By CHESLEY DANIELS
Salem 1st and Station Hill ended the year as 1st and 2nd Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) League leaders, respectively.
The league will take a break after the first half of the season and resume on 15 January 2022.
Another rain-affected weekend saw only one game take place, and the rest were rained out.
GCB 1ST LEAGUE
Salem vs Southwell
Log leaders Salem again showed why they are the team to beat as they rumbled over Southwell with a dominant two-wicket bonus-point win. Overs were reduced to 45 as Southwell were sent in to bat and were bowled out for 165 (40.2 overs) due to superb bowling by the Salem attack.
Jesse Van Rensburg (45) and Dylan Kruger (34) were the only Southwell batters who resisted with their cameos. Prime destroyers Bradley Wilmot 3/31 (4.3) and Leard King 3/45 (9) led the Salem attack with excellent bowling.
Salem wasted no time as the rain approached and batted aggressively and positively to ensure a result. They knocked down the required target in no time. Salem flourished to 166/3 in just 22 overs.
The evergreen and former EP Rural star batsman Kevin Bennett was again in sublime form with the bat, scoring a hurricane unbeaten 91*. Simon Amm was equally impressive and in form with the bat, contributing a dazzling 51. Josh Van Rensburg took 1/36 (5) for Southwell.
Salem won by seven wickets and a bonus point.
GCB 1ST LEAGUE LOG
As of 04 December 2021
1. Salem 39 (8)
2. Cuylerville 32 (8)
3. Southwell 30 (8)
4. Willows 21 (8)
5. Makana Sona 18 (8)
6. Sidbury 15 (7)
7. Rhodes 7 (7)
GCB 2ND LEAGUE LOG
1. Station Hill 46 (9)
2. Port Alfred 36 (8)
3. Manleys Flats 30 (8)
4. Southwell 30 (8)
5. Salem 29 (7)
6. Swallows 28 (9)
7. Sidbury 28 (7)
8. Cuylerville 22 (8)
9. Tiger Titans 21 (8)
10. Rainbows 16 (9)
11. Shrews 15 (8)
12. Kenton 9 (6)
13. Early Birds 1 (9)
