Boland secured their place in the One-Day Cup final with victory over Western Province in Paarl on Sunday.
They will face either the Northerns Titans or EP Warriors after both won their final regular-season fixtures to reach the playoff between second and third on the log, with the KZN Dolphins missing out despite also emerging victorious in round seven.
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Boland eased past their rivals by five wickets in a low-scoring affair that saw the visitors bowled out for just 182 in 45.2 overs after being asked to bat first in the Cape derby.
Shaun von Berg (3-44), Imran Manack (2-32), Siyabonga Mahima (2-17) and Aviwe Mgijima (2-27) were all among the wickets for the hosts, with Eddie Moore (51 off 73 balls; three fours, one six) the top-scorer for Province.
Blayde Capell then anchored the chase with 59 off 96 balls (three fours, one six) with Gavin Kaplan hitting 46 as the hosts patiently hunted down the target with just under seven overs to spare.
The result ensured they moved to an unassailable 25 points at the summit and they will now host the final this Sunday.
They will meet either the in-form Titans or Warriors.
The former, who have been in destructive form in recent rounds, smashed the Knights by seven wickets in a winner-takes-all affair in Bloemfontein where Dewald Brevis plundered seven sixes and eight fours in an unbeaten 38-ball 83 to help his side chase down a target of 231 in just 38.3 overs.
He was helped by half-centuries from Neil Brand (66 off 85 balls, six fours) and Keegan Petersen (59* off 89 balls; five fours) at the Mangaung Oval.
Earlier, Patrick Botha stuck a century for the Knights when he hit 109 off 146 balls (nine fours), but he lacked support as Dayyaan Galiem grabbed 3-32.
The hosts were all out for 230 in 50 overs and then succumbed to the ruthless Titans’ batsmen to miss out on the knockouts.
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In Gqeberha, the Warriors overcame the Central Gauteng Lions by 33 runs on the DLS method.
The match made it to 72.2 overs with the visitors first batting and posting 279-5 at St George’s Park with half-centuries for Connor Esterhuizen (87 off 80 balls; five fours, four sixes) and Mitchell van Buuren (56 off 69 balls; four fours, one six).
The hosts came out attacking and reached 124-1 when rain intervened and ended the game prematurely. Jordan Hermann (40), Matthew de Villiers (49*) and Matthew Breetzke (30*) did more than enough for their side to ensure they qualified ahead of the Dolphins.
The KwaZulu-Natalians missed out despite beating the North West Dragons by seven wickets on the DLS method in Potchefstroom.
Batting first, the hosts posted 246-7 thanks largely to Wihan Lubbe (69 off 86 balls; five fours, one six) and Ruan de Swardt (45*).
Prenelan Subrayen was outstanding with the ball, picking up 2-22.
Jon-Jon Smuts (75 off 73 balls; 10 fours) and Jason Smith (61* off 64 balls; four fours, one six) then both hit half-centuries as the Dolphins chased down their revised target, reaching 216-3 in 34.5 overs.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup matches in Paarl, Bloemfontein, Gqeberha and Potchefstroom.
Boland vs Western Province
Knights vs Titans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu8KVVyB79Y
Dragons vs Dolphins
Warriors vs Lions
Watch the One-Day Cup match between the Central Gauteng Lions and Boland in Johannesburg.
An astonishing batting display by the Northerns Titans saw them score 440-5 in 43 overs to lay the platform for a 111-run win (DLS method) against the EP Warriors in Centurion on Sunday.
Asked to bat first by the visitors, openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius (107 off 69 balls; 11 fours) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (126 from 83; 15 fours and six sixes) both hit sensational centuries.
They were well supported by Dewald Brevis (75 off 44 balls; six fours, six sixes), Neil Brand (55* off 34; five fours, two sixes) and Sibonelo Makhanya (46* off 22; one four; four sixes).
That took the hosts to the second-highest team total ever posted in South African domestic 50-over cricket, though the economy rate (10.23) was by far the highest as they batted for only 43 overs on account of the weather. The Titans themselves hold the record of 453 against the North West Dragons from two years earlier.
In reply, the Warriors were 251-7 in 32 overs after more rain shortened the game even more.
