Copeland trumps Stubbs as Rocks beat Warriors

The Gbets Rocks middle- and lower-order batters held their nerve in a tense finish to beat the Gbets Warriors by three-wickets with just two balls to spare in their CSA T20 Challenge match at St George’s Park in Gqberha on Thursday.

Tristan Stubbs continued his remarkable form for the Warriors, smashing a belligerent 47 from only 30 deliveries to help his team post a respectable 156 for six after choosing to bat first but the Rocks had 19-year-old Michael Copeland (40) and 35-year-old Chritiaan Jonker (30) to thank for rebuilding the run-chase which saw them finish on 160 for seven.

With 17 runs required from the final two overs and five wickets in hand the Rocks lost Copeland to a catch at mid off and Hlomla Hanabe (1) to a run out but were guided home to victory by Hardus Viljoen with an unbeaten 18 of just eight balls (3x4) and by 35-year-old Shaun von Berg who lap-swept the first ball of the final over for a vital boundary.

Janneman Malan (0) and older brother Pieter (4) departed early to leave the chase faltering at 9-2 but Clyde Fortuin and Ferisco Adams delivered identical innings of 27 from 17 balls to keep up with the rate.

Copeland showed exceptional maturity during his 40 from 38 balls (3x4) while Jonker’s power and experience were much in evidence as he struck a pair of fours and sixes in his 30 from 25 balls.

Twenty-one-year-old Stubbs is the leading run-scorer in the tournament and once again it was his power-hitting which rescued his team during a partnership of 75 with Diego Rosier (31 from 22 balls) who was unfortunate to be run out when his bat became stuck in the pitch completing what should have been a straightforward single.

Stubbs was trapped lbw by Viljoen in the final over having smashed three fours and three sixes.

Veteran legspinner Von Berg had both Wihan Lubbe (35 from 25 balls) and Lesiba Ngoepe (6) caught at short fine leg sweeping while Jon Jon Smuts (12) smashed a hard, low slog sweep straight to Copeland on the deep midwicket boundary as the innings lurched from 54 for one to 73 for four.

Von Berg was once again the pick of the attack for the Rocks with 3-26 from his four overs while Ferisco Adams bore the brunt of Stubbs's ferocious hitting conceding 45 from his four.

The Rocks are all-but guaranteed a place in the semifinals while the home side’s chances are hanging by a thread as they need to win both of their final two games, with at least bonus point, while hoping other results work in their favour.

WARRIORS:Wihan Lubbe, Matthew Breetzke, JJ Smuts, Tristan Stubbs, Lesiba Ngoepe, Diego Rosier, Sinethemba Qeshile (captain), Tiaan van Vuuren, Akhona Mnyaka, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Lizo Makhosi

ROCKS:Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan (captain), Clyde Fortuin, Ferisco Adams, Christiaan Jonker, Michael Copeland, Hardus Viljoen, Hlomla Hanabe, Shaun von Berg, Imran Manack, Siyabonga Mahima