Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored a brilliant century as he led a Momentum Multiply Titans fightback to help them secure a draw in their CSA 4-Day Series final encounter against the DP World Lions at the DP World Wanderers on Monday.
The Lions and the Titans were crowned joint champions and will share the trophy.
The toss went the Lions' way and their captain, Dominic Hendricks, elected to bat first. Zubayr Hamza answered his captain's call with a wonderful century to help the Lions reach 413 for seven. Codi Yusuf backed that display with a four-wicket haul for the Lions as the Titans folded for 123 in their reply.
Hendricks asked the visitors to follow on. The Titans needed a special innings from someone to save the match, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius put his hand up with a spectacular century that belied his age to steer the visitors to safety and a score of 371 runs. The total gave them an unassailable 81-run lead. Pretorius was recognised as the Player of the Match for his effort.
"I have great coaches and great teammates who encourage me to play my natural game," Pretorius, who has enjoyed a barnstorming debut season that has yielded three centuries and a half-ton, shared after the contest.
The Titans looked dead and buried at the close of day four but fought back on the final day, courtesy of Pretorius' patient innings. The 19-year-old made his name as a belligerent quick-scoring opener for SA U19 and in the SA20 competition. The left-hander showed a different side to his batting with a tally of 114 off 209 in the third innings.
PRETORIUS AND HAMZA STAR WITH THE BAT
Pretorius shared an outstanding 140-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rivaldo Moonsamy (79) to deny the Lions victory. They showed fortitude as they ground down the Lions' vaunted bowling attack. The Allan Donald-mentored unit has been lethal throughout the season, often bailing the Lions out of sticky situations.
Pretorius enjoyed batting against Bjorn Fortuin in the afternoon session and was positive against the spinner. However, Fortuin had the last laugh when he trapped the 19-year-old lbw. Pretorius' innings was five hours and 22 minutes long and it ended when he tried to sweep a length delivery from the left-armer and missed it completely.
The spinner also accounted for Moonsamy's wicket late in the day. Like Pretorius, Moonsamy was snared lbw. Fortuin finished with five wickets for 123 runs in 48 overs. This is his ninth first-class five-wicket haul. However, his effort was not enough to secure victory for the hosts.
Zubayr Hamza got the Lions going with an outstanding 103 from 198 balls. This is his 18th first-class century. He was at the crease for close to 75 overs. The 29-year-old's six-hour innings came to an end four deliveries later after he tried to guide the ball past Dewald Brevis at gully. Unfortunately, he miscued the shot and the ball stayed airborne a fraction longer than he expected. Brevis completed a straightforward catch to end the Hamza’s brilliant knock.
Zubayr Hamza has been the Lions' most consistent batter all season. He registered five half-centuries in a season where the Lions did not always show up with the bat as a unit. The only caveat to the praise the No 3 batter received was his inability to convert any of the milestones to triple figures. Hamza answered that with an outstanding century in the first innings.
The Lions were on 28 for one and in need of a match-winning innings from someone. Hamza stayed at the crease for six hours, riding the ebbs and flows of the innings. He tightened his defence when the Titans hit the good areas and put pressure on the Lions, and he pounced when the visitors offered anything loose. He was part of four partnerships that took the Lions to 295 for five. His 109-run third-wicket stand with Mitchell van Buuren (73) steered the Lions to a strong position.
The hosts boosted their chances of clinching the title by bundling out the Titans for a meagre 123 runs. Keegan Petersen walked out to the middle in the fourth over with the Titans on eight for one. The No 3 batter held his own while his teammates collapsed at the other end. He scored a valiant 50 off 87 to help the visitors score more than 100 runs. Petersen also scored a half-century in their second innings to help with the fightback.
Lutho Sipamla and Bjorn Fortuin ran through the top order before Codi Yusuf wrapped things up with a well-earned four-wicket haul. He finished the innings with four wickets for 46 runs in 16 overs. It is his third four-wicket haul of the season and the sixth of his career.
The Titans bowled only once and Janco Smit was their most successful bowler with three wickets for 84 runs in 25 overs. Junior Dala took two wickets for 91 runs in 26 overs and Dayyaan Galiem and Andile Phehlukwayo took a wicket each.
LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Mitch van Buuren, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Wandile Makwetu, Delano Poitgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla.
TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Joshua van Heerden, Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dayyaan Galiem, Junior Dala, Janco Smit, Tshepo Ndwandwa.