars to post 174/8.

Bailey Aarons (4/58 from 9 overs) was George's most successful bowler.

An aggressive, well-played innings by Levin Muller (61 from 68 balls, 2x6, 9x4) laid the foundation for George to establish momentum from the start. Muller and Neil Hornbuckle (36 from 38 balls, 1x6, 3x4) shared an 89 runs partnership for the second wicket and together with a vital captain's innings by Johandré Barnard (36 from 61 balls; 5x4), steered George to reach the winning target – 175/6 in the 40th over.

George will now, on 27, 28 and 29 March, play a triangular competition against the premier league winners of Western Province and Boland, to determine the Western Cape representative for the Momentum National Club championships in Pretoria during April.

George was also crowned SWD Twenty/20 club champions and scooped the Women's Promotion league champions for 2019/20.

The normally aggressive batsman ofUnion Stars, Tyrece Karelse, scored a subdued 38 runs from 114 balls.