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
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.
FRIDAY MATCH: Dolphins add to WP’s woes
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
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
Head coach Russell Domingo admits the Central Gauteng Lions were outplayed in their 65-run (DLS) loss to the North West Dragons at the Wanderers on Sunday. KHUNULOGO MPOLOKENG reports.
The Lions were bowled out for 249 in 45.2 overs chasing a revised target of 315 following a rain-affected first innings of the One-Day Cup match.
The Dragons, led by captain Wihan Lubbe who scored 80 off 64 balls (four fours, five sixes), had earlier posted 310-6 in 49.2 overs, before rain brought about an early innings change with four balls remaining.
It was the Lions’ first defeat in this season’s 50-over competition, following their back-to-back wins over Western Province and the Northerns Titans.
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“They played well,” said Domingo. “Sometimes you just have to take your hat off to North West and say ‘well-played’. They played a much better game than us, they were better in every department, so congratulations to them. Sometimes you get beaten by the better side on the day and that’s cricket.
“Their two openers were pretty organised up front. Wihan Lubbe played an excellent innings, and you have to give them full credit. We just came off a tough game on Friday night [against the Titans], maybe the bowlers were a bit flat considering we finished the game quite late on Friday and went straight into bowling again Sunday. Tough game for us, but a lot of credit to North West for a good game of cricket.”
The win, their second of the campaign, propelled the Dragons to second on the log as they are now on nine points after three games, one more point than the Lions, who dropped down to third.
“Sometimes it’s good to lose games of cricket; it keeps your feet on the ground and makes sure you don’t think that you are on top of your game when there’s lots of room for improvement in every department,” said Domingo. “Sometimes there’s nothing like a good loss just to fire you back into action.”
The two sides will be back in action again on Wednesday when the Dragons will host the EP Warriors in Potchefstroom, while the Lions will be in Durban to play the KZN Dolphins.
For the Lions, it will be their third match in five days, but Domingo said he has reason not to be aggrieved about their tough schedule.
“It’s the same for all teams, everybody is playing a lot of games, so we just have to get on with it. We have to make use of our full squad and give opportunities to guys who haven’t played a lot of cricket and hopefully they can get in some good performances for us.”
After successfully defending their T20 Challenge title earlier in the season and having won last season’s Four-Day Series, the Lions have the rare opportunity to hold all three domestic titles should they go on to win the One-Day Cup.
But Domingo says they are not thinking that far.
“No, it’s not at the top of my mind, we have to take one game at a time. We know we won the T20 and we’re in a good position to possibly get into the finals in this season’s four-dayers, but it’s a long way to go, we still have a lot of cricket to play.
“The four-day campaign is a long way from [confirming] our spot in the final, so our focus is on our next game in Durban on Wednesday.
“We know the Dolphins are going to be desperate for a win, so we expect a really tough game; they’re starting to play good cricket, they scored 300 against the Titans today.”
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Wihan Lubbe’s 80 helped the North West Dragons overcome the Central Gauteng Lions by 65 runs (DLS method) in their One-Day Cup encounter at the Wanderers on Sunday.
The left-hander struck four fours and five sixes in a 64-ball innings for his side as they amassed 310-6 while Matthew Kleinveldt (64 off 61 balls; seven fours, one six) and Lesiba Ngoepe (53* off 39 balls; four fours, two sixes) also hit half-centuries.
Ruan de Swardt and Kerwin Mungroo then claimed three wickets each to hand the men from Potchefstroom a second victory of the campaign – one that vaulted them into the top three – after the hosts were bowled out for 249.
Batting first, Rubin Hermann (47) and Janneman Malan (33) gave the Dragons a strong start, before Kleinveldt, Lubbe and Ngoepe ensured they set a daunting 311.
The Lions lost Muhammad Manack (nought) and Wandile Makwetu (nine) early in the chase, and when Reeza Hendricks was dismissed for 18 by Mungroo (3-36), they found themselves in a fix on 37-3 in the ninth over.
