Cavaliers through to Reserve semis

REGIONAL - Knysna Cavaliers' second team last weekend earned a spot in the semi-finals of the SWD Reserve League Division 2, courtesy of a bonus point win over Kranshoek Cobras B. In the Premier League, Cavaliers overcame Plett Pioneers. Pirates United had an all-round victorious weekend with both teams and Pioneers ladies beating the Cavaliers.

Cavaliers and Pioneers faced one another three times last weekend across three different leagues.

First was in the Premier League on Saturday 20 January at Loerie Park, where Pioneers batted first and were bowled out for 99.

Cavaliers in turn chased this down to win by five wickets. The second was in the Women's League Division 2, where a lot was on the line.

If Cavaliers won they'd cement a place in the final, and Pioneers needed to win to keep their hope of a final spot alive. Played in Hornlee, Cavaliers batted first and scored 138-6 in 30 overs.

Pioneers' run chase went down to the final over, but they managed to win by two wickets. Both teams still have a chance to make the final, depending on this weekend's matches.

Kim Malgas top-scored for Cavaliers' women's team against Pioneers.

In the SWD Promotion League, Pirates United travelled to Bongolethu on Sunday.

They batted first and scored 157 all-out before bowling out Bongolethu for 128 to win by 29 runs. The final Cavaliers/Pioneers clash came in the Reserve League Division 2 in Kranshoek between their C teams.

Pioneers C batted first, scoring 177 all-out. Cavaliers C secured bragging rights for their club, chasing down the total to win by four wickets.

A tight tussle for top spot

The games to watch were in Reserve League Division 2's Pool A though, where Cavaliers B and Pirates B went into the weekend level on points at the top of the pool.

Only one can advance to the semi-finals as top of the pool. If both teams won with a bonus point, Pirates B would advance. If one side secured a bonus point but the other didn't, they would advance. If one side won but the other didn't, they would advance.

The objective for both sides was simple – to win, and secure a bonus point to give yourself the best possible chance. Cavaliers B faced Cobras B at Loerie Park and batted first, scoring 156 all-out.

They needed to restrict their opponents to less than 124 for the much-needed bonus point and succeeded in doing so by bowling Cobras out for 102.

Jannie Cremer scored 70 valuable runs for Cavaliers B last weekend. Photos: Blake Linder

They then waited with bated breath for the result from Plettenberg Bay between Pirates B and Plett Pioneers B. The hosts batted first and scored 186-6 in their 40 overs.

Pirates needed to chase this in 32 overs for a bonus point. They couldn't do so, but still reached the target in the 35th over to win by two wickets.

This meant Cavaliers B advanced to the Reserve League Division 2 semi-finals for the third season in a row, where they'll be hoping to advance to the final for the first time.

A tough fixture lies in wait, as they will take on George B at Loerie Park in Knysna today, Saturday 27 January.

The top batters of the weekend were: