Neale Emslie
WHEN Framesby take on their franchise rivals in Stellenbosch at the weekend, they will be banking on a bowling attack that has shown a remarkable ability to suffocate batsmen.
The talented Framesby line-up capped a great start to the cricket year by becoming the Warriors champions in the CSA Schools Twenty20 competition in Oudtshoorn at the weekend.
They overcame Langenhoven Gymnasium, of South Western Districts, and East London's Hudson Park in the franchise final playoffs, doing so by restricting their opponents' totals to below 100.
Only one team, Grey High, managed to top 100 against them.
Grey, in fact, totalled a useful-looking 139 in their 20 overs, but Anru Emiljo chose that match to play one of his most influential knocks, hitting 44 not out to take them to victory with an over to spare.
For the rest, there was no escape from the stranglehold imposed by the balanced Framesby attack.
The new ball was taken by seamers Stefan Tait and Owen Morake, who often set the standard. Framesby then introduced their trump cards in spinners Ernst Stapelberg and Juanre Robberts.
No batsman was able to collar them, proving just how effective good spin bowling can be in Twenty20 cricket. One example came in their final game against Hudson Park when Stapelberg had figures of one for nine in four overs and Robberts returned a remarkable analysis of three for six in four overs.
The Framesby quartet were extremely well backed up by third seamer Jacques du Preez.
The batsmen also came to the party and even against the difficult target set by Grey, Framesby timed their innings to perfection.
Stapelberg was solid in the middle-order, while up front Rihaldo Swanepoel, Brendan Jordan and Tiaan Potgieter often played leading roles.
Emiljo is also a key element in their batting strategy, while their running between the wickets often bordered on the cheeky.
But it proved highly effective during their campaign and the team now await the ultimate test in the national finals in Stellenbosch.
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