The remarkable result bolstered the home side up to fourth on the table, one place behind the Warriors.
Centurions Pretorius and Moonsamy had set the tone for the Titans by putting on 227 for the opening wicket inside 34 overs.
Once the pair fell, Brevis cut loose at an even more rapid rate, before Brand and Makhanya, who smashed four sixes, completed the carnage in the 43 overs set out at the start on account of overnight rain.
Three bowlers – Alfred Mothoa (1-89), Siya Plaatjie (1-89) and Senuran Muthusamy (2-80) – all conceded more than 80.
Matthew Breetzke top-scored for the Warriors with 94 off 72 balls (11 fours, two sixes) but had little support.
On Saturday, Boland consolidated their position at the top of the table with a two-wicket win over the North West Dragons.
The Potchefstroom-based team batted first in Paarl and were bowled out for 179 thanks to a career-best 6-18 by Proteas seamer Glenton Stuurman.
Wihan Lubbe top-scored for the visitors with 54 off 80 balls (four fours).
Boland made heavy weather of the chase as they slipped to 87-5, before Lehan Botha (66 off 67 balls, eight fours, two sixes) did enough to carry them home safely with more than 10 overs to spare.
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In Johannesburg, Jacques Snyman recorded a career-best 160 off 118 balls (12 fours, eight sixes) as the Free State Knights thumped the Central Gauteng Lions by 74 runs (DLS method).
The opener was supported by Dominic Hendricks (58 off 83 balls; four fours) after being put in to bat at the Wanderers where they posted 292-7 in 39 overs.
Matthew Pollard (3-56), Dane Piedt (2-30) and Tiaan van Vuuren (2-39) then shared seven wickets as the hosts were restricted to 220-8 in reply.
Reeza Hendricks hit 54 off 52 balls (six fours, one six) and Mitchell van Buuren 54 off 73 (five fours), with the Lions dropping to second bottom on the table.
Photo:Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup match between Boland and the North West Dragons in Paarl.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ maiden List A century helped the Northerns Titans secure their first win of the One-Day Cup season, while there were also victories for the EP Warriors, KZN Dolphins and Free State Knights on Wednesday.
Eighteen-year-old Pretorius – who starred for the Paarl Royals in the recent SA20 – blasted a 96-ball 120, which included seven sixes and 11 fours, in a 41-run win against defending champions Western Province at Newlands.
Important knocks from Keegan Petersen (48), Dewald Brevis (42) and Dayyaan Galiem (48*) also lifted the visitors to an imposing 337-7.
Despite the sizable total, Jody Lawrence impressed with the ball for WP with 3-44.
Half-centuries by Valentine Kitme 87 off 94 balls (nine fours, two sixes), David Bedingham (69 off 64 balls; six fours, one six) and Kyle Verreynne (55 off 49 balls; five fours) provided Province with a sound backbone for the chase.
The hosts got to 239-4 at one stage, but Matthew Boast (5-38) played a telling role to help dismiss the opposition for 296.
Meanwhile in Durban, the Dolphins overcame the Central Gauteng Lions by six wickets in a rain-reduced affair at Kingsmead.
Delano Potgieter top-scored for the visitors with 56* off 54 balls (five fours, one six) in a total of 183-9 in 43 overs that came after their opponents won the toss and fielded.
Spinner Prenelan Subrayen was the best of the bowlers with 4-46.
In reply, Bryce Parsons (81* off 94 balls; six fours, one six) led the way, together with 52 off 57 balls (three fours, two sixes) by Jon-Jon Smuts, as the hosts eased to their target with 3.1 overs to spare.
Victories for the Dolphins and Titans were their first of the season, while Boland suffered their first defeat when they went down to the Free State Knights by 21 runs in Bloemfontein.
The visitors, who won three from three before Wednesday’s encounter, bowled first after losing the toss with the hosts bowled out for 249.
Dominic Hendricks (55 off 76 balls; one four, one six) and Seth Fledermaus (52 off 59 balls; two fours) hit half-centuries, while Akhona Mnyaka and Imran Manack both bagged 2-35.
