Premier League table-toppers WPCC in fine form against Green Point

Mark Ward

Western Province Cricket Club continued their sparkling early-season form when they clinched the Western Province Cricket Association’s Community T20 Cup title, their first piece of silverware in the 2025-26 campaign.

The Premier League table-toppers proved their dominance by defeating Green Point by seven wickets in the final at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) Oval on Sunday, to cap off a memorable day in which they also knocked out defending Western Cape and national champions, Durbanville, in a tense semifinal by seven wickets earlier in the morning.

Shawn Dyason, head coach, hailed his team’s performance while keeping their ambitions grounded. “We’re not looking too far ahead of ourselves. The next step is the Western Cape finals and then, hopefully, the nationals. I’m super proud of what the boys have achieved thus far, but it’s still early days in the season.  This group has shown great character, but we know there’s a long road ahead,” said Dyason.

Winning the toss in the final, WPCC’s captain Nic Barlow opted to field first, a decision that paid off handsome dividends. Green Point were immediately put under pressure by a disciplined bowling attack and were eventually dismissed for just 123 runs in 19.1 overs.

Left-arm spinner Bulumko Brukwe was the standout performer, claiming superb figures of 4/24 in his four overs. He was aptly supported by tight spells from Tom Ellis-Cole, who took 2/25 in 3.1 overs, keeping tight control throughout and never allowing Green Point’s batters to settle.

In response, WPCC wasted little time in chasing down the modest target, with Kent Goedeke and Jiveshan Pillay leading the charge with a composed display of stroke play. Goedeke struck an unbeaten 49, while Pillay finished on 44 not out, guiding their side to victory with 16.3 overs completed.

Their unbroken partnership showcased the team’s depth and confidence at the crease. The convincing nature of the chase underlined WPCC’s credentials as early favourites, not only in the Premier League but also in the regional play-off, which is set for the end of the month when the winners of the Southwestern Districts and the Boland will slug it out for a place in the national finals.

WPCC currently sits top of the Premier League table with 14 points from four matches, reflecting their consistency across formats.

Meanwhile, Claremont Cricket Club’s struggles deepened on Saturday as they suffered a third defeat in four matches, slipping into the relegation zone of the Western Province Cricket Association Premier League. The Constantia-based side now sits 11th on the log with just four points after a crushing three-wicket home loss to the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

Batting first, Claremont were bundled out for a paltry 93 in 31.1 overs, undone by a sensational spell from UWC seamer Liyema Waqu, who claimed record-breaking figures of 7/15 in just 7.1 overs. His devastating performance ripped through the Claremont lineup.

The students chased down the modest target with relative ease to seal a comfortable victory and extend Claremont’s early-season woes.

It was a far cry from the side that lifted the Premier League title in the 2022–23 season, as Claremont now face an uphill battle to rediscover their form and avoid a relegation scrap.