Northerns lose top position after loss to Griquas

Griqualand West outplayed Northerns in all departments to win by 63 runs with 5.1 overs remaining. The result meant Northerns finished third and earned a semi-final against second-placed Border. Northerns led the standings going into the final round but on the night there was no stopping the home side, who totalled 253 for eight before dismissing the visitors for 190.

Griquas' innings turned on a pair of rollicking half-centuries by Pieter Koortzen and Johan Louw. They shared a stand of 100 off 91 balls for the third wicket, the most substantial partnership the home side were able to put together, and departed eight overs apart.

Koortzen went first, for a 69 struck off 73 balls with eight fours. Louw's 72 was the product of 74 deliveries faced of which he hit four for four and two for six. Martyn Gidley's 20 and Brett Tucker's 23 represented the most solid support. Man-of-the-match Koortzen's effort put him on 563 runs for the season, a record for a Griquas batsman.

Steve Elworthy, who took three for 54, and Greg Smith did the business for Northerns with the new ball, but the visitors were let down by the rest of their attack. Dirkie de Vos' nine overs cost all of 62 runs.

There were no such bowling horrors for Griquas, who picked up their first wicket three balls into the innings when Jacques Rudolph fell to Deon Kruis and simply kept going. Their only serious sticking point was between the 28th and 38th overs, when Kruger van Wyk and Rupert Bailey put on 53 for the eighth wicket.

The gutsy Van Wyk was last out for 48 off as many balls with six fours, while Koortzen polished an allround performance by taking three for 37 with his off-spinners.