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Lions close but Warriors march on

cricket27 March 2024 18:57| © MWP
By:Brendon Atwell
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Andile Mogakane © Gallo Images

Some late bashing from Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin was not enough as the Dafabet Warriors secured a narrow two-run CSA T20 Challenge victory over the DP World Lions at DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.

Mulder cracked four sixes in his 20-ball innings before being dismissed for 43 while Fortuin struck two fours to end unbeaten on 18 from 12 balls as the Lions ended on 171 for seven in response to the Warriors’ 173 for four after Fortuin had won the toss and asked the Warriors to bat first.

The Lions' chase started disastrously as Reeza Hendricks was trapped in front by Beyers Swanepoel (4-0-27-2) with the first ball of the innings. Ryan Rickelton (12) was just starting to find his feet after striking two lovely boundaries but then top-edged Swanepoel to Sinethemba Qeshile behind the stumps.

Rassie van der Dussen (43) and Temba Bavuma (29) steadied the ship with a stand of 53 from 48 balls for the third wicket before Bavuma slapped Alfred Mothoa (4-0-35-3) straight to Matthew Breetzke at mid-off after facing 23 balls and striking two boundaries.

Van der Dussen, looking to take the mantle on himself, struck two fours and two sixes from 31 balls but with the rate starting to climb, sliced an attempted pull-shot from Nealan van Heerden (4-0-36-1) to JP King in the covers.

Mitchell van Buuren (10) was well-caught by Jordan Hermann on the mid-wicket fence from the bowling of Siya Simetu (4-0-26-1), who took his tally to 13 wickets.

Mothoa then grabbed the wicket of Evan Jones (10), excellently caught by Patrick Kruger in the cover region running from mid-off.

Mothoa thought he had Fortuin caught in the covers off the first ball of his final over but King spilt a difficult catch and the pair sauntered through for a single, bringing Mulder on strike.

With the Lions requiring 33 runs off the final 11 balls, Mulder struck Mothoa for three sixes but the right-arm medium bowler would have the last laugh as Mulder launched the final ball of the over down toward Kruger at long-on.

Fortuin made a go of the final over bowled by Swanepoel but the home side fell just short.

CAREER BEST FROM MOGAKANE

Earlier, a career-best unbeaten 73 from Andile Mogakane led the Warriors to a good total of 173 for four.

Mogakane struck three boundaries and three maximums in his 51-ball innings while sharing in an excellent 87-run stand for the third wicket with Hermann (40) from 66 balls.

Jiveshan Pillay (13) looked to continue his good start to the season, striking two boundaries but was then castled by Mulder (4-0-28-1) with Breetzke (2) following shortly thereafter, edging Lutho Sipamla (3-0-24-1) to Rickelton behind the stumps.

Mogakane and Hermann, who struck two fours and a six in his 332-ball knock, steadied the ship, turning one’s into two’s on a regular basis.

Fortuin (4-0-28-1) brought himself on and had Hermann caught at short third-man by Tshepo Moreki.

Despite the loss of Hermann and Kruger (10), caught by Mulder from the bowling of Codi Yusuf (4-0-32-1), Mogakane continued rotating the strike at will.

He and Qeshile (22 not out) added 42 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket from only 25 balls to help the visitors push past the 170-run mark.

Mogakane, who was given three lives in his first four balls, used them to great advantage once his nerves settled.

The right-hander, whose previous best was 48, looked at home despite being dropped by Moreki off Mulder and then by Hendricks in the slips with his second delivery.

Had the Lions taken their chances in the field, the result could have been very different, however, the victory moves the Warriors 10-points clear of second-placed World Sports Betting Western Province, who earlier clinched a 48-run victory over the AET Tuskers.

DP WORLD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Mitchell van Buuren, Wian Mulder, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin (capt), Codie Yusuf, Lutho Sipamla, Tshepo Moreki.

DAFABET WARRIORS: Jevishan Pillay, Matthew Breetzke, Andile Mogakane, Jordan Hermann, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Patrick Kruger, JP King, Beyers Swanepoel, Siya Simetu, Shimane Mothoa, Nealan van Heerden.

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