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Bavuma leads Lions to second trophy

cricket05 May 2019 16:16| © MWP
By:Terry Dennis
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Temba Bavuma © Gallo Images
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A maiden T20 century from Temba Bavuma and a record third-wicket partnership of 165 with Rassie van der Dussen lifted the bizhub Highveld Lions to a 11-run triumph in the final of the CSA T20 Challenge against the Warriors at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Full Scorecard

This is their second trophy of the season to go with the first-class title.

The Warriors, needing 204 for victory, failed at the final hurdle and were bowled out for 192 despite the endeavours of JJ Smuts (121 off 60 balls with 11 fours and seven sixes). It was the sturdy batsman's third T20 century and the fastest in local T20 cricket overall.

The men from the Eastern Cape lost the wickets of Matthew Breetzke in the second over, and Gihahn Cloete and Marco Marais in the third over. Sinethemba Qeshile departed in the fifth.

Breetzke tried to sweep Lizard Williams behind square but only picked out Dwaine Pretorius at short fine-leg.

Cloete was trapped in front by Bjorn Fortuin and Marais was caught and bowled by Fortuin; Queshile was castled by the same bowler.

The scoreboard made woeful reading - 43 for four.

PULLING INNINGS TOGETHER

Well into the sixth over Lesiba Ngoepe stumps were scattered by Migael Pretorius.

The score, 56 for five.

It was left to the captain Smuts and Onke Nyaku to pull the innings together, compiling a sixth-wicket partnership of 73, taking their score along to 129 for six.

Aaron Phangiso claimed the sixth wicket and Fortuin the seventh, his fourth scalp of the innings.

Phangiso trapped Nyaku (27) in the crease, and Fortuin bowled Andrew Birch to finish with 4-0-27-4.

Needing 18 runs off the final over, Smuts launched a six over mid-wicket off Migael Pretorius, but was caught with the second delivery with both Nono Pongolo and Reeza Hendricks converging under a skier - Pongolo held his nerve to bag the final wicket.

BAD RUN OF FORM

Earlier, the Lions strategy was to target the captain Smuts, and Ryan Rickelton duly obliged scoring 11 runs off his first over.

However, Hendricks's bad run of form continued, Birch got his man with his first delivery of the second over, Smuts taking a sharp catch at short mid-wicket.

In the fifth over the usually staunch Rickelton tried to pull a short delivery from Sibanda Magala, found the top edge and sent it skyward where keeper Qeshile, running back, took an awkward catch.

The revival was inspired by Bavuma and Van der Dussen with their partnership.

Bavuma's sixth T20 half-century came of 37 balls and his maiden century 61-balls with four boundaries and one six.

MAIDEN TON

On the achievement of that milestone the Lions captain opened his shoulders, striking every wayward delivery to the ropes, finally reaching 104 off 63 balls (11x4, 2x6) before falling to Birch.

Van der Dussen's 50 was a tad quicker, 29 balls, with three fours and three sixes.

Unfortunately, Van der Dussen's innings came to a an end with his score on 73 (41 balls), trying to clear the ropes off Birch and was caught at long-on by Nyaku.

After the dust had settled the Smuts's figures were not what he would have hoped for: 4-0-35-0.

But compared to Sithembile Langa's figures it was a drop in the ocean: 4-0-69-0, the most expensive ever in the domestic T20 competition, beating that of Titans' Junior Dala in Benoni 2016/17 against the Knights - 57 in four overs.

Birch was the most productive bowler with 3-36.

HIGHVELD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma (capt), Rassie van der Dussen, Wiaan Mulder, Dwaine Pretorius, Nono Pongolo, Migael Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Aaron Phangiso, Lizaad Williams

WARRIORS: Matthew Breetzke, Gihahn Cloete, JJ Smuts (capt), Marco Marais, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Lesiba Ngoepe, Onke Nyaku, Andrew Birch, Sisanda Magala, Jade de Klerk, Sithembile Langa

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