A thrilling final day of the CSA 4-day competition ended with the Titans lifting the title after they beat the Lions, while the Warriors desperate dash for victory was ended by rain.
TITANS BEAT LIONS TO CLAIM TITLE
The Momentum Multiply Titans were crowned CSA 4-day champions on the final day of the competition after they beat the Imperial Lions by seven wickets after lunch on day four at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Monday .
It was however a nervy wait for them as the Warriors were still in with a chance of moving back ahead of them with a win in their final match against the Knights, but rain forced that game to end in a draw with the the Titans finishing top.
Birthday boy @Sibzmakhanya and #4DaySeries leading wicket taker @Simon_Harmer_ , share their thoughts on what was an exciting end to an incredible campaign.#SkyBlues??#WhereLegendsRise pic.twitter.com/lKhwUNK9sF
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) March 7, 2022
In the match, the Lions resumed their second innings after lunch on 245 for six, but were soon all out for 273 after Mitchell van Buuren (107) deservedly brought up his second century of the match, before he was bowled by Neil Brand, with Simon Harmer then mopping up the tail.
Harmer finished with top innings figures of 6-84 and match figures of 9-168.
With the Lions' first innings of 270 all out, trumped by the Titans' 482 all out, their second innings total left the Titans with a simple chase of just 67 to win, which they did for the loss of just three wickets as Grant Mokoena (29 not out), Heinrich Klaasen (21) and Sibonelo Makhanya (11 not out) got them home.
The 2021/22 Division 1?? #4DaySeries has been painted sky blue as @Titans_Cricket claim the red ball title ??#BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/UhmP3twKl5
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 7, 2022
?? C H A M P I O N S ??#4DaySeries | #SkyBlues | #WhereLegendsRise pic.twitter.com/KVup34Xi9T
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) March 7, 2022
At the start of the day the Lions resumed their second innings on 130 for four, with Reeza Hendricks (89) and Van Buuren extending their fifth-wicket partnership to 134 runs, before Hendricks was caught by Theunis de Bruyn off the bowling of Simon Harmer.
Bjorn Fortuin (25) then joined Van Buuren and the pair added 55 to the score before Fortuin popped a return catch to bowler Harmer, with the Lions on 235 for six, with van Buuren and Sisanda Magala then taking them to lunch.
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MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Gihahn Cloete, Ayabulela Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Corbin Bosch, Grant Mokoena, Sibonelo Makhanya, Theunis de Bruyn, Neil Brand, Jiveshan Pillay, Heinrich Klaasen, Lizaad Williams
IMPERIAL LIONS:Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickleton, Kagiso Rapulana, Mitchell van Buuren, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Sisanda Magala, Codi Yusuf, Tladi Bokako
RAIN ENDS WARRIORS' CHASE FOR TITLE
The Gbets Warriors' incredible attempt to snatch the title from under the noses of the Titans came to a bitter end as rain came down to wash out the final session of their match on day four against the ITEC Knights at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.
Any chance of a result in the match had seemed dead and buried after the first session of the final day was also washed out because of rain that had already accounted for the entire third day of play and most of the final session on day two.
This had left the Warriors with little chance of forcing a positive result, which they needed to lift the trophy, as they were on 166 for three in their first innings in response to the Knights' 227 all out.
However, the Warriors promptly declared when they realised they would get back on the field and then amazingly had the Knights in huge trouble on 82 for eight in their second innings at tea, a lead of just 143 runs.
Mthiwekhaya Nabe, 4-26, and Akhona Mnyaka, 2-6, were the chief destroyers, while only Patrick Botha (38) showed any real fight for the Knights.
If the Warriors had been able to nip out the final two wickets after tea quickly they would have been in with a serious chance of chasing the score down in the final session, but that opportunity was once again scuppered by the elements as they had to settle for a draw and second place on the four-day log.
ITEC KNIGHTS:Nathan Roux, Paballo Mogoera, Raynard van Tonder, Pite van Biljon, Patrick Kruger, Patrick Botha, Migael Pretorius, Jason Raubenheimer, Nealan van Heerden, Mbulelo Budaza, Nipho Mpungose
GBETS WARRIORS:Eddie Moore, Wihan Lubbe, Matthew Breetzke, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rudi Second, Diego Rosier, Sinethemba Qeshile, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Tiaan van Vuuren, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Akhona Mnyaka
MALAN CARRIES BAT AS ROCKS AND DOLPHINS CALL AN EARLY DRAW
The Gbets Rocks drew themselves level with the Hollywoodbets Dolphin's first innings score of 422, promptly declared with two wickets in hand and then the captains shook hands on a draw before lunch on the final day of their match at Boland Park in Paarl.
With both the Rocks and Dolphins not in the running for any silverware, this their last match of the campaign and any result other than a draw looking incredibly unlikely, the captains clearly felt playing any further was unnecessary.
However, Rocks captain Pieter Malan superbly carried his bat to finish the innings unbeaten on 219 off 438 balls (19x4; 1x6), to bring a bit of excitement to the short morning session as he duly brought up his double century.
The Rocks started the day on 389 for seven, with Malan on 198 and he eased over the milestone, before Kyle Abbott (16) became the only wicket fall, caught by Keegan Petersen off the bowling of Eathan Bosch.
Malan and Siyabonga Mahima (one not out) then added the six runs to draw the two sides' scores level, before declaring and ending the match.
GBETS ROCKS: Cebo Tshiki, Isma-eel Gafieldien, Pieter Malan, Stiaan van Zyl, Clyde Fortuin, Hlomla Hanabe, Imran Manack, Shaun von Berg, Siyabonga Mahima, Kyle Abbot, Achille Cloete
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS:Bryce Parsons, Keegan Petersen, Grant Roelofsen, Marques Ackerman, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Kerwin Mungroo, Daryn Dupavillon
WESTERN PROVINCE SEAL THUMPING INNINGS WIN OVER DRAGONS
Six Gun Grill Western Province sealed a thumping innings- and 132-run win over the North West Dragons, despite some early-morning resistance from the visitors, with them eventually all out for 242 before lunch in their clash at Newlands on.
It was both teams' final four-day match of the campaign and both had come into the game without a win, meaning the hosts end off on a high while the visitors' maiden first division four-day campaign ends in disappointment without a single win.
After Western Province powered to a monstrous 576 all out in their first innings the Dragons were always playing catch up, but the game turned in the afternoon on day three when they collapsed to 202 all out in the first innings, before reaching the close on 175 for six in their follow-on innings.
Senuran Muthusamy (101) and Eldred Hawken (29) started the final day extending their seventh-wicket stand to 57, before the wicket of Hawken saw the Dragons slip from 213 for six to 221 for nine.
Nicky van den Bergh (5 not out) then came in and made sure Muthusamy had a chance to reach his century, which he did before he was last man out, caught by Tshepo Moreki off the bowling of Kyle Simmonds to end the match.
SIX GUN GRILL WESTERN PROVINCE:Gavin Kaplan, Daniel Smith, Tony de Zorzi, Yaseen Vallie, Jonathan Bird, Aviwe Mgijima, George Linde, Basheeru-Deen Walters, Kyle Simmonds, Tshepo Moreki, Beuran Hendricks
NORTH WEST DRAGONS:Lesego Senokwane, Wesley Marshall, Heino Kuhn, Nicky van den Bergh, Senuran Muthusamy, Delano Potgieter, Taheer Isaacs, Nono Pongolo, Eldred Hawken, Caleb Seleka, Jessie Albanie