ICC Winter Training Camp team loses for the first time

The ICC Winter Training Camp team suffered its first defeat of an eight-match programme on Friday, going down by 64 runs to Northerns in Pretoria.

The ICC WTC had a 100 per cent record going into the game, having won their opening three matches, but a good all-round performance from Northerns' Alwyn Viljoen ended that unbeaten record at the half-way stage in an eight-match programme.

Viljoen hit 67 off 76 balls as Northerns posted a total of 234 all out having won the toss and choosing to bat. He then followed it up with and important four-over spell with the ball, ending up with figures of 2-12, including two maidens and the prize wicket of Dan van Bunge.

The ICC WTC bowlers had fought hard and would have been reasonably pleased with restricting Northerns to 234. Dutchman Mark Jonkman was the pick of the attack, taking 3-33 off 10 overs. Ross Lyons of Scotland (2-29) and Irishman Kevin O'Brien (2-59) also did their bit. Indeed, Northerns were struggling at one stage on 159-7 but an impressive lower-order innings from Mandla Mashimbye (42 off 42 balls) gave them the momentum at the changeover.

In reply, the ICC WTC lost a couple of early wickets before William Porterfield of Ireland and van Bunge of the Netherlands put together a good partnership. Porterfield made 30 before being caught by Heino Kuhn off the bowling of Mashimbye as they put on 63 for the third wicket.

After that wickets kept falling for ICC WTC with only van Bunge (74) putting up any real resistance. John Mooney and Ross Lyons both made double figures towards the end but by that stage the damage was done and the team eventually fell 64 runs short.

The ICC WTC team plays its next game against North-West province at Sedgers Park, Potchefstroom today.

The ICC Winter Training Camp involves 24 players, four from each of the top six Associate Members, in seven weeks of intensive mental and physical coaching on all aspects of the one-day game. Top coaches including former Test players Rod Marsh, Kepler Wessels and Gary Kirsten have been available to impart their knowledge and expertise on the players, overseen by head coach Tim Boon. This is the second year the ICC has run the camp which takes place in the hpc (high performance centre) in Pretoria.

Remaining fixtures:
November 12 v North-West at Sedgers Park, Potchefstroom
November 13 (day/night) v North-West, Sedgers Park, Potchefstroom
November 15 v Northerns, LC de Villiers Oval, Pretoria
November 16 v Northerns, LC de Villiers Oval, Pretoria

ICC Winter Training Camp, high performance centre Pretoria, ongoing until Friday November 17. Players: Kwame Tucker, Irving Romaine, Kevin Hurdle, Stefan Kelly (all Bermuda); Sunil Dhaniram, Kevin Sandher, Abdool Samad, Ashish Bagai (all Canada); Kevin O'Brien, Kenny Carroll, William Porterfield, John Mooney (all Ireland); Morris Ouma, Tanmay Mishra, Hiren Varaiya, Nehemiah Odhiambo (all Kenya); Daan van Bunge, Mark Jonkman, Alexei Kervezee, Muhammad Kashif (all Netherlands); Omer Hussain, Ross Lyons, Johan Dewald Nel, John Blain (all Scotland).