By Neil Manthorp.
A magnificent innings of 71 and a fiercely determined bowling and fielding performance helped the Gbets Rocks to a famous 15-run victory against the Momentum Multiply Titans in the final of the CSA T20 Challenge at St.George’s Park in Gqberha on Sunday.
Wickets fell regularly after the Rocks had chosen to bat first but Malan stood firm with a remarkable innings of 71 from just 56 deliveries containing five sixes and two fours with the only other double-figure score coming from No 7 Hardus Viljoen whose brilliant 32 not out came from just 16 balls and contained two huge sixes and three fours.
When the Titans reached 99 for four requiring 40 from the final five overs they were favourites to win, but the run out of Donavon Ferreira (22 from 13 balls) with a direct hit from Ferisco Adams dramatically changed the course of the run chase.
The Titans had slipped to 29 for three with Quinton de Kock (9) chipping a tame catch to mid on against offspinner Imran Manack, captain Theunis de Bruyn (11) smartly stumped by Clyde Fortuin and Dewald Brevis slicing a catch off Viljoen for a nervous five off 13 balls.
But Heinrich Klaasen (17) and Sibonelo Makhanya (33) brought the target back into focus and Ferreira’s bright cameo put the pre-final favourites back in control until the pressure of the final took its toll.
Manack was outstanding with 2-14 from his four overs while Viljoen returned identical figures from three overs.
Earlier, Janneman Malan’s disappointing tournament finished with a sketchy innings of seven from 11 balls before Ziyaad Williams bowled him via an inside edge before Clyde Fortuin (7) was run out by Ayabulele Gqamane.
The excellent Tabraiz Shamsi (3-20) then ripped through the middle order, bowling Michael Copeland (1), trapping Ferisco Adams (6) lbw while Valentine Kitime (3) was caught by ‘keeper De Kock attempting a reverse sweep.
Pieter Malan clinically targeted two overs in particular, smashing legspinner Dewald Brevis (2-0-20-0) for three successive sixes in the 13th over of the innings to finally get the innings moving and then taking 17 runs off Gqamane’s second over which left the seamer with the bruising analysis of 2-0-23-0.
Shamsi finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 13 while Pieter Malan was the leading run scorer with 368.
“Personal landmarks mean nothing if the team doesn’t win so, for the team to win, it just makes it very special. I’m pretty new to the captaincy role so, to win a trophy so early on is great credit to all the players and coaching staff,” Malan said. “Hopefully there is still plenty left in the tank.”
“All credit to the Rocks,” said Titans captain Theunis de Bruyn. “They kept the pressure on us throughout the game and played all of the big moments better than us and they deserve this victory.”
Rocks: Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan (captain), Clyde Fortuin, Ferisco Adams, Michael Copeland, Hardus Viljoen, Shaun von Berg, Imran Manack, Siyabonga Mahima, Ziyaad Abrahams, Zakhele Qwabe
Titans: Theunis de Bruyn (captain), Quinton de Kock, Dewald Brevis, Heinrich Klaasen, Sibonelo Makhanya, Donavon Ferreira, Ayabulela Gqamane, Junior Dala, Aaron Phangiso, Tabraiz Shamsi.