BDF IX beat police ix to maintain top spot

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Saturday May 18, 2013 00:00

 

The win saw the soldiers amass 22 points, four better than second-placed Wells. However, it was a dreary performance by the army side but their opponents did little to put up a strong challenge. Games pitting the two sides always produce some intriguing action but Saturday's encounter lacked the usual spark.

BDF started on the bat in the top one inning and quickly shot to the lead courtesy of a Jury Manaka run. They seemed frantic to gain control of the game from as early as the opening inning. After taking the lead, the army side lay back, and looked to allow their opponents to bounce back into contention. However, police's performance was also a subdued one throughout the game.  The soldiers completed the scoring in the top four inning courtesy of runs by Neo Mngqabisi and Kabo Matlo. Mngqabisi got the second run for the log leaders after Matlo's seemingly sacrificial shot was fumbled by a Police player. Matlo also surged forward after his ball was dropped and settled at third base and subsequently scored the third run for the Mogoditshane outfit. BDF could have scored more runs as the top four inning belonged to them, but seemed content with the 3-0 lead.

Going into bottom four, the game looked beyond Police's reach. Their batters Abel Oaitse, Kealeboga Tsienyane and Phibion Tawina all failed to make any meaningful progress in that inning. BDF batted with slack hands in the bottom five inning as they seemed content with their lead. And they made little headway in that inning. The bottom five was also a lousy inning with Police struggling on the bat.

The only positive move they made was in the seventh inning when Tawina's shot almost handed them a home run but was stopped by the fence.BDF's Obusitswe Lekgothu bemoaned lack of competition saying they had to deliberately slow down their pace to 'allow' their opponents back into the game. 'They are not giving us any competition. We are trying to play according to how these teams play because we want to beat them at their own game,' he said. BDF have only lost one game this season and look poised to retain the southern region league title this year. Meanwhile, Police IX women beat BDF IX 9-7 in another league match played on Saturday. BDF's many fielding errors cost them dearly.