AVIWE Mgijima showed the quality that has earned him a place in the Cape Cobras squad with bat and ball for Sidmouth in their two-wicket win over Exmouth.
Mgijima’s four for 39 was as good as it got for Sidmouth’s bowlers as Exmouth totalled 263 all out.
Callum French (59), Dan Pyle (17) and Miles Lenygon (48) got Exmouth up to 116 for two and at that stage a big total looked likely.
Bob Dawson (23) and David Lye (54) kept the board clicking over, but a three-wicket burst slowed Exmouth from 173 for four to 188 for seven.
Tail-ender Alvin Pollard whacked 37 in a hurry as Exmouth added 56 for the last two wickets.
Mgijima went in at 87 for three after Zak Bess (31) had made inroads into the target.
Luke Bess (44) and Mgijima got the total up to 112 for four, which was when the surviving Bess was caught and bowled by French (2-31).
Mgijima took control from then on, wringing runs out of the bottom half of the order on his way to an unbeaten 104. He had a bit of luck though: dropped twice and bowled off a Billy Rudolph no-ball given for the unusual offence of having the wrong number of players inside or outside the fielding circle.
Charlie Miles (18no) was in at the end with Mgijima when the winning runs were dispatched three balls into the final over.
Victory took Sidmouth to third in the table, and dropped Exmouth behind them into fourth.
Winning captain Luke Bess said it was a ‘competitive game of cricket’ that waxed and waned most of the way through.
“At 116 for two with two men (Lenygon and French) set, Exmouth were looking at 300,” said Bess.
“We recovered to have them 207 for eight and thought we could have kept them to 230, but probably let them get 20 or so too many from there.
“With a third-wicket partnership of 70 we looked like getting into a strong position but slipped to 117 for five and 200 for eight.
“Aviwe played a superb innings and showed his class to take us home with help from the lower order.”
