Absolute perfection over five days of cricket is possibly the best way to describe the way Assupol Tuks played to retain the Momentum National Club Championships title for a second consecutive year.
Yesterday in what was a must-win game against the Crusaders (KwaZulu-Natal) the Assupol Tuks players again played with clinical precision to do what needed to be done on the field. The result is that they won with 121 runs.
Assupol Tuks who batted first scored 282/4 thanks to brilliant batting display by Neil Brand 120 runs (131 balls) and Jiveshan Pillay 75 runs (109 balls). The Crusaders were all out for 161.
To say that the team dominated the tournament would not be an exaggeration. In the first game, Assupol Tuks has beaten Wellington by seven wickets, followed by 162 run victory over Yorkshire, a nine-wicket victory over Fort Hare and a 125 runs victory over Northwest Pukke.
The scary part, or exciting, is that Kruger van Wyk (coach) believes that the team is capable of even more exceptional performances in the future.
“It was a long season, eight months to be precise, in which the players played a lot of cricket. I must admire them for the way they found the energy and passion to ‘step up to the plate’ one last time. A performance like this is what makes coaching worthwhile.”
Van Wyk does not believe in singling out the performance of any player as for him cricket is all about the team, but he can’t help but be excited about the way his captain, Neil Brand, played throughout the tournament.
Leading by example seems to come naturally to him. Brand impacted in each game. Scoring 72 runs against Yorkshire, taking 4/14 with his off-spin deliveries against the Fort Hare University, hitting 73 runs against Northwest Pukke and then topping it all by scoring 120 runs against the Crusaders.
“Neil is an unbelievable player I hope the decision makers in franchise cricket start to realise it. If ever there is a player worthy of a professional contract it is Neil.”
Van Wyk was equally full of praise for the way Migael Pretorius played. Yesterday was his last game for Assupol Tuks as he got contracted by the Lions. Pretorius bowled like a player possessed taking 5/18 in seven overs.
“It is never nice to lose a player but when the fact that Migael got a professional contract proves that we are doing something right,” said Kruger.
Ruan de Swardt impressed with his bowling and batting exploits throughout the tournament.
“Ruan was the perfect all-rounder not only excelling with bat and ball. As far as I am concerned he was the best fielder. I am impressed by how his played improved over the last three months. He had a difficult first year with us, but he battled through refusing to give up. He is now mentally and physically a much stronger player.”
Donovan Ferreira (Assupol Tuks Player of the Year) was ever so consistent throughout the tournament, punishing the bowlers for every lousy delivery. Against the Crusaders he scored 43 runs from 26 balls, and against Pukke, it was 56 runs (63 balls).
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