All-round Lions keep slender hopes alive with thrilling victory

Despite a century from Jonathan Vandiar and a 126-run partnership with Dean Elgar, it was not enough to save the Multiply Titans from a seven-run defeat to the bizhub Highveld Lions in their Momentum One-Day Cup match, which was played at Sahara Willowmoore Park, Benoni on Thursday.

Full Scorecard

The Lions owed their victory to an opening partnership of 135 between Jonty Rapulana and Dominic Hendricks.

The match was a humdinger from the outset, ebbing and flowing.

The Titans, looking to score 305 after the Lions had posted 304 for eight off their allotment of 50 overs, finished on 297 for eight.

The side from Centurion did not make an ideal start to their chase, losing the wickets of Diego Rosier and Kabelo Sekhukhune within six overs.

Rosier was rapped in front by Bjorn Fontuin with the second ball of the innings and Sekhukhune was caught by Wiaan Mulder at mid-off off the bowling of left-arm quickie, Nandre Burger.

The Titans' captain Dean Elgar and Jonathan Vandiar set about reconstructing the innings with a third-wicket stand of 126.

A frustrated Temba Bavuma employed seven bowlers to get the breakthrough, and it eventually paid dividends.

Elgar went for a big hit off Wihan Lubbe, only got half a bat to it and was caught by Dominic Hendricks at long-off -- the captain could have kicked himself, knowing he had thrown away his wicket.

However, his 62 was scored at nearly a run-a-ball with three boundaries and two sixes.

Grant Thompson made his presence felt from the outset but he played the anchor to Vandiar's swashbuckling style.

The left-hander had added stability to the top order, reaching his seventh List A century off 62 balls with 12 boundaries.

Alas, it all came crashing down with his score on Nelson (111).

Burger bowled a knuckle-ball yorker, which rearranged Vandiar's stumps.

The classy batsman had occupied the crease for a tad under three hours.

Then, from a position of strength it all went pear-shaped for the hosts.

Farhaan Behardien was bowled neck-and-crop by Fontuin and the Tshwane-based side had lost three wickets for 41 runs.

Malusi Siboto and Wiaan Mulder defended the 17 runs which were needed from the last two overs.

MAIDEN MODC HALF CENTURY

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat on a pitch, which appeared to offer some swing to the bowlers, the Lions' openers Rapulana and Hendricks got them off to a conservative start with 46 off the first ten overs - a good platform to kick-start the assault on the bowlers.

But with introduction of Alfred Mothoa and Junior Dala, the leading wicket taker in the competition thus far, the runs appeared to dry up.

After 20 overs the score had doubled.

The 100 partnership of 104 contained 54 singles, five twos, six fours and a six, hard going in anybody's language.

Hendricks's 50 came up after 66 balls, and Rapulana's maiden MODC half-century came up after the same amount of deliveries.

After 25 overs the Titans got the breakthrough they needed, the wicket of Rapulana (72 balls with three boundaries and two sixes launched onto the grass banks), the youngster was caught behind by Rivaldo Moonsamy off Corbin Bosch.

The visitors' captain Bavuma arrived at the crease and soon departed for 10.

Bosch clicking into gear, claimed the-all important wicket of the left-handed Hendricks 93 off 110 balls, finding the ropes on nine occasions.

The Lions' opener looked to pull, but only succeeded in finding the hands of Alfred Mothoa patrolling the ropes at deep square-leg.

Lubbe became the third visitor to score a half-century, but Dala dismissed him for 51 off 42 balls.

Nicky van den Bergh and Delano Potgieter did little to aid the cause, scoring only 15 runs between them.

Mulder (36) looked to be in good nick until he went for one big hit too many, skied the ball and was caught by Behardien at deep mid-wicket off Dala.

Protea Dala proved to be the best of the attack with 10-0-54-4.

Following the Lions' victory, the final round of fixtures now holds every possible mathematical equation as three teams fight it out for the final playoff spot.

The Cobras' final game is against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth and victory could lift them into second place and a home semifinal, depending on the result of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, who travel to Potchefstroom to take on the Lions.

The Knights will have to hope that the Cobras beat the Warriors and that they themselves can overcome the table-topping Titans to try and secure the final playoff spot with all matches taking place on Saturday.

TITANS: Jonathan Vandiar, Diego Rosier, Dean Elgar (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, Theunis de Bruyn, Corbin Bosch, Grant Thomson, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Marcello Piedt, Kabelo Sekhukhune

LIONS: Dominic Hendricks, Kagiso Rapulana, Temba Bavuma (capt), Wihan Lubbe, Delano Potgieter, Nicky van den Bergh (wk), Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Aaron Phangiso, Nandre Burger, Wiaan Mulder.