Staff Reporter.
Beyer Swanepoel was the unlikely hero for the Dafabet Warriors in a thrilling three-run victory over the Gbets Rocks at the JB Marks Oval in their CSA T20 Challenge Division 1 clash in Potchefstroom on Thursday evening.
Swanepoel defended nine runs off the final over to seal the match for the Eastern Cape team after earlier also belting 22 runs off just 10 balls to set up the Warriors’ total of 165-4.
It seemed like the Rocks were going to get over the line when they needed 17 runs off the final 12 balls with Proteas opener Janneman Malan still at the crease.
Janneman Malan ultimately finished unbeaten on 68 (52 balls, 8×4, 1×6) but lost his nerve at the death when he played out two dot balls in Swanepoel’s final over. His missed paddle sweep was a particularly strange choice of selection at such a critical juncture.
The Rocks, meanwhile, though, will wonder why they let seamer Ziyaad Abrahams leave Paarl, especially after he was the leading wicket-taker in the team’s run into the championship last season in Gqeberha.
Abrahams has since returned home to Port Elizabeth and came back to haunt his former team with a superb spell of 3-35 that literally dragged the Warriors up from the canvas.
Malan and Leus de Plooy (25 off 16 balls) had kickstarted the Rocks innings in rapid fashion before Pieter Malan (16) continued the momentum.
But the introduction of Abrahams into the attack immediately stemmed the flow when he dismissed both Du Plooy and Pieter Malan.
The Warriors kept taking wickets through the middle period through spinner Tsepo Ndwandwa (2-24), but it still seemed as long as Janneman Malan was at the crease the Rocks would get home.
That ultimately did not transpire with Abrahams returning at the death to remove Ferisco Adams to set up the grandstand finish.
Earlier, the Warriors’ batting also seemed to be faltering before Jordan Hermann and Matthew Breetzke resurrected it with two classy half-centuries.
The Warriors were stuttering at 33-3 after 6.3 overs before Breetzke (61 not out off 33 balls) joined Hermann at the crease.
Wihann Lubbe flew out the blocks with a six in the first over but that was his only contribution before Hardus Viljoen (1-29) had him caught by Janneman Malan before the completion of the first over.
Rudi Second (4) followed shortly when he was caught behind off Khwezi Gumede. Two quickly became three down when Lesiba Ngoepe also departed for 13.
But that was when the Warriors’ resurrection began as Hermann (52 off 44 balls) and Breetzke combined for an 89-run partnership for the fourth wicket off just 64 balls.
Hermann has been in form since joining during the off-season from the Titans with this being his second consecutive half-century of the tournament.
Breetzke, though, was not done yet and found another willing and able partner in Swanepoel. The pair made merry at the backend with a further 43-run partnership off just 19 balls as the Warriors finished their innings strongly.
GBETS ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Leus du Plooy, Pieter Malan (capt), Clyde Fortuin (wk), Farhaan Behardien, Michael Copeland, Ferisco Adams, Hardus Viljoen, Bamanye Xenxe, Imran Manack, Khwezi Gumede.
DAFABET WARRIORS: Wihann Lubbe (capt), Lesiba Ngoepe, Rudi Second, Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk) Beyers Swanepoel, Glenton Stuurman, Kgaudisa Molefe, Ziyaad Abrahams, Tsepo Ndwandwa.