By Neil Manthorp.
The Momentum Multiply Titans continued their domination of the CSA T20 Challenge with a rampant charge to the final by beating the ITEC Knights by 38-runs in their semifinal at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
Captain Sibonelo Makhanya anchored the Titans to a competitive total of 158-6 before the spinners dominated the Knights’ run-chase claiming seven wickets between them with the Knights restricted to a modest 120-8 in reply.
Left armer Neil Brand emphatically changed the course of the game with two wickets in two balls in the 15th over to finish with 3-24 in his four overs and the experienced Simon Harmer controlled the middle overs to finish with 2-22. Aaron Phangiso returned a typically miserly analysis of 3-0-16-1 and leg-spinner Dewald Brevis claimed 1-15 in three overs.
Earlier opener Dewald Brevis miscued a drive against Migael Pretorius to mid off to depart for nine from 10 balls just 48 hours after smashing the same opponents for 162 from 57 balls in their final group match.
Fellow opener Jiveshen Pillay contributed 33 from 24 balls (4×4, 1×6) and Theunis de Bruyn was in equally compelling form with 36 from 28 balls with the same boundary count before both were caught in the deep attempting legside heaves.
Makhanya paced his innings expertly making a run-a-ball start before upping the tempo with four fours and a six before rapid work in the field from Pretorius resulted in his run out for 45 from 34 balls, also with four fours and a six.
Medium pacer Mbulelo Budaza was in outstanding form varying his pace but hitting the right lengths throughout his spells to finish with a miserly 1-22 from his four overs. Off-spinner Jacques Snyman was no less impressive with 3-0-17-1.
The Knights run-chase began extremely promisingly with an opening stand of 50 in 6.3 overs between Jacques Snyman (33) and Gihan Cloete (21) but both perished to big shots against the spinners and rest of the batting disintegrated in similar fashion.
The two teams set a T20 world record aggregate total of 501 runs in their final group match just 48 hours earlier with Brevis in astonishing form but, on a different pitch, a more ‘normal’ game has ensued.
The second semifinal will be played on Wednesday evening between the Hollywoodbets Dolphins and the Gbets Rocks.
KNIGHTS: Gihahn Cloete, Jacques Snyman, Raynard van Tonder, Patrick Kruger, Aubrey Swanepoel (captain), Pite van Biljon, Isaac Dikgale, Gerald Coetzee, Migael Pretorius, Alfred Mothoa, Mbulelo Budaza
TITANS: Dewald Brevis, Jiveshan Pillay, Donavon Ferreira, Dayyaan Galiem, Theunis de Bruyn, Sibonelo Makhanya (captain), Neil Brand, Ayabulela Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Aaron Phangiso, Junior Dala.