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
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
Watch the One-Day Cup match between the Northerns Titans and KZN Dolphins in Centurion.
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
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.
SATURDAY WRAP: Lions, Dragons make winning start
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.
Northerns Titans captain Neil Brand is looking forward to the One-Day Cup after welcoming back players who impressed in the SA20. KHUNULOGO MPOLOKENG reports.
The Titans are hoping to get their campaign off to a good start against Boland in Paarl on Sunday after the disappointment of failing to make the final last year.
“We haven’t done as well as we would have liked in the one-day competition in the last couple of seasons, but a lot of planning has gone into this competition,” said Brand.
“We’ve luckily had a few guys in our squad who’ve done really well in the SA20, like Lhuan-dre [Pretorius] and [Dewald] Brevis, so having them back is massive for us, and hopefully we’ll hit the ground running in Paarl on Sunday.”
The Titans will play the majority of their league games away from home in this season’s 50-over competition, with only three at home – against the Central Gauteng Lions (Wednesday, 19 February), the KZN Dolphins (Sunday, 23 February) and the EP Warriors (Sunday, 2 March).
However, Brand says they have good reason not to mind having to travel more than hosting games.
“In the recent years we’ve actually done a lot better away from home, if you look at our stats. I think the nature of our bowling attack, with our good spinners, has made us quite effective away from home.
“But the big emphasis this year is to dominate at home; we’ve got three good home games, so hopefully we can win those and hopefully we can start with the win on Sunday against Boland, which would put us in a good position.
“You have to start a tournament like this well, there are only seven games. You want to be up in the top three, especially in these short tournaments; momentum is massive for us.
“We’ve put in all the hard work; having everyone back from the SA20 has been great to see, everyone is excited to be back putting on a Titans shirt, and what we’re trying to achieve is to make everyone proud to play for the Titans and we want to produce Proteas players.”
Having finished in fifth position on the log in this competition last season, a domestic season which they finished empty-handed, the all-rounder says they have, however, learned important lessons from the previous campaign.
“The biggest thing for us is that we’ve got quite a powerful batting lineup and in the past we’ve kind of pulled the trigger a bit too early and not batted the full 50 overs. So there’s a big emphasis in this competition to try and make sure that we take it a bit deeper.
“We know we’ve got power in the hut that can win you games in those last 10 overs; so it will be about dominating those middle periods and hitting the sweepers hard.
“And with the bowling, we’ve been excellent in the powerplay, I think it’s just about taking more wickets in the middle periods; hopefully we can find a way to do that this season with our spinners.
“We’ve got Roelof van der Merwe back, who will be massive for us in the middle; Tsepo Ndwandwa has been excellent with the ball for us this season, so hopefully we can control the games in the middle with our spinners and the confidence and momentum will come back.”
ALSO: Lions target fast start in One-Day Cup
The Pretoria-based side will go into the One-Day Cup led by a new head coach in Richard das Neves following the departure of Mandla Mashimbyi, who is now coach of the Proteas Women.
Brand says there is still confidence in the man at the helm.
“For as long as I’ve been at the Titans, Mandla has been around, so it is a bit strange not having him there. But in saying that, Dassie is a very good planner and thinks quite far ahead, and he’s done well with the Paarl Royals now, so it’s been good to get new insight.
“Everyone is working really hard, there are a lot of structures at training and we’re really excited to get going.”
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Northerns Titans head coach Mandla Mashimbyi put their huge eight-wicket loss against the Central Gauteng Lions in the T20 Challenge final down to poor batting. KHUNULOGO MPOLOKENG reports.
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The Central Gauteng Lions hammered the Northerns Titans by eight wickets at the Wanderers on Sunday to defend their T20 Challenge title. (more…)