CSC_RECAP_02MAR94

Orange Free State retain Castle Cup : 1 Mar 94

Free State were good value for their Castle Victory and their competitive style of play has paid off again. Theirs was a team effort through and through and the Eddie Barlow approach to cricket is still very evident. Western Province started the season with three consecutive victories but then failed to win any of their remaining games and second place is probably a fair reflection of their season. Boland had a reasonable debut season in the Castle. They beat Natal in Stellenbosch and also took 1st innings points off Transvaal and eventual champions Orange Free State. Perhaps the biggest influence on Boland this season was Englishman Philip DaFreitas. His aggressive batting at number 6 and the wickets he took during the season certainly played a major role in Boland's success. Natal have got a team of very good young players. Give them 1 or 2 seasons and they'll be a major force in SA cricket again. Watch out for Dale Benkenstein, Derek Crookes, and Neil Johnson in years to come. Transvaal have been going through a lean spell for a number of seasons now and not even Eddie Barlow could change things this season. Border had a fairly good season. They beat Northern Transvaal and Western Province and are not the pushover they used to be in years gone by. Eastern Province are not the force they were a season or two ago and Northern Transvaal just couldn't get their act together again.