Marais, seamers lead Warriors to victory

Marco Marais thrashed a quick-fire 75 and the seamers then played their part as the Warriors claimed a 10-run victory in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the WSB Cape Cobras at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Full Scorecard

After the Warriors made 189 thanks to some fine hitting by Marais, the home team seamers were superb in restricting the log-leaders to 179 for seven despite a fighting 42 off 27 balls by George Linde in the middle order.

There were contributions from David Bedingham (30) and Jason Smith (37) but in the end the visitors could not pull off what would have been a record chase at St George's Park.

The Warriors, who moved up to third thanks to the win, were sublime in the field but at one stage were under pressure with Linde and Smith looking good to take them home.

But Lutho Sipamla got the wicket of Smith thanks an acrobatic diving by the thick-set Sisanda Magala. That seemed to swing the momentum as Magala then bowled Linde shortly afterwards with a wonderful yorker.

Magala, who could do nothing wrong, also ran out Aviwe Mgijima with a direct hit in the penultimate over to seal the deal.

Sipamla was the most successful of the Warriors bowlers, taking 2-45. Although he was expensive up front, it was his two closing overs that were impressive while Magala was the most economical conceding only 24 in four.

PHILANDER FIVE-FOR IN VAIN

Earlier, Marais carried on his bludgeoning form while Vernon Philander took five wickets, an effort that turned out to be in vain as the Warriors posted what would be a match-winning 189.

Marais struck seven fours and five sixes in only 36 balls to save the home team after they had earlier collapsed to 42 for four in the seventh over. It followed his most recent innings of 82 not out (33 balls) against the Lions in East London on Sunday.

He and Onke Nyaku, who clubbed 37 in 22 balls, shared a record fifth-wicket stand of 64 runs. There was also another record for Marais, whose 50 off 24 balls was the quickest ever for the Warriors beating Davy Jacobs's effort by one delivery.

Philander took three wickets in the final over to finish with the tidy figures of 5-23 while fast bowler Tladi Bokako claimed 3-41 against his former teammates.

WARRIORS: Jon-Jon Smuts (capt), Gihahn Cloete, Matthew Breetzke, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Marco Marias, Onke Nyaku, Jade de Klerk, Andrew Birch, Lutho Sipamla, Sisanda Magala, Thomas Kaber

WSB CAPE COBRAS: Janneman Malan, Hashim Amla, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Aviwe Mgijima, George Linde, Jason Smith, Vernon Philander, Rory Kleinveldt (capt), Tladi Bokako, Nkululeko Serame.