A disastrous middle-order collapse by the Warriors saw them fall 35 runs short of the Titans, in what would have been a record chase at Buffalo Park in their Momentum One Day Cup match yesterday afternoon.
The Titans set the Warriors 325 to win – and the hosts were well on course after 26 overs, before the middle-order folded like a pack of cards.
After a fantastic 150-run opening partnership from captain Jon Jon Smuts and Gihahn Cloete, the loss of five wickets in six overs saw the Warriors chances pretty much go up in smoke.
After only five runs came off the first three overs, Smuts decided to go after his fellow Proteas debutant in the recent T20 series against Sri Lanka, Lungi Ngidi, as 16 runs came off the fourth – which had the hosts up and running.
They cruised to 50 in the eighth over, with Smuts reaching his half century in the 15th, with the Warriors’ 100 coming up in the 19th over.
Cloete reached his 50 in the 25th over, with the 150 being brought up in the 27th.
But then disaster struck.
Smuts (85 off 69, 11x4; 2x6) was bowled through his legs by Aiden Markram going for an ill-advised reverse sweep and then Cloete (65) was run out going for a quick single by Markram off his own bowling in his next over.
Colin Ingram (6) was trapped leg before wicket by Henry Davids, Yaseen Vallie (2) nicked one to keeper Heino Kuhn off Shaun von Berg and Colin Ackermann (6) was run out after a mix-up in the middle – and suddenly the Warriors were 172/5.
Two good partnerships of 49 between Lesiba Ngoepe and Kelly Smuts (26) and then 33 between Ngoepe (41) and Jerry Nqolo, almost brought the hosts back into the match.
But once Nqolo (26 off 20 balls) was bowled, the game was up and Sisanda Magala (16 no) launched a few lusty blows to give the crowd something to shout about, before Aya Gqamane (2) was the last man out.
At the start of the match the Titans batted well, but it was the final 10 overs in which they smashed 109 runs that put them in the driver’s seat.
Davids and Markram got the Titans off to the best possible start with a century partnership, with Davids reaching his half-century along the way.
However, Border all-rounder Gqamane, made the breakthrough in the 21st over when Markram (45) went for an expansive drive past the bowler, only for Andrew Birch to fling himself to his right to take a very good two-handed catch. However, Birch jarred his shoulder in the process, and headed off the field soon after. Davids ran himself out in the 27th over, when he hit the ball into the deep. Thinking two runs was on, he was caught short when Nqolo swooped on the ball and threw it to keeper Cloete, who did the rest as the Titans slipped to 122/2.
A good 93-run stand between Kuhn and Tony de Zorzi then followed, with Kuhn playing extremely well.
They got the Titans pass 200, before Ingram accounted for both, de Zorzi caught by Nqolo for 41 and Kuhn caught by Ackermann for 61 off 51 balls (8x4), with the score 230/4.
The fall of these wickets, brought power-hitters Albie Morkel and David Wiese to the crease and they set about flaying the Warriors bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Morkel raced to 34 off just 16 balls, but after hitting Gqamane for two big sixes in a row, he tried to smash a third and was bowled.
Wiese stuck around until the end to finish unbeaten on 44 off 26 balls (1x4; 4x6) as the Titans managed a total of 324/6.
Gutsy Warriors fall short
The Titans set the Warriors 325 to win – and the hosts were well on course after 26 overs, before the middle-order folded like a pack of cards.
After a fantastic 150-run opening partnership from captain Jon Jon Smuts and Gihahn Cloete, the loss of five wickets in six overs saw the Warriors chances pretty much go up in smoke.
After only five runs came off the first three overs, Smuts decided to go after his fellow Proteas debutant in the recent T20 series against Sri Lanka, Lungi Ngidi, as 16 runs came off the fourth – which had the hosts up and running.
They cruised to 50 in the eighth over, with Smuts reaching his half century in the 15th, with the Warriors’ 100 coming up in the 19th over.
Cloete reached his 50 in the 25th over, with the 150 being brought up in the 27th.
But then disaster struck.
Smuts (85 off 69, 11x4; 2x6) was bowled through his legs by Aiden Markram going for an ill-advised reverse sweep and then Cloete (65) was run out going for a quick single by Markram off his own bowling in his next over.
Colin Ingram (6) was trapped leg before wicket by Henry Davids, Yaseen Vallie (2) nicked one to keeper Heino Kuhn off Shaun von Berg and Colin Ackermann (6) was run out after a mix-up in the middle – and suddenly the Warriors were 172/5.
Two good partnerships of 49 between Lesiba Ngoepe and Kelly Smuts (26) and then 33 between Ngoepe (41) and Jerry Nqolo, almost brought the hosts back into the match.
But once Nqolo (26 off 20 balls) was bowled, the game was up and Sisanda Magala (16 no) launched a few lusty blows to give the crowd something to shout about, before Aya Gqamane (2) was the last man out.
At the start of the match the Titans batted well, but it was the final 10 overs in which they smashed 109 runs that put them in the driver’s seat.
Davids and Markram got the Titans off to the best possible start with a century partnership, with Davids reaching his half-century along the way.
However, Border all-rounder Gqamane, made the breakthrough in the 21st over when Markram (45) went for an expansive drive past the bowler, only for Andrew Birch to fling himself to his right to take a very good two-handed catch. However, Birch jarred his shoulder in the process, and headed off the field soon after. Davids ran himself out in the 27th over, when he hit the ball into the deep. Thinking two runs was on, he was caught short when Nqolo swooped on the ball and threw it to keeper Cloete, who did the rest as the Titans slipped to 122/2.
A good 93-run stand between Kuhn and Tony de Zorzi then followed, with Kuhn playing extremely well.
They got the Titans pass 200, before Ingram accounted for both, de Zorzi caught by Nqolo for 41 and Kuhn caught by Ackermann for 61 off 51 balls (8x4), with the score 230/4.
The fall of these wickets, brought power-hitters Albie Morkel and David Wiese to the crease and they set about flaying the Warriors bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Morkel raced to 34 off just 16 balls, but after hitting Gqamane for two big sixes in a row, he tried to smash a third and was bowled.
Wiese stuck around until the end to finish unbeaten on 44 off 26 balls (1x4; 4x6) as the Titans managed a total of 324/6.
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