Dewald Brevis broke multiple records on his way to 162 runs off 57 balls as he helped the Momentum Multiply Titans secure a 41-run victory over the ITEC Knights in their CSA T20 Challenge match at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Monday afternoon.
The Knights managed to score 230 for the loss of nine wickets in their chase of the Titans’ mammoth total of 271 for three.
Dewald Brevis put on a masterclass in T20 batting. Eighty per cent of Brevis' runs (130) came from boundaries, 13 fours and 13 sixes. The encounter also saw a new record coming to life. The Titans and the Knights now share the record for the most runs in a T20 match. The two sides scored a combined 502 runs.
The Knights won the toss and asked the Titans to bat first, a challenge that Dewald Brevis and Jiveshan Pillay took head-on. The pair were in a belligerent mood, and gave the Titans a dream start, as they cruised to a 50-run partnership in just 3.4 overs. Pillay played the role of the foil to Brevis’ aggression and the duo saw the Titans through the PowerPlay overs unscathed. The Titans were on 63 for no wickets after the PowerPlay.
In the next over, Brevis registered the fastest 50 to be scored at JB Marks Oval. The 19-year-old needed only 18 deliveries to score a scintillating 55 runs.
We’ve seen special T20 knocks, very few better than this one from Dewald Brevis - 100* off 35 balls ??
— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) October 31, 2022
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After 10.3 overs of being bludgeoned by a free-flowing Brevis, the Knights had the opportunity to dismiss the youngster after he holed out to Raynard van Tonder stationed at the boundary. Van Tonder was unable to hold on to the catch. A couple of balls later, Brevis went past Loots Bosman’s record. Bosman previously held the record for the fastest 100 in the CSA T20 Challenge. His century came off 41 balls. Brevis' century came off 38 deliveries. Brevis’ century was also the fourth fastest 100 in T20 cricket.
After 13.4 overs, Brevis and Pillay broke another record by registering the highest first-wicket partnership in the CSA T20 Challenge. The previous record was 172. Brevis and Pillay’s partnership was 179 runs. Two deliveries after making history, Pillay reached his half-century off 44 deliveries. A delivery later, Pillay was dismissed by Aubrey Swanepoel trying to clear the fielder at the deep square boundary.
The next man in was Donavon Ferreira. Ferreira was promoted to No 3 as the Titans sought to give the big hitter some time in the middle. Ferreira was returning from a forced layoff due to health reasons. Shortly after Ferreira's arrival, Brevis broke another record. Quinton De Kock previously held the record for the highest individual score in the CSA T20 Challenge with 126 runs. Brevis reached 128 off 45 deliveries.
Shortly after the milestone, Brevis provided the Knights with a half-chance, but despite his valiant effort, Migael Pretorius could not get his hand to the ball.
After 17.4 overs, Brevis and Ferreira broke the record for the highest team score in the CSA T20 Challenge, as they brought their total up to 232 for one wicket. A relentless Ferreira fell on the next delivery as he was dismissed by Migael Pretorius for an excellent 33 from 15.
At the close of the 19th over, Brevis brought up his 150 and entered into the top 10 of the most runs in T20 cricket. The next ball, Gerald Coetzee thought he had dismissed Brevis but his delivery was judged to be a waist-high no-ball.
Brevis eventually fell after 19.3 overs. With his 162, Brevis became the third-highest individual scorer in T20, joining former Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza in the position.
CHARMED LIFE FOR CLOETE
Migael Pretorius was the Knights' best bowler with one wicket from his four overs at an economy of 10.25 runs an over. Gerald Coetzee and Aubrey Swanepoel also took a wicket each, but at higher economy rates of 12 and 14 runs an over.
The Knights knew that their chase was always going to be a difficult one, but Gihan Cloete and Jacques Snyman were unfazed. The pair came out guns blazing and immediately put the Titans' bowlers under pressure early on.
After 2.4 overs, Gihan Cloete was dropped by Dayyaan Galiem when he was on 25 off 12. In the next over, the Titans had another opportunity when Neil Brand almost dismissed Cloete off a caught and bowled opportunity. Unfortunately for Brand, the ball did not stick to hand.
After being dropped twice, Cloete settled his nerves and combined with Snyman to guide the Knights to 50 runs without losing a wicket. The pair needed only 4.5 overs to reach the milestone. The Knights were unscathed and on 66 without loss after the PowerPlay. The Knights also registered the highest PowerPlay score of the tournament.
OUTSTANDING CATCH
Simon Harmer provided the Titans with a breakthrough after 6.2 overs. The first batter to fall was Snyman. The experienced campaigner was trying to clear the boundary but was undone by an outstanding catch by Dewald Brevis at the boundary. Brevis first saved a six and then lobbed the ball back into the field before taking a diving catch. Snyman was dismissed for 28 from 14. The Knights were on 72 for one.
Cloete made the Titans pay for not taking their chances to dismiss him. He reached his ninth T20 half-century in 29 deliveries. Unfortunately for Cloete, he could not kick on as he was dismissed by Aaron Phangiso in the ninth over. He fell after facing three more deliveries after his half-century for a well-played 51 from 32 balls.
The next wicket to fall was that of Raynard van Tonder. The Knights’ No 3 batter barely got going before he fell to Neil Brand's bowling for a meek 12 off nine deliveries. The 26-year-old spinner made it two wickets in one over when he dismissed Aubrey Swanepoel, the Knights' captain, for a run-a-ball three.
Shortly afterward, Patrick Kruger followed his captain back to the dressing room after he was dismissed by Phangiso for 22 off 13 deliveries. Pacer Gerald Coetzee played an 11-ball cameo that yielded 37 runs. Twenty-four of the runs came off Dewald Brevis' second over. But it was Brevis who had the last laugh as he dismissed Coetzee off the last ball of the over.
Pite van Biljon's stay at the crease was cut short by Brand after 16.4 overs. The former Knights captain spent a lot of time at the crease, but just not at the striker’s end. Van Biljon faced nine deliveries for his 12 runs. At this point, the Knights were in trouble, needing 84 runs from 19 deliveries. The Knights brought up their 200 runs in 17.4 overs, but it was too little too late.
Migael Pretorius hit a few lusty blows in his brief innings that yielded 29 off 14. His stay was cut short by a Brevis catch off the bowling of Dayyaan Galiem on the last ball of the 19th over. It seemed hard to keep the Titans teenager out of the game for extended periods, and the youngster could do no wrong.
Neil Brand was the Titans' most successful bowler with three wickets from four overs at an economy of seven runs an over. Aaron Phangiso had the second-best bowling figures with two wickets from four overs at an economy of 11 runs an over.
KNIGHTS: Gihan Cloete (wk), Jacques Snyman, Raynarf van Tonder, Aubrey Swