Cricket league kicks into gear

DEFENDING champions Mecer NMMU1 start their Super A League top 10 cricket campaign against Gelvandale tomorrow.

Eight of the sides played their opening fixture last weekend, with only the two NMMU sides not in action.

NMMU1, who have been pretty much unstoppable in the past few seasons, are unlikely to have much trouble repeating their league-winning performance this year.

Gelvandale may want to have something to say about that. They let themselves down with the ball against Maritime Motors Old Grey last week, conceding 299 runs. Wicketkeeper Vernal Charles made 91 for them in reply, but they still fell 94 runs short.

Northville will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches when they take on NMMU2 at the campus also tomorrow. Northville handed Rotatrim PECC a hiding last week and will be looking to build on that momentum.

Title contenders Old Grey are one of the teams who have double headers this weekend. Tomorrow, they take on Despatch, who were hammered by SA Home Loans Union last week. Despatch will be hard-pressed to take anything out of the game.

Old Grey's other match of the weekend takes them to Heatherbank, who were also embarrassed last week after being dismissed for 80 by Uitenhage.

PECC will be hoping to get back into their winning ways when they travel to face Uitenhage tomorrow.

They face another tough fixture at Union on Sunday. Union have proved themselves to be dangerous opposition in recent years as their third-place finish of last year suggests. They also have two games this weekend. The other match, also at home, is against Heatherbank.