There were plenty of starts in the chase but no one managed to kick on for Boland – something that proved key. Michael Copeland’s 45 was their best effort as Tiaan van Vuuren grabbed 4-39.
In the end the Knights restricted them to 228-9.
Finally, in Potchefstroom, the Warriors were 121-run winners over the North West Dragons.
Senuran Muthusamy (93 off 82 balls; six fours, three sixes) and Andile Mogakane (58 off 62 balls; seven fours, two sixes) top-scored for the visitors as they posted 278-8.
The Dragons’ reply was a poor one as they fell for 157 in just over 40 overs.
Jason Raubenheimer proved the most successful bowler in a fine all-round effort with the ball by collecting 3-34.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
A second successive unbeaten century from Dian Forrester guided the Free State Knights to their first win of the One-Day Cup season on Saturday.
The Knights demolished Western Province by 157 runs in Bloemfontein, while Boland beat the EP Warriors by three wickets in Gqeberha.
All-rounder Forrester was the star at the Mangaung Oval where 311-6 played 154 all out.
The 24-year-old, who struck 123* in the Knights’ rained-out affair against the Warriors in midweek, blasted 113* off 99 balls (four fours, five sixes) this time around to bolster his side to a formidable total after winning the toss and batting. He now has 257 run in three in innings.
There were also significant contributions by Patrick Botha (43), Malusi Siboto (40) and Tiaan Van Vuuren, who smashed four sixes in an 18-ball unbeaten 41.
The latter then claimed 3-16 in 5.4 overs to help the hosts blow away the defending champions in 34.4 overs.
George Linde (37) and Kyle Simmonds (35*) were the only two batsmen to cross the 30 mark – Province slumping to their second loss in three in the process.
Meanwhile, at St George’s Park, spinners Imran Manack and Shaun von Berg played key roles with the bat to help Boland chase down 198 with 11 balls to spare.
After winning the toss and bowling, the visiting bowlers responded well by limiting their hosts to under 200 in 43.4 overs.
Ayabulela Gqamane was the pick of the bowlers with 3-24, while there were doubles for Manack (2-48), Lehan Botha (2-28) and Akhona Mnyaka (2-32).
Boland then found themselves in huge trouble at 103-6 and then 128-7 as Alfred Mothoa (3-34) and Senuran Muthusamy (2-35) offered excellent control with the ball.
However, Von Berg (49*) and Manack (37*) combined for an unbroken 73-run eighth wicket stand that sealed the win.
Photo: Charle Lombard/Gallo Images
Jordan Hermann’s unbeaten century helped the EP Warriors hammer the KZN Dolphins by 126 run in Durban on Sunday.
Hermann scored 148* off 145 balls (14 fours, four sixes) at Kingsmead, but there were also telling contributions by Beyers Swanepoel, who thrashed five sixes and six fours in a 43-ball 73*, and Matthew Breetzke, who hit 62 off 59 balls (three fours, three sixes).
The only wickets to fall were those of Diego Rosier (32) and Breetzke after he put on 116 for the second wicket with Hermann.
Swanepoel and Hermann then added an unbroken 150 for third wicket in just under 15 overs to punish the Dolphins and post 343-2.
In reply, the hosts could only manage 217 all out in 40.2 overs.
Former Warriors captain Jon-Jon Smuts top-scored with 58 off 46 balls (six fours, three sixes), while former KwaZulu-Natal all-rounder Andile Mogakane claimed 4-23 in 5.5 overs.
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There was also a significant five-wicket win for Boland over the Northerns Titans in Paarl.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Imran Manack produced stunning figures of 7.4-2-12-3 and Shaun von Berg 10-0-27-3 to help bowl out the visitors for 110 in 41.4 overs.
Dayyaan Galiem top-scored with 45 and the only other player to reach double figures was Roelof van der Merwe (23).
The veteran spinner then took 2-28 and was well supported by fellow slow bowler Tsepo Ndwandwa (3-21), but Boland got to their target in 36 overs, thanks largely to Gavin Kaplan’s 42*.
Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup match between Boland and the Northerns Titans in Paarl.
Watch the T20 Challenge match between the North West Dragons and Boland in Potchefstroom.
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