GARDEN ROUTE CRICKET NEWS - It was an anti-climactic weekend without Premier League cricket for the Knysna Cavaliers and Plettenberg Bay Pioneers last week, as both clubs' matches were called off due to unplayable conditions.
With a lot on the line for both clubs' first teams and both ready to take on some tough opponents, the stage was set for an exciting weekend for the Cavaliers and Pioneers, albeit with contrasting circumstances.
Pioneers were second-from-bottom with only nine points to their name after 11 games, needing a win against fifth-placed Harlequins Forces in order to distance themselves from Sussex who lie bottom of the log and face relegation.
Sussex meanwhile had the tough task of taking on George, an obstacle they could not overcome. In a rain-affected encounter at Rooirivierrif Sports Ground, George beat Sussex by 20 runs.
This perfectly suited Pioneers, whose match against Harlequins at the Military Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn was called off without any play due to an unprepared outfield where the grass was far too long.
The full allotment of five points was awarded to Pioneers, who are now six points clear of Sussex in their bid to avoid relegation.
Water at play in Pacaltsdorp
Cavaliers too had a lot on the line. Lying in third place with three games to play, they'd already qualified for a spot in the knockout stages along with second-placed Union Stars and first-placed Pacaltsdorp United.
All three clubs still had a chance to qualify for the final, but with varying degrees of likelihood. The Cavaliers would need to win all three of their remaining games and would require Pacaltsdorp to lose all three and Union Stars to lose two of the last three.
In a turn of fate, Cavaliers were scheduled to face Pacaltsdorp United in Pacaltsdorp, with the former having a lot to gain and the latter a lot to lose. The home side had to make sure they avoided losing, be it through rain, securing a win or drawing the match.
It was the first of the three possibilities that came to fruition as George received some rain on Friday night and Saturday morning, combined with an additional factor – sprinklers.
Upon arrival at Cavalier Pacs Park in Pacaltsdorp, the sides were bemused to find that the sprinklers at the ground had been turned on at some point in the night/early morning.
This led to a significant amount of water in the outfield as well as on the pitch, as the sprinklers underneath the pitch covers had been turned on too. This meant that both the pitch and the outfield were far too wet to allow for any form of cricket to be played, and the match was abandoned by the umpires.
The points were shared between Pacaltsdorp United and Knysna Cavaliers with each side getting two, and Union Stars lost by six wickets against Mossel Bay.
Cavaliers are now unable to automatically qualify for the final and will need to do so via the play-off match. Union Stars still has a slim chance of automatically qualifying for the final. They face Pacaltsdorp this weekend and Cavaliers next weekend.
'We bring you the latest Garden Route news'
