Pretoria (South Africa) - It took only a few overs for the first controversy of the national club championship to emerge in Groenkloof yesterday with Omar Henry, the Stellenbosch University coach, voicing a strong complaint over the pitch conditions at Memorial Park.

While Rand Afrikaans University, the defending champions of the MTN event, eased their way to a comfortable 112 runs victory over Lafarge, the club from North West, at Harlequins, and Free State University thrashed Old Grey from Port Elizabeth, Henry was none too impressed with the green surface prepared for their game against CBC Old Boys.

``We have played on some very good pitches in this tournament in the three years it has been hosted by Northerns, but this was not a fair batting surface,'' the former left-arm South African bowler said after his side were bundled out for 75.

Not at all the sort of comments which are going to sit well with those in charge at Memorial Park where CBC Old Boys are based. As it is the tougher section of the two, Section 1 contains a couple of games which can almost be billed as semi-finals than league matches.

This year's host club, CBC Old Boys won the toss and sent Maties in to bat on a green strip and instead of Rudi Bryson and David Townsend ripping through the Stellenbosch batting it was Michael Houghton, a steady seamer, who caused the panic in the Maties ranks.

In a matter of 30 balls Houghton collected five for 12, one of the better returns in the 12 years of the event as Riaan Walters slipped into a swift cardiac arrest with seven wickets falling for 24 runs in a matter of 7.2 overs. Henry said he had decided to opt for four fast bowlers, also feeling aggrieved that his best side was not available because of exams.

The pitch must have really been an interesting one for the batsmen as CBC Old Boys opener Quentin Still spent 98 minutes over his undefeated innings of 15; it was his technical skills and expertise which enabled the well-organised batsman to help his side to a nine wicket victory. Still is not one to surrender his wicket lightly and was batting with Aldin Smith, undefeated on 11 when the end came.

Down at Quins, David Terbrugge caused a minor scare when he went off after six overs against the North West side Lafarge, the right ankle, which was operated on nine months ago, a trifle stiff but nothing too serious. Terbrugge is not available for the next two days because of transformation meetings at the UCB today and tomorrow.

As it is Andre Seymore nursed RAU to an impressive 269 for five, declared in their 45 overs with 13 fours in a well-paced performance. A first wicket partnership of 168 between Seymore and Tiaan Vorster enabled RAU to mount their impressive total against a bowling attack which was generally moderate on a surface which generally favoured the batsmen.

Free State University opener Gerald Fourie put together the day's second century as Kovsies ran to an easy six wickets victory over Old Grey at Technikon Oval. It was an impressive display as well as Fourie's 110 was scored of 112 balls with 15 fours and two sixes while Morne van Wyk, with 51 off 59 balls added to the Eastern Cape side's woes during a partnership of 122 runs for the second wicket with Fourie.

In the weaker of the two sections Zoo Lake, from Gauteng, dished out a hiding to West End, of Kimberley, with Alwyn Vorster smashing 90 off 81 balls in a big-hitting act against pop gun style bowling while Boksburg squeezed Cape Town University a little harder than the students would have liked. With this section wide open, any one of the six sides can get through and Boksburg although losing by 19 runs came a lot closer to upsetting the Section 2 favourites than UCT would care to admit.

Collegians, the side from Natal appear the biggest threat to UCT's bid to reach the final on Friday. They gave a good impression of how to win in a tight finish when they beat Police, of East London by three wickets with 18 balls remaining.

Trevor Chesterfield
Pretoria News
chesters@cricinfo.com