Beyers Swanepoel scored a brilliant half-century as he led Northern Cape Heat to a two-wicket win over Eastern Cape Iinyathi in their Momentum One-Day Cup match at The Oval, Kimberley, on Wednesday.
Chasing 243 for victory, after Eastern Cape had scored 242 for seven in their 50 overs, Swanepoel put on a show as he batted his team to 247 for eight in 48.4 overs.
Northern Cape Heat won the toss and chose to bowl.
Eastern Cape openers Marco Marais and Mncedisi Malika gave their side a solid platform by putting together a 67-run first-wicket partnership.
The duo was looking comfortable until the dismissal of Malika in the 19th over.
The next man in, Jason Niemand, had barely settled in when he had to make his way back to the dressing-room three balls later in an incredible over from Evan Jones.
Marais then combined with Nonelela Yikha (41) to form an 81-run third-wicket partnership that brought stability to the Eastern Cape innings.
Eastern Cape suffered a mini-collapse when they lost Marais, Yikha and Thomas Kaber (8) in four overs for only 15 runs. Jerry Nqolo got a start but failed to push on. The former SA Under-19 player was dismissed for 22, run out by Isaac Dikgale while going for a quick single.
A late charge from Joshua Dodd (32 from 27) and Phaphama Fojela (26 from 15), whose eight-wicket partnership scored a handy 34 runs from 21 balls, helped Eastern Cape reach 242.
Evan Jones was Heat's most successful bowler with three wickets in his eight overs. However, the 25-year-old had a high economy, he was going at a rate of 6.50 runs an over.
Northern Cape Heat did not get the start they would have preferred, thanks to some sensational bowling from Sinovuyo Ntuntwana.
The 29-year-old pacer dismissed both openers, Ernest Kemm and Jonathan Vandiar, in the fifth and seven overs, respectively.
Isaac Dikgale and Victor Mahlangu's 54-run fourth-wicket partnership kept Heat in the game. Dikgale's dismissal in the 26th over brought allrounder Aubrey Swanepoel to the crease.
Unfazed by the low scores by everyone who had come before him, Swanepoel scored a run-a-ball 40 that threatened to take the game away from Eastern Cape.
Swanepoel's dismissal by Gideon Peters shifted the momentum of the game in Eastern Cape's favour. It was the start of another Heat mini-collapse. Lower order batters, Evan Jones and Hanu Viljoen only added 25 runs to the total.
The chase was looking out of Heat's reach when Viljeon made his way to the dressing-room. Heat needed 46 runs from 37 balls, with no recognised batter at the crease.
Player of the Match, Beyers Swanepoel, who averaged 29.90 runs coming into the encounter, could not have chosen a better day to score his third List A half-century.
And he did so in style. The 23-year-old faced 33 deliveries for his match-winning 52 which had five sixes and only one four.
Swanepoel's partner, Johan van Dyk, contributed only 10 runs to their 51-run ninth-wicket partnership.
Jade de Klerk was Eastern Cape's best bowler. The 23-year-old spinner took three wickets for 38 runs in his seven overs.
NORTHERN CAPE HEAT: Jonathan Vandiar, Ernest Kemm, Gerhardt Abraham, Isaac Dikgale, Victor Mahlangu, Aubrey Swanepoel, Evan Jones, Hanu Viljoen, Beyers Swanepoel, Johan van Dyk, Andrew Rasemene.
EASTERN CAPE IINYATHI:Marco Marais, Mncedisi Malika, Jason Niemand, Nonelela Yikha, Thomas Kaber, Jerry Nqolo, Joshua Dodd, Jade de Klerk, Phaphama Fojela, Gideon Peters, Sinovuyo Ntuntwana
KOTZE STARS FOR SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS
Hanno Kotze led Six Gun Grill South Western Districts to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Mpumalanga Rhinos when the teams met at Uplands College on Wednesday.
South Western Districts, who were chasing 193 runs for victory, scored 198 runs for the loss of five wickets in 36.2 overs to claim their third win in the Momentum One-Day Cup.
Rhinos were bowled out for 192 in 46.4 overs.
Mpumalanga Rhinos' innings started badly after being asked to bat first by South Western Districts. The hosts found themselves in trouble in the sixth over when Rubin Hermann had to go back to the dressing-room after scoring only two runs.
The 25-year-old's wicket was the beginning of a top-order collapse that saw Rhinos losing three wickets for eight runs in a space of four overs.
By the end of the PowerPlay, Rhinos were on 31 for three.
Benjamin van Niekerk and Blake Schraader (25) mounted a 13-over resistance against a well-oiled South Western Districts bowling attack that was giving very little away. The duo stabilised the innings with a 51-run partnership.
Twenty-six-year-old Van Niekerk scored a resolute 62 runs off 92 balls and appeared to be fighting a lone battle in an attempt to help his team reach a respectable total.
The former Mpumalanga Under-19s player had four partners on his way to his maiden List A half-century.
After Schraader's dismissal in the 31st over, Van Niekerk had fledgling partnerships with Caleb Balich (17) and Bamanye Xenxe (31), and it was their efforts that helped Rhinos to put a score that their bowlers could attempt to defend.
Twenty-year-old spinner Pheko Moletsane recorded the best bowling figures among the Rhinos' bowlers -- three wickets for 35 runs in 10 overs. Renaldo Meyer, who also took three wickets, had a slightly higher economy of 3.69 runs an over.
South Western Districts started their chase brightly. Openers Yaseen Valli and Blayde Capell were in no mood to muck around as they raced to a 43-run opening partnership in six overs.
Two quick strikes from pacers Jon Hinrichsen and Caleb Balich in the PowerPlay did little to stem the flow of runs as Jean du Plessis (27) and Jhedli van Briesies simply picked up from where the openers left off.
Du Plessis's dismissal brought Player of the Match Hanno Kotze to the crease. The two right-handers put together a match-winning partnership worth 77 runs.
Twenty-year-old Van Briesies narrowly missed out on a third List A half-century when he was dismissed for 47.
Kotze saw his team past the finish line with his eighth List A half-century. The 27-year-old scored five fours and a single six to his unbeaten 54 runs that came off 69 balls.
Glen Adams was Rhinos' most successful bowler on the day. The spinner took two wickets for 44 runs in his 10 overs.
MPUMALANGA RHINOS: Yasaar Cook, Rubin Hermann, Tumi Koto, Liam Peters, Glen Adams, Benjamin van Niekerk, Blake Schraader, Caleb Balich, Bamanye Xenxe, Jon Hinrichsen, Kgaudise Molefe.
SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS: Yaseen Valli, Blayde Capell, Jean du Plessis, Jhedli van Briesies, Hanno Kotze, Onke Nyaku, Heath Richards, Sean Whitehead, Renaldo Meyer, Pheko Moletsane, Sintu Majeza.