OBAKENG MELETSE
THE TITANS hung on to their fourth position after a hard fought two wickets victory against the Lions at the SuperSport Park in Tshwane on Friday night.
With contributions from the top of the order all the way down to the lower order, the defending champions limped through to the finish line to get to the 155 target set by the visitors.
Needing 10 runs to win, Corbin Bosch with Lungi Ngidi scrapped through and got the 10 runs with the last ball of the innings, after they threw away a good start by their opening partnership
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (29) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (24) combined for a 49-run opening partnership. Pretorius caressed the ball through the gaps and looked in good touch with Moonsamy’s extra cover drive for six the shot of the match.
Cruising nicely with only two balls left of the powerplay, Pretorius threw Moonsamy a rope to hang himself with a horrendous call for a single to one of the worlds dangerous fielders inside the circle, Temba Bavuma, who happily accepted the invitation and with only one stump to aim at, clippled the bail off to break the 49-run partnership, Titans 50-1 in their powerplay.
Wiaan Mulder’s eighth over went for two singles with opener Pretorius tied down by Mulder. Pressure was starting to tell the youngster couldn’t rotate strike and showed a bit of inexperience hitting over the top and was caught by Evan Jones at long-on boundary for a run a ball for 29.
Jones was called into action again four balls later as miscommunication saw Sibonelo Makhanya (4) run out Jack Lees (5) at the other end.
Dayyaan Galiem looking to take the pressure back to the Lions, the right handed all rounder got himself a quickfire 26 0ff 12 balls, but in response captain Bjon Fortuin threw the ball to Nqaba Peter who so far has had an eye for the target, and has rarely missed. Galiem on the charge missed a straight one and was bowled.
Neli Brand (29 off 27) had the Titans hopes in his hands, attempting to cut Jones over deep point he found the safe hands of Cody Yusuf who completed a comfortable catch.
Peter 2-29 and Evan Jones 2-33 the pick of the bowlers.
Earlier, the Lions found thmselves in trouble after in-form Ryan Rickelton (7) and Rassie van der Dussen (6) were bowled out early. With pressure on the Titans to make the play, they hit the ground running with Rickelton out caught off the inside edge by Pretorius off the bowling of Galiem.
The wicket looked to be a bit spicy, with a touch of variable bounce, Van der Dussen missed one that kept a bit low and was out trapped leg before wicket by David Wiese. There was a lot of intent behind the Titans bowling as the Lions finished the powerplay on 42-2.
Bavuma (21 off 13) and Hendricks combined for the highest partnership of their innings (46) but with wickets falling regularly they could only post 154.
Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers with 2-26