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Peter, Van Der Dussen lead Lions to CSA T20 semi win over Titans

cricket24 April 2024 19:56| © MWP
By:Ross Roche
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Nqaba Peter and Rassie van der Dussen made telling contributions with ball and bat to lead the DP World Lions to a thumping eight- wicket win over the Momentum Multiply Titans in their CSA T20 Challenge semifinal at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.

 

Peter picked up superb figures of 4-16 to help restrict the Titans to a below par 131/9 batting first in 18 overs, after the game was reduced by two overs each after a floodlight failure delayed play for around half an hour in the first innings.

Van Der Dussen backed up that performance with the bat as he powered his way to an unbeaten 73 off 45 balls, hammering eight fours and a six, while his 85-run second-wicket stand with Ryan Rickelton, 38 off 26 (3x6), set up the chase perfectly.

The Lions' chase got off to a poor start as Reeza Hendricks (2) edged David Wiese to keeper Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the first over, and after two overs the score was 10/1.

But Van Der Dussen and Rickelton got stuck into the Titans' bowlers as 11 came off the third over bowled by Lungi Ngidi and 14 off Wiese in the fourth, which helped them end the five-over powerplay in a solid position on 43/1.

The big hitting continued over the next few overs as 13 runs came off Corbin Bosch in the sixth, while two fours from Van Der Dussen and a big six down the ground from Rickelton saw Dayyaan Galiem concede 19 runs in the seventh as the Lions powered to 75/1.

Titans captain Neil Brand finally made the breakthrough in the 10th over as Rickelton was caught in the deep by Bosch, reducing them to 88/2.

But it was their last bit of success as Temba Bavuma, 19* off 13 (3x4), helped his fellow Protea take them home with 20 balls to spare.

CRUCIAL WICKETS

In the first innings it was the Peter and Jack Lees show, as the Lions spinner upstaged the Titans batter who hit a sparkling maiden half century.

Peter picked up wickets at crucial times, helping reduce the Titans to 78/6 and 98/7 at stages, before Lees took centre stage at the end of the innings, eventually finishing unbeaten on 64 off 43 balls, having struck 10 fours and one six.

It was a vital innings from Lees as the only other batter to reach double figures was opener Rivaldo Moonsamy (24), while there were three ducks and the rest single digit scores.

At the start of play the Lions won the toss and chose to bowl, with them keeping the Titans in check during the powerplay.

Opener Pretorius (8) struck two nice fours off his legs in the first over, but in the second got an inside edge off Codi Yusuf to keeper Rickelton at the end of the second with the score 9/1.

The Titans ticked things over the rest of the powerplay, reaching 38/1 at the end of it, but soon after the floodlight delay Moonsamy skied Wiaan Mulder for Rickelton to catch as they slipped to 44/2 in the eighth over.

Peter came into the attack in the ninth over and struck immediately, making a mess of Sibonelo Makhanya’s (6) stumps, while in the next over Evan Jones had new man Galiem caught for a third-ball duck as they fell to 63/4.

At the start of the 13th over Peter picked up two vital wickets, Brand (7) caught by Bavuma running in from long on, and Wiese bowled for a first-ball duck leaving the Titans on 78/6.

In his final over Peter had Corbin Bosch (9) wonderfully caught by Yusuf on the boundary, and the Titans were in danger of not reaching 120.

But Lees, who had been watching the carnage from the other end, received some support from the lower order, allowing him to smash four boundaries in the penultimate over from Bjorn Fortuin to get to his half century, and launch a six in the last over from Yusuf to help boost their score.

DP WORLD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Delano Potgieter, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin (capt), Codi Yusuf, Lutho Sipamla, Nqaba Peter

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Rivaldo Moonsamy, Jack Lees, Sibonelo Makhanya, Neil Brand (capt), David Wiese, Dayyaan Galiem, Corbin Bosch, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

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