Simetu helps Warriors down star-studded Titans in T20 Challenge

The Dafabet (Eastern Cape) Warriors emerged victorious by two runs in a thrilling CSA T20 Challenge encounter over the Momentum Multiply (Northerns) Titans on Wednesday night, with the unheralded left-arm slow bowler Siya Simetu the hero for the visitors. 

Simetu, 32, took two of his three wickets in the 17th over, including that of Titans captain Aiden Markram, to give his side a significant advantage in what turned into a tense contest at SuperSport Park, where a small but rowdy home crowd tried to inspire their blue-clad heroes across the line. 

Had Markram, who scored 25 off 25 balls, been able to stay at the crease, the Titans would certainly have claimed a third consecutive victory, but a superb low catch at cover by Matthew Breetzke, gave the Warriors the lift they needed in the field. Two balls earlier Simetu had bowled Dayaan Galiem whose 12-ball 32 had threatened to bring the match to an early conclusion. 

In his next over, the penultimate of the innings, Simetu bowled Corbin Bosch, who attempted an ill-judged reverse sweep, while conceding just four runs.

That left Beyers Swanepoel to defend 14 runs and though Aaron Phangiso and Junior Dala each struck boundaries in the final over, it was insufficient with the Warriors strengthening their position at the top of the log.

The home team had looked on course for a comfortable victory thanks to a 71-run second wicket partnership between Dewald Brevis and the in-form Rivaldo Moonsamy that came off only 45 balls. Brevis scored a fluent 50 off just 29 deliveries, an innings that contained plenty of thrilling shots, but also illustrated his continued struggles against the short ball. 

While it looked like Marco Jansen’s dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen, who was bowled off his pads for nine, had decisively turned the match the Warriors' way, Galiem and Markram kept the hosts in sight of victory until Simetu’s decisive intervention. 

Jansen again showed why he has emerged as the country’s primary seam-bowling all-rounder, after hitting four fours and the same number of sixes in a muscular innings of 56. It was thanks to a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Tristan Stubbs who scored 27 off 18 balls that the Warriors were able to reach 185/5, a total that proved to be just enough in the end. 

In Durban, the HollywoodBets (KZN) Dolphins claimed their first win of the tournament beating the DP World (Central Gauteng) Lions by four wickets at Kingsmead, thanks to an unbeaten 62 from opener Bryce Parsons. 

Chasing 156, after Temba Bavuma had held the Lions innings together with a composed 53 not out, Parsons shared a vital 63-run fourth wicket stand with Jason Smith, to ease the Dolphins to victory with five balls to spare. 

In Cape Town, WSB Western Province hung on for a four-run win against the North West Dragons for whom Rubin Hermann scored a career-best 90.

WP scored 188/7 thanks to Jono Bird and David Bedingham who each made 42.