Disciplined bowling by speedsters Junior Dala and Eldred Hawken helped the Titans to a convincing 109 runs, bonus-point victory over Lions during their Momentum One Day Cup clash in Pretoria on Sunday.
They combined to devastating effect early in the Titans defence of their total of 268 with Dala claiming figures of 3/15 in his first four overs while Hawken returned with 2/28 in his six overs.
Man-of-the-match Dala ended the innings on 3/21, Hawken on 3/40 and the other notable contributors for the Titans were Shaun von Berg and Henry Davids with two wickets apiece as the home side restricted Lions to 159 inside 37 overs.
When Dala removed Nicky van der Bergh after 12.3 overs, the Lions were left struggling on 52/5, faced with an imposing run rate of around 6.09 and the home side eying a by a bonus point victory which they ultimately achieved.
Van der Bergh joined Reeza Hendricks, Dominic Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen and Willem Mulder in the pavilion as Dala and Hawken ripped through the Lions top order.
With five wickets already down, Bjorn Fortuin and Maganliso Mosehle put together a stand of 44 runs in the 9.3 overs they were together on the crease but the later was dismissed by Shaun von Borg for 22 off 33 balls to effectively rule out the possibility of a comeback by the Lions.
Fortuin departed later having scored a defiant 34 off 49 balls when he was caught behind by Heino Kuhn from the bowling of part time spinner Henry Davids as they slumped to 112/7.
Aaron Phangiso later returned to the pavilion after 25 off 17 from the bowling of Hawken, for his third of the innings, Davids claimed his second with the scalp of Beuren Hendricks and Von Berg completed the rout for his second with the dismissal of Nono Pongolo for 22.
During the Titans batting, the highlights were Henry Davids with a well-taken 63 off 70 balls and veteran all-rounder and captain Albie Morkel who ended the innings unbeaten on 61 from as many balls as they set Lions an imposing target of 269 to win.
For the Lions, Beuran Hendricks, who is on loan from the Cobras, was their star performer as they claimed the three wickets of Jonathan Vandiar, Malusi Siboto and Hawken.
Highly-rated Bjorn Fortuin added two wickets to the scoreboard to remove the dangerous duo of Heino Kuhn and Rivaldo Moonsamy while Carmi le Roux, Willem Mulder and Aaron Phangiso took one apiece.
- TMG Digital
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