Zubayr Hamza (45) together with Mitchell van Buuren (50 off 57 balls; two fours, two sixes) and Connor Esterhuizen (59 off 54 balls; four fours, one six) gave them outside hope.
But they slipped to 155-6 and were largely chasing the game thereafter. De Swardt (3-34) managed two more wicket to kill off any hopes as the home side were all out in 45.2 overs.
It was an important win for the visitors, one that ensured the competition was wide open after three rounds of action in which log-leaders leaders Boland remained the only unbeaten side with three wins from three.
SATURDAY WRAP: Knights crush WP, Boland stay unbeaten
In Sunday’s other match, a heavy afternoon downpour in Centurion meant the Northerns Titans and KZN Dolphins had to share the points.
The Dolphins were bowled out for 305 in 48.5 overs after being asked to bat first at the toss.
Veteran Jon-Jon Smuts top-scored with 71 off 61 balls (10 fours, two sixes) with all-rounder Jason Smith hitting 50 off 58 balls (one four, one six).
Mathew Boast picked up 3-33, while Junior Dala took 3-71.
The Titans then reached 15-0 in 2.3 overs, before the heavens opened and brought a premature end to proceedings.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Dewald Brevis’ counter-attacking century was not enough for the Northerns Titans as three late wickets by Codi Yusuf helped the Central Gauteng Lions clinch a four-run One-Day Cup win in Centurion on Friday.
Coming in at No 5 in a chase of 301, the 21-year-old Brevis blasted seven sixes and six fours to take his side to within 21 runs of victory with an imposing 72-ball 102, before Yusuf (4-53) intervened to leave the chase six short with seven balls to play.
The result of an enthralling encounter left the hosts as the only winless team in the competition after two rounds – while the Lions made it two from two to stay second.
There were runs also from Reeza Hendricks (94 off 93 balls; 10 fours, three sixes) and Zubayr Hamza (68 off 64 balls; seven fours, one six) after the Lions had lost the toss and were asked to bat first.
The pair shared a partnership of 99 for the third wicket, before Connor Esterhuizen (37) and Delano Potgieter (42) propelled their side to 300-9 in 49 overs, an over being lost on account of the weather.
Dayyaan Galiem was the most successful bowler, though his four wickets came at a cost of 73 runs.
The Titans flew out of the blocks to reach 81-1 in the 14th over after useful contributions by Lhuan-dre Pretorius(44) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (29).
Neil Brand added 38, but they lost some quick wickets to slip to 177-5 in the 33rd over. With the game looking lost, Brevis had other ideas and mercilessly launched into the bowling.
Even though there was little support from the other end, he got them to 280-7 in the 46th over, needing just 21 from the final 23 balls.
But he then fell to Yusuf, caught by Esterhuizen at long on, before the same bowler took out Roelof van der Merwe (10) and Mathew Boast (five) to seal a famous win.
Photo: Gallo Images
Lutho Sipamla took four wickets as the Central Gauteng Lions beat Western Province by 40 runs in the One-Day Cup on Saturday.
The Proteas paceman claimed 4-43 in nine overs as the hosts were bowled out for 219 in pursuit of 260 – a total built around former home favourite Zubayr Hamza’s 56 off 79 balls (three fours, one six).
After winning the toss and batting, the visitors were in trouble at 65-3 when Kyle Simmonds (3-40) struck to remove Joshua Richard (29) and Reeza Hendricks (32) after Dane Paterson (2-44) accounted for Wandile Makwetu for a third-over duck.
Mitchell van Buuren (48) and Hamza then rebuilt the innings by putting on 104 for the fourth wicket.
Though both fell before the 200 came up, Connor Esterhuizen (38), Delano Potgieter (17) and the explosive Codi Yusuf (18* off eight balls) took the Johannesburg-based side past 250.
The hosts also struggled during the early part of their chase when they fell to 71-4, with Bjorn Fortuin (2-40) and Yusuf (1-31) largely responsible for the Lions’ early stronghold.
