Breetzke ton sees Warriors into semis

Matthew Breetzke scored an undefeated, maiden franchise hundred as the Warriors thumped the WSB Cobras by nine wickets in their Momentum One-Day Cup match at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

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Set 270 for the win and a spot in the semifinals, the Warriors made light work of the target to race home with 36 balls to spare.

The 20-year-old Breetzke, who until Wednesday had only managed a highest score of 57 in the competition, oozed class as he struck 131 not out to lead his team to victory in tandem with his skipper Jon-Jon Smuts, who scored a belligerent 92 not out.

The pair shared a record Warriors competition unbeaten stand of 207 for the second wicket beating the previous best of 170 attained by Dumisa Makalima and Justin Kreusch against Western Province in 2004-2005.

The Warriors will now play the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in the one semifinal while the other will be contested between top-of-table Multiply Titans and the Cobras.

Visiting captain Dane Piedt took the only wicket to fall in the Warriors' innings, that of Gihahn Cloete for 28. After that he tried all of his bowling options including Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt but the Cobras failed to make the breakthrough.

It was all too easy for the home team as Breetzke stroked 13 fours and one six in his 129-ball innings while Smuts made his runs off only 93 deliveries.

Earlier, Opener Janneman Malan top-scored as the Cape Cobras made a competitive 269 for five.

Malan was desperately unlucky not to have scored his second-ever competition hundred but his 88 was good enough to see his side through to a decent total.

Kyle Verreynne also scored 62 in only 59 balls with four fours and a six and Dayyaan Galiem added 39.

It was a classy innings from the 22-year-old, right-handed Malan and also his second half-century of the campaign.

His 108-ball innings included 10 fours and he was eventually undone by debutant Warriors left-arm spinner Jade de Klerk who had him caught at forward mid-wicket by Yaseen Vallie.

Janneman Malan and Aviwe Mgijima (31) posted 77 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by a brilliant direct hit from Yaseen Vallie.

After Janneman lost his wicket with the total on 159 in the 36th over, it was left to Verreynne and Galiem to see the innings through to the end.

WARRIORS: Gihahn Cloete (wk), Matthew Breetzke, Jon-Jon Smuts (capt), Yaseen Vallie, Sithembile Langa, Marco Marais, Onke Nyaku, Sisanda Magala, Basheer Walters, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jade Klerk.

WSB COBRAS: Akhona Mnyaka, Aviwe Mgjima, Dane Piedt (capt), Dayyaan Galiem, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Pieter Malan, Rory Kleinveldt, Tshepo Ndwandwa, Vernon Philander, Zubayr Hamza.