Titans face Lions in Four-Day final after Warriors edge Dolphins

An almost unbearably tense afternoon, featuring a frenzy of scoring in Centurion and a pulsating run chase in Gqeberha, ended with a roar from the SuperSport Park home dressing room, with the Multiply Momentum Titans qualifying to face their neighbours the DP World Lions in the final of the Four-Day Series. 

The Titans did all they could to snag as many batting bonus points as possible in the clash with Boland, scoring at more than 6.5 runs an over to reach 323/6, with Rivaldo Moonsamy making 117 and Dewald Brevis hammering 80 off only 57 balls. With dark clouds gathering on Sunday afternoon, the two sets of players shook hands to confirm the draw with attention turning to events in Gqeberha. 

By that time at St George’s Park, the Dolphins had just lost their eighth wicket, that of Prenelan Subrayen, in what had become a thrilling pursuit of 382 — which if achieved would have secure them a place in the final. 

The Titans had started the day knowing that their fate rested in the hands of the Eastern Province Warriors, who themselves could have been forgiven for taking their foot off the peddle, knowing their Division 1 status was secured after the match between the Lions and Knights was rained out without a ball bowled. 

Having resumed at 37/2, the Dolphins lost two early wickets but a partnership of 132 between Khaya Zondo and Jason Smith, raised the tension in Gqeberha and Centurion. 

Zondo was in superb touch and made the 14th century of his career giving the Dolphins a real chance at victory. Their cause was helped by the absence of CJ King, who took five wickets in the first innings, but could only bowl six overs in the second because of injury. 

Off-spinner Jason Raubenheimer chipped in with two wickets, the second of those Smith, who was caught by Muthusamy for 54. The Warriors captain, who’d made a hundred in his side’s first innings, then dismissed the talented Romashan Pillay for nought, to once again wrest the momentum in his team’s favour. 

A 74-run partnership for seventh wicket between Zondo and Eathan Bosch, saw the Dolphins regain a foothold, but then Andile Mokgakane’s part-time medium pace, made a critical intervention. He had Zondo adjudged lbw, by a delivery that nipped back sharply, leaving the KwaZulu-Natal batter, who made 118, bitterly disappointed. 

Bosch continued to play aggressively, and a partnership with Subrayen worth 58, seemed to deflate the Warriors. But the second new ball and Muthusamy’s endless competitiveness gave them hope. 

Siya Plaatjie had Subrayen caught at second slip for 26 and then Muthusamy had Tristan Luus caught at mid-off by a diving Jordan Hermann, with the Dolphins still needing 55 to win. 

By that stage the match was being screened on the electronic scoreboard at SuperSport Park, with Titans CEO Jacques Faul, standing on the outfield watching. Bosch, who had reached 80, and done a reasonable job to farm the strike, left no 11 Okuhle Cele with two balls to face against Plaajtie. The second of those he edged to Matthew de Villiers at second slip, giving the Warriors the win by 37 runs, drawing a roar from the Titans changeroom, while Faul stood with his arms aloft. 

The Titans will face the Lions in the final at the Wanderers from Thursday. The outcome in Bloemfontein was enough to secure the Lions top spot on the table even though they’ve only played about four days of cricket in their past three matches because of the inclement weather. 

It also meant the Knights were relegated to Division 2, having just come up to the top tier at the start of this season. 

The match in Potchefstroom between Western Province and North West was also rained out without a ball being bowled.