Lions defeat Titans in a low-scoring thriller

Bjorn Fortuin's five-wicket haul set the Imperial Lions up for victory against the Momentum Multiply Titans in a low-scoring thriller at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Friday.

The Lions needed 45 overs to chase down the total, they scored 147 for nine.

The Titans' innings started badly, as they lost the key wickets for very low scores. Opener Theunis De Bruyn (0) and number three batter, Neil Brand (11), were the first two to go after contributing a combined 11 runs to the total.

The pair failed to replicate their brilliant performances from Wednesday that saw them score 179 and 115 runs respectively.

Gihan Cloete, who carried his bat, fought a lone battle to keep the Titans in the game while wickets fell around him. The 25-year-old scored a hard-fought 62 runs from 92 balls.

The next batter in, Heinrich Klaasen, did not do any better. The Proteas player faced nine deliveries for his four runs.

The procession of wickets was briefly halted by a 48-run partnership between Cloete and his captain, Sibonelo Makhanya. Twenty-six-year-old Makhanya, who was dismissed for a patient 27 runs that came off 43 balls, got a start but failed to kick on.

The Titans had little to offer with the bat after Makhanya's dismissal. The next five batters added a combined 32 runs to the total.

Fortuin starred with the ball for the Lions. The 27-year-old left-arm spinner ended the day with five wickets from his nine overs at an economy rate of 3.77 runs an over.

LIONS' TAILENDERS DO THEIR PART

The Lions' chase started as badly as the Titans’ innings. Opener Louren Steenkamp was dismissed for a three-ball duck, and Proteas player Reeza Hendricks faced 17 deliveries for his three runs.

The next man in, Kagiso Rapulana, did no better as he was dismissed after scoring only seven runs.

Mitchell van Buuren was the stand-out batter for Lions. The 24-year-old had six batting partners as he fought his way to a well-played 44 off 69 balls.

The Lions needed Mitchell van Buuren to stick around and see them across the finish line. However, it was not to be. The 24-year-old fell in the 41st over, with the Lions still in need of 17 runs to win.

Van Buuren agonisingly fell six runs short of his sixth List A half-century.

The responsibility to see the team home fell on the shoulders of tailenders, Codi Yusuf and Tladi Bokako. Yusuf needed to score his List A average for them to have the best chance at victory. Coming into this match, Yusuf averaged 14.25.

The duo put together a brave 17-run partnership against a strong Titans spin attack on a pitch that favoured spinners.

Yusuf ended the match with an impressive 19 runs, five runs more than his average, and Bokako scored a very watchful five runs.

Neil Brand was the Titans' best bowler with his three wickets from 10 overs, at an economy rate of 2.2 runs an over.

IMPERIAL LIONS: Joshua Richards, Kagiso Rapulana, Louren Steenkamp, Reeza Hendricks, Mitchell Van Buuren, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto (c)Codi Yusuf, Tladi Bokako

MOMENTUM MULTIPLE TITANS: Gihan Cloete, Theunis de Bruyn, Neil Brand, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Sibonelo Makhanya (c), Donovan Ferreira, Corbin Bosch, Ayabulela Gqamane, Bonga Chepkonga, Samuel Ruwisi, Aaron Phangiso