Sibonelo Makhanya and Corbin Bosch played leading roles to help the Momentum Multiply Titans end the Dafabet Warriors' remarkable winning run in the CSA T20 Challenge with a 12-run victory in Port Elizabeth on Friday night.
Batter Makhanya struck 60 (48 balls, 4x4, 1x6) as the reigning champions posted 168/9, before seamer Bosch nabbed 3/22 to help restrict the hosts to 156/7 – securing an important triumph to end the visitors’ eight-match streak that has seen them dominate the season thus far.
The performances of the pair overshadowed a career-best return of 5/39 by Beyers Swanepoel, whose side remained top of the standings despite the outcome.
Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors progressed well initially despite regular wickets and the threat of the fast bowler after he took out the top three.
The Titans reached 72/3 in the 10th over, before Alfred Mothoa’s (2/27) double saw them slip into a big hole at 84/6 by the 12th over.
But Makhanya and the evergreen Aaron Phangiso (28) put on 74 for the seventh wicket to help their side rebuild and end the innings with a score of respectability.
Matthew Breetzke (25), Andile Mogakane (33) and Jordan Hermann (32) all got starts for the Warriors, taking to 100/2 by the 14th over but their innings lacked flow. It left the lower order with too much work and although Swanepoel (22*) did his best, they came up short at Dafabet St George's Park Cricket Stadium.
Elsewhere on Friday, the DP World Lions made light work of Hollywoodbets Dolphins, coasting past them by seven wickets in a rain-reduced clash in Johannesburg.
The match was ultimately a T9 with Codi Yusuf’s three wickets (3/15) restricting the away side to 98/6 at DP World Wanderers Stadium.
The bulk of the Dolphins’ runs came through openers Bryce Parsons (36) and Grant Roelofsen (27).
Ryan Rickelton then continued his rich form by thrashing 53* off 23 balls (4x4, 4x6) to carry his side to victory with four balls to spare – the Lions strengthening their grip on second spot and moving to within five points of the Warriors having played a game more.
Finally in Paarl, spinners Imran Manack, Siyabonga Mahima and Shaun von Berg gave the Gbets Rocks a 4-wicket win over the AET Tuskers.
Manack claimed 3/17, Mahima 1/22 and Von Berg 2/15 to blow away the KwaZulu-Natal side for 94 in their 20 overs – only Cameron Shekleton (35) managed to cross 20.
In reply, Mbulelo Budaza (3/39) took three wickets but the below-par total proved too easy for the home side as Aiden Du Toit (24) and Ferisco Adams (21) did most of the scoring to carry them to victory with more than four overs to spare.
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