‘Baby AB’ Dewald Brevis powered the Momentum Multiply Titans to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their CSA T20 Challenge clash at St George’s Park at Gqeberha on Monday.
Eighteen-year-old Brevis, who was picked up in the IPL auction over the weekend by the Mumbai Indians for a cool R6 million, showed his burgeoning talent as he hammered an unbeaten 46 off 30 balls (4x4; 2x6) to lead the Titans home with 15 balls to spare.
Having been set 135 to win the Titans got off to the perfect start as Theunis de Bruyn (24) and Quinton de Kock (26) combined for an opening 50-run stand, but De Bruyn was run out by a direct hit from sub fielder Marques Ackerman and De Kock was caught off Thando Ntini as they slipped to 64 for two.
Heinrich Klaasen (16) then shared in a 30-run third-wicket partnership with Brevis, before he was also caught off the bowling of Ntini with the Titans on 94 for three.
Sibonelo Makhanya (21 not out) joined Brevis and they flayed the Dolphins bowlers around the ground in an unbeaten stand of 43 off 22 balls to cruise home, with Brevis lofting Daryn Dupavillon for a big six and then powerfully pulling him for four to get over the line in style.
Ntini, with 2-21 in his four overs, was basically the only bowler to emerge from the onslaught unscathed.
In the first innings a solid bowling effort from the Titans restricted the Dolphins to 134 for four in 19 overs.
It was an all-round effort from the Titans bowlers, with the seamers initially keeping the Dolphins in check, but a few big overs towards the end of the innings, led by Proteas star David Miller’s unbeaten 57 off 40 balls (2x4; 3x6), helped get them to a defendable total.
Junior Dala, 2-27, and Aaron Phangiso, 0-19, were the pick of the Titans' bowlers.
After early morning rain saw the start of the match delayed and reduced to 19 overs a side, the Titans won the toss and chose to field in favourable bowling conditions which looked to be the correct call as they reduced the Dolphins to 28 for three early in their innings.
Bryce Parsons (4), Khaya Zondo (12) and Grant Roelofsen (4) all misread the conditions and were caught off top and leading edges, with Lizaad Williams, Aya Gqamane and Dala picking up the wickets respectively to make it a perfect powerplay for the Titans.
Jason Smith (38) then joined Miller at the crease and they looked to rebuild the innings, however Smith really struggled to get the ball away and with him unable to get Miller on strike enough the Dolphins limped past 50 in the 10th over.
Smith had really dug a hole for himself and was on just 15 off 30 balls and his team on 73 for three after 14 overs, when they targeted Tabraiz Shamsi’s final over.
Two slog sweeps from Smith saw the ball go for four and six, with another maximum off the last ball from Miller seeing 19 off the over.
The final three overs of the innings were massively important for the Dolphins as they cashed in with 39 valuable runs.
Smith was dropped by a diving Gqamane for six in in the 17th over, although Dala and Gqamane got their revenge a few balls later as they teamed up again to get rid of Smith, this time to end the 77-run fourth-wicket stand, while 11 came off the over.
New man Andile Phehlukwayo got hold of a couple of balls from Donovan Ferreira in the 18th, hitting a four and a six as it went for 14, while Williams's last over started well, before a no ball that sailed for six off the bat of Miller saw it also go for 14 as the Dolphins finished well.
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Theunis De Bruyn, Quinton De Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Sibonelo Makhanya, Donovan Ferriera, Aya Gqamane, Aaron Phangiso, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi, Junior Dala, Dewald Brevis
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Bryce Parsons, Grant Roelofsen, Khaya Zondo, David Miller, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Ottneil Baartman, Ruan de Swardt, Thando Ntini, Daryn Dupavillon.