SA Champs 2016 Review

SA Champs 2016 Tournament Review

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TANKS PLUMBING CBC CROWNED SA CHAMPIONS 2016 AND WALK AWAY WITH 150 WCQ POINTS.

TOURNAMENT DREAM TEAM

#	Â	Player	Position	Team
1		Henk (Tank) Coetzee	Batsman	Tanks Plumbing CBC
2		James Nelson	Batsman	Tanks Plumbing CBC
3		Dries Nel	All Rounder	COBRAS
4		Herman Minnie	Wicket Keeper	The Fat and the Furious
5		Justin Gamble	All Rounder	Thunder Dragons
6		dirk vorster	Bowler	COBRAS
7		Nico Van Zyl	Bowler	Thunder Dragons
8		Jay (Emotional Soutie) Beattie	Bowler	Tanks Plumbing CBC

A total  of 24 teams descended on Marks Park Sports Club  for  SA Champs 2016. The event saw 15 of the top teams in SA battle it out for 150 WCQ Points and the title of South African Champions 2016. While the main event drew in 15 sides the newly introduced ‘Cow Corner Cup’, the event for the more social sides, saw 9 sides compete.  Winners of the CCC would take home 20 CCC Points.

The draw was released for the Championships the week before the event and immediately the rumour mill started to turn with whispers of who stood the strongest chance of taking home the title. There were your obvious favourites such as Rebels (Joburg Open Champions) or Bloem Rebels (Defending Champions) but it did feel like things were about to shift. Tanks Plumbing CBC had shown how strong their batting was during the Joburg Open and Thunder Dragons seemed to have gelled after their final heart break at the Joburg Open.  Die Span were looking for their first silverware, On the Field were looking to get back to form and Muffin Men felt that this was the tournament to make their mark.

Day 1 kicked off and from the first game of the day there were some surprise results. Cobras (Joburg South Champions) were defeated by tournament dark horses, 30 Somethings and On the Field were pushed aside by the JHB Strikers while the biggest upset was Die Span who went down to both Tanks Plumbing CBC and Muffin Men. Rebels did however live up to the Joburg Open form and made easy work of the newly formed Extra Cover.

Day 2 saw the field narrow down somewhat. There were those teams that were filtering into the Plate event while the race for knock out spots was intensifying for some. One of the highlights was the match up between Bloem Rebels and Thunder Dragons.  Both went head to head in their final group game with Bloem Rebels taking the result 108-107. As it turns out this put Bloem Rebels on a collision course with Thunder Dragons in the QF. Both sides met again and Thunder Dragons took their place in the semi finals by squeezing the victory past Bloem Rebels (129-130). Not only was this a huge shock but there was another big shock when Rebels were also kicked out of the tournament by Tanks Plumbing CBC in the final game of Sunday.  This meant that Joburg Open Champions were out and a new champion would be crowned after Bloem Rebels shock defeat at the hands of Thunder Dragons.

While there were some serious upsets in the Main event, the CCC had also begun.  Cant Remember (defending Joburg Open Champions) drew Bloem Vikings (Joburg Open Runners up) in their group and the much anticipated group game between the two saw Bloem Vikings take home the spoils. Cant Remember still managed to qualify for the semi finals and would ultimately come up against Masagamy who had been relentless through out the tournament taking apart Got the Runs and Over the Field. U14B had also cruised into a Semi final spot and would take on the strong Bloem Vikings side.

Finals days and only 4 teams remained in the main event. Thunder Dragons would take on COBRAS (Who were lucky to make it this far after their defeat to 30 Somethings) and Tanks Plumbing CBC would take on Muffin men. In the CCC, Cant Remember would take on old foes Masagamy and Bloem Vikings would take on u14B.

In the first semi final, Tanks Plumbing CBC easily overcame COBRAS after setting a defendable 162 on what was a large outfield.  Henk Coetzee starred for Tanks Plumbing CBC with a quick fire 67 off 34 deliveries while Anton Verster bowled beautifully with figures of 4/4/30.  In the second semi final, Anthony Kruger of Thunder Dragons helped his side to final spot with a solid batting performance of 50 off 37. Not the quickest strike rate we had seen but a steady performance allowing Thunder Dragons to over come Muffins Mens total of 127.

Into the final we went with Tanks Plumbing CBC (PTA) vs Thunder Dragons (Benoni) .  Tanks Plumbing CBC elected to bat first and set a formidable 170 thanks to Captain Henk Coetzee with 43 off 33 and a sensational finals knock of 55 off 22 from James Nelson. Thunder Dragons unfortunately were always under the required run rate and despite the efforts of Anthony Kruger who scored 60 off 43, it was just not enough against the tight bowling attack of Tanks Plumbing CBC.  Tanks Plumbing CBC were crowned SA Champions for 2017.

In the Cow Corner Cup, Cant Remember overcame Masagamy and u14B overcame Bloem Vikings in the Semi Finals. Cant Remember, looking for another championship victory, batted first and after an initial collapse managed to put on 177 (Ryan Ceprinich scoring 48 off 21). Again batting second on the main field at Marks Park didn’t bode well for u14B who kept wickets in hand however could not increase the run rate when required. U14B finished on 143 handing Cant Remember their second Race to Cape Town CCC title.

Well done to all those sides who took part in the event. See you all at the next SA Champs in 2017. 

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