Titans tighten their grip on Pool A with a perfect record

Momentum Multiply Titans strengthened their position at the top of Pool A in the YesPlay Pro20 Cup with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over CSA High Performance at SuperSport Park on Wednesday, maintaining their unbeaten record in the competition.

CSA High Performance won the toss and elected to bat first but their innings got off to the worst possible start when Sunday’s teenage centurion Adnaan Lagadien was dismissed off the second ball for none.

Ombesa Matsha steadied the innings, first combining with Tiaan Brits for a 68-run second-wicket partnership before adding a further 58 with Vihan Pretorius.

Matsha brought up a well-compiled half-century to anchor the innings but High-Performance lost momentum towards the back end and were restricted to 143/5 from their 20 overs.

Titans made light work of the chase, reaching 50 before losing their first wicket, with Sinethemba Qeshile dismissed for 23.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius followed soon after for 27 but there was little further resistance from the visitors.

Dewald Brevis took control of the chase with an unbeaten 65, while Rivaldo Moonsamy provided valuable support with 28 not out as Titans reached their target comfortably to claim their fourth win in as many matches.

In Bloemfontein, Kaneez Tuskers opened their account in the competition with a seven-wicket victory over Flexbrands Knights at Mangaung Oval.

Tuskers opted to bowl first and made an immediate impact, with Malcolm Nofal striking twice in the opening over to remove Isaac Dikgale and Ruben Maree.

Rian Ruthven provided the backbone of the Knights innings with an impressive 73 off 42 balls, guiding the hosts through the middle overs and helping them post 151/6 from their 20 overs.

Nofal then found himself on the receiving end in the opening over of the Tuskers chase, falling for a duck, but the visitors recovered strongly.

Gareth Dukes led the way with an unbeaten 82, supported by Jack Lees’ 38, as Tuskers chased down the target with seven wickets in hand to secure their first victory of the campaign.

Earlier in the day, DP World Lions moved to the top of Pool B with a 38-run victory over Garden Route Badgers in Oudtshoorn.

Asked to bat first, Lions made a strong start through Zubayr Hamza and Reeza Hendricks, who put together an 83-run opening partnership.

Delano Potgieter then joined Hamza at the crease, with the pair maintaining the momentum to guide Lions to 175/5 from their 20 overs. Hamza finished unbeaten on 70, while Potgieter contributed 46 not out.

Badgers struggled to find their rhythm in the chase, losing early wickets as the Lions attack applied pressure to the top order. Slade van Staden and Ross Coetzee top-scored with 20 apiece but the hosts were unable to establish a meaningful partnership.

Leo Sadler provided some late resistance with an unbeaten 53, but the required run rate had climbed beyond reach as Badgers finished on 137/7, handing them their first defeat of the campaign.

The YesPlay Pro20 Cup continues on Thursday, with Dafabet Boland hosting WSB Eastern Storm in Paarl, while Dafabet Warriors face Northern Cape Heat in Gqeberha.