Pretoria - Predictions have a nasty habit of coming unstuck and for would-be champions CBC Old Boys and defending title-holders Rand Afrikaans University their already bruised ego could take another thumping today when the two meet in Groenkloof in the national club championship.

On a day when Free State, with the help of an in-form Morne van Wyk powered his way to a match-wining century, the Northerns and Gauteng clubs tumbled to their first defeats in the 12th MTN sponsored event.

Van Wyk enjoyed some early season practice by scoring an undefeated 132 as Kovsies dished out a hiding to the North West Side Lafarge whose sponsors, a concrete company, must have already prepared a coffin for their early burial.

But it was RAU and CBC Old Boys, who meet at Memorial Park today in what is the first of two possible Section 1 ``semi-finals'' whose batting failed to match up to pre-tournament reputations, although it was hinted that this was the area where CBC Old Boys might run into problems. They copped it yesterday when they were nicely grilled by Old Grey from Port Elizabeth.

Then again Nic Pothas, the RAU captain, admitted before the tournament that while hopeful he did not fancy his side's chances, but it is doubtful whether he realised how badly they would perform against a Stellenbosch University side who had under-performed on the first day.

Which makes the RAU-CBC Old Boys crunch today an enticing battle as the winners at least have a chance although they need to beat a strong Kovsies if they are to make the final on Friday.

On a surface which would have made any member of the flat earth society beam with pride, Lafarge no doubt felt they had a chance of an upset when they ran up a total of 309 for seven with Danie Nel top-scoring with 84 and the leather hunting was a prime occupation for the Free State University fieldsmen during the 45 overs. Along came the young Kovsies wicketkeeper-batsman Van Wyk who helped himself to a supply of runs. He was bowled twice by no balls and Lafarge added to their woes when they grassed a number of catches and the leather hunting after lunch became a little more hectic.

Van Wyk raced to 100 off 103 balls and his innings of 132 was quite a jolly affair off 124 balls with 14 fours and a six.

Maties put together a moderate total of 176 for eight which hardly seemed enough to defend only RAU, with three Gauteng senior players in their ranks found the effort beyond their capabilities, losing their way with Boonie Adelaide eating up too many overs to make the difference between winning and losing.

It would be interesting to hear what CBC Old Boys have to say about their inability to take on the Old Grey bowling attack. We also had an interesting first-wicket partnership of Quentin Still opening with David Townsend. What theory lay behind that philosophy needs a close examination. No doubt Nico Martin, the CBC Old Boys captain will have a ready answer.

A glance at the scorecard is proof enough that the batsmen started well enough but also blew it losing by 75 runs with 4.3 overs or 27 balls remaining. Something went badly awry in the planning stages.

Boksburg owe much to the big-hitting talents of Aldo van Den Berg's innings for their impressive total on a flat surface at Harlequin Oval where they beat a poorly organised East London side Police. Van den Berg made merry when scoring 160 while the Police bowling did much to handicap their cause with three extra overs being bowled in no balls and wides.

If this is the best the East London 's bowlers can produce in what was little more than a pea shelling operation, it is a sad reflection on an area in the championship when King William's Town upset the favourites Port Elizabeth University to win the crown at the Wanderers in 1990.

The 21-year-old Van den Berg, who last season moved to Easterns, provided some entertainment with the runs coming off only 139 balls with 17 fours and four sixes which littered the bowling figures as they rattled up 317 for four. Police blew off both feet with an equally poor batting display, their score of 192 a miserable response with defeat by 125 runs and solid win for Boksburg in this Section 2 game.

Zoo Lake and UCT remain on course for a battle at L C de Villiers 2 for supremacy of Section 2. Both are unbeaten although Zoo Lake can count themselves fortunate to beat Collegians with the Natal club throwing it away through dropped catches and a crucial run out.

Cape Town University had an easy win over West End from Kimberley with the Griquas lads falling 50 runs short of matching the 220 for eight by the students, who started promisingly.

Trevor Chesterfield
Pretoria News
chesters@cricinfo.com