Strang plays a blinder for old boys (11 Nov 1997)

11 November 1997

STRANG PLAYS A BLINDER FOR OLD BOYS

by Jahoor Omar

Paul Strang played a blinder for Old Hararians for whom he hit a century and claimed a hat-trick in their 63-run victory over Old Georgians in a Dunlop National First League cricket match at Old Boys on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Zimbabwe all-rounder, who made such a good impression in his first stint with English county Kent this season, stroked a fluent 101 with eight fours in Old Boys' score of 273-4 after they had won the toss and elected to bat.

The total was built around an excellent 193 for the second wicket between Strang and Warwickshire professional Trevor Penney, who hit seven boundaries in an unbeaten 112.

National opener Grant Flower became the third century-maker of the match when he hit 109 with ten fours and a six. But once he was out Strang came into his own, claiming the last three wickets of David Joshi, Brian Rickard and Amon Mwungwa off consecutive deliveries to finish with 4-49 off 8.4 overs as Old Georgians were bowled out for 210 in the 45th over.

The match of the day was at Queens, Bulawayo, where hosts Old Miltonians squeaked out a narrow two-run victory and at the same time inflicted on Harare Sports Club I their first defeat of the season.

Chasing 286 to win, the enterprising Sports Club found themselves needing 19 off the last over bowled by Heath Streak, and five off the final ball with Glen Bruk-Jackson going well.

In the end they fell just short, finishing their allotted overs on 283-9. Both Streak and Bruk-Jackson hit centuries, the former 139 and the latter an undefeated 112.

The Alexandra pair of Trevor Stoole and captain Tim Bartlett followed up their match-winning century stand against Manicaland last weekend with another in their easy 85-run win over the second-string Sports Club side at Alexandra.

Stoole scored 127, his second successive century after 123 in Mutare, and Bartlett 84 in Alexandra's total of 302-3 against Sports Club II, who were bowled out for 217 in the 47th over, with three wickets for Darrell Goodwin.

There was no such luck for former Zimbabwe skipper Andy Flower, who followed up his century against Old Miltonians last week with a first-ball duck for Universals against Manicaland in Mutare.

The left-handed batsman, however, still finished up with the winning team as Universals made 184-3, romping to an emphatic seven-wicket win with more than 15 overs to spare. Former Zimbabwe all-rounder Ali Shah scored a punishing unbeaten 95, which included 16 fours and two sixes, and National Under-19 medium-pace bowler David Mutendera took 6-45 off eight overs.

SCORES

OLD HARARIANS v OLD GEORGIANS

OH 273-4 (P A Strang 101, T L Penney 112*; M S Turley 2-33). OG 210 (G W Flower 109, D N Erasmus 23, C N Evans 25, R J Becks 23; G B Brent 3-26, P A Strang 4-49). Old Hararians won by 63 runs.

MANICALAND v UNIVERSALS

Manicaland 182 (R Barbour 26, S Lawson 23, N Sheth 21*; D T Mutendera 6-45, A H Shah 2-8). Universals 184-3 (A H Shah 95*, E A Essop-Adam 40, A D R Campbell 34*; M G Burmester 2-19). Universals won by seven wickets.

ALEXANDRA v HARARE SPORTS CLUB II

Alexandra 302-3 (T W L Stoole 127*, T G Bartlett 84, G J Rennie 47, M W Goodwin 20; Robinson 2-46). Harare Sports Club II 217 (Savoury 39, K B Bennett 67, D Croxford 35; D G Goodwin 3-30, M Denslow 2-40, C M Anticevich 2-42). Alexandra won by 85 runs.

OLD MILTONIANS v HARARE SPORTS CLUB I

OM 285-7 (H H Streak 139, M Ranchod 45, L E Dube 33, B A Clark 25; G C Martin 2-38, M A Vermeulen 2-54). HSC I 283-9 (M A Vermeulen 26, G K Bruk-Jackson 112*, G C Martin 62, J M Oates 50; A G Huckle 3-59, H K Olonga 2/50). Old Miltonians won by 2 runs.

Source: From The Herald