Edward Moore (66 off 94 balls; three fours, two sixes) and captain George Linde (55 off 58 balls; six fours) strung together a partnership of 90 that finally ended in the 37th over.
Sipamla broke the stand and then got rid of Moore and two others as the hosts were bowled out for 219 in 46.5 overs.
There was also a good win on the opening day of the tournament for the North West Dragons, who beat the Free State Knights by four wickets in Potchefstroom.
The Knights posted 257 thanks to a blazing 85 off 77 balls from Jacques Snyman (five fours, three sixes) and useful contributions from Patrick Botha (40) and Dominic Hendricks (29).
Ruan de Swardt (3-44), Kerwin Mungroo (2-35) and Matthew Kleinveldt (2-39) all picked up wickets for the hosts.
Janneman Malan (90 off 118 balls; six fours, one six) and Kleinveldt (42) gave their side a good start to the chase, and even though the Dragons lost wickets regularly, they kept up with the required run rate thanks to the former holding up one end.
Malan was eventually the last batsman to fall with the total on 220, but by that time there had been handy contributions from Rubin Hermann (30), captain Lesiba Ngoepe (24) and Tahir Isaacs (21).
De Swardt (19*) and Migael Pretorius (23*) then ended the game in a hurry with the Dragons sealing victory with 3.1 overs to spare.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Captain Bjorn Fortuin says the Central Gauteng Lions are looking to hit the ground running in this season’s One-Day Cup when their campaign gets underway this weekend. KHUNULOGO MPOLOKENG reports.
The Lions will visit the defending champions Western Province in Cape Town in their season opener on Saturday, having had a good start to the 2024-25 domestic season by successfully defending their T20 Challenge title.
“Over the past few years we’ve done quite well as a group, competing and winning some competitions as well,” said Fortuin at the launch of this season’s One-Day Cup in Johannesburg on Thursday.
“It’s a fresh start, we’re not looking too far ahead. The first game is on Saturday, and the most important part of our competition is getting a good start and hopefully we can progress from there.”
Having also won the 4-Day Series last season – where they beat Province convincingly in the final at the Wanderers – the One-Day Cup is the only domestic competition the Lions didn’t manage to win last term, having finished fourth on the log behind Province, losing finalists North West Dragons and the EP Warriors.
“I wouldn’t say there was a big difference in the way that we played last season,” said Fortuin. “The format played a role with the one-day competition being just seven games. In the other two competitions, where there was a bit more time, we started slowly and fought our way back. The one-day competition doesn’t offer that amount of time to have a bad start and then come back later on in the season.
“So the most important game for us is Saturday’s, getting off to a good start so that we don’t have to fight our way back into the competition at the business end.”
Having recently helped the Paarl Royals reach the playoffs in the third edition of the SA20, Fortuin has conceded that the number of supporters who show up at stadiums for the domestic competitions could improve.
The Lions will play their first home game of the One-Day Cup season on Sunday, 23 February against the Dragons, after away fixtures against Province and the Titans (Wednesday, 19 February).
“[The average supporter attendance] does change the feel of the stadium; it does change the atmosphere in the game and [influences] what you might feel. But from a cricketing sense and from a mind set point of view, it doesn’t change a lot. The goal would be to win the game whether there are 100,000 or 500 people in the stadium; the goal doesn’t change.
“Although having guys exposed to the large crowds does help them deal with certain things and to think under pressure, as well as to grow their game when there are a lot of eyes on them. We wish that there was a bit more support for domestic cricket.
“I don’t think that the standard is too far behind the SA20 in terms of cricket, so I don’t see a reason why the support shouldn’t be as good as it is [in that tournament].
“But that’s out of our control, we have to focus on what happens on the park.”
Photo: Lubabalo Lesolle/Gallo Images
Watch the 4-Day Series match at the Wanderers.
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Watch the 4-Day Series match at the Wanderers.
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