Botswana ace spares Holmewood's blushes

Botswanan international Karabo Motlhanka spared the blushes of Holmewood to salvage a losing draw from the wreckage of a poor performance at relegation-haunted Elvaston in Division Three of the Derbyshire County League.
Botswanan batsman Karabo Motlhanka, who salvaged a losing draw for Holmewood. (PHOTO BY: Carl Jarvis)Botswanan batsman Karabo Motlhanka, who salvaged a losing draw for Holmewood. (PHOTO BY: Carl Jarvis)
Botswanan batsman Karabo Motlhanka, who salvaged a losing draw for Holmewood. (PHOTO BY: Carl Jarvis)

Mid-table Holmewood were staring defeat in the face when losing wickets at regular intervals in response to Elvaston’s total of 222-8. But opener Motlhanka batted through the entire innings, carrying his bat for an undefeated 82 (13 fours) off 162 balls to steer his side to a final total of 141-8.

Apart from the extras column (33), his was the only contributution into double figures. Four of the top six in the order made ducks as five of Elvaston’s seven bowlers picked up cheap wickets. Only skipper Dan Moss, who dropped anchor, and tailender Mark Brealey, who saw out the last 12 overs with Motlhanka, showed the same kind of resolution.

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Earlier, Harry Allen’s unbeaten 84 (six fours) had been the mainstay of Elvaston’s total. But the left-hander was dropped twice, and Holmewood’s fielders put down several other chances too. Allen helped his team recover from 27-3, sharing 87 with Andrew Johnson (45, one six and seven fours) and 54 with Fraser Hughes (25) before Jack Jarvis’s best bowling figures of the season (4-49) led a Holmewood fightback. There were also two wickets apiece for James Taylor and Gavin Horton.