The Garden Route Badgers have roared to the top of Division 2 cricket, claiming two victories by an innings in their opening matches of the Cricket South Africa Four-Day series.
At home in Oudtshoorn, the Bad-gers crushed the Mpumalanga Rhinos by an innings and 12 runs at the REC, following an impressive debut performance from Zack Momberg, who took five wickets for 54 runs. The Rhinos, sent in to bat after losing the toss, stumbled from 199/3 to 264 all out. The Badgers’ batsmen then dominated, posting a commanding 510 in their first innings.
Kyle Jacobs (122 off 160 balls, 17×4) and captain Yaseen Valli (110 off 225 balls, 9×4) led the charge and both scored centuries, while Ruan Terblanche 89 (2×6, 10×4) and George van Heerden 79 (9×4) both missed out on century landmarks.
The Rhinos were restricted to 234 (all out) in their second innings, with Banele Cele (4/24) and Liam Alder (4/69) both claiming four wickets.
The win sees the Badgers in second place on the log with 49.10 points after only two matches, just behind Eastern Storm on 53.72 points. The Knights sit third on 46.28 points.
The Badgers will switch focus to white-ball cricket, kicking off a T20 series against Limpopo Impala in Polokwane on 25 October.
Badgers dominates Rhinos
Photo provided