GEORGE, against the odds, became the new SWD Cricket Premier League champion on Saturday when they outplayed Oudtshoorn’s Union Stars in the final at the REC Cricket Ground.
In a four wicket victory, and with George playing in their third consecutive final, the team won the Petersen Trophy for the first time since 2003/04.
Although Union Stars dominated the pool stage during the season, George seemed much hungrier for a victory from the onset of the match.
Winning the toss, Stars elected to bat, but never got their innings going thanks to tight and economical bowling spells by George.
With their score at 95/5 after 30 overs, a total of 150 looked out of sight for Stars, but 38-year old Pieter Stuurman showed his class by scoring more than a run-a-ball for a total of 43 runs (from 35 balls, 2×6,2×4) to enable his team to post 174/8.
George reached the winning target with 175/6 in the 40th over.
George will, along with the premier league winners of WP and Boland, play in a triangular competition to determine the Western Cape representative for the Momentum National Club champion-ships that will take place in Pretoria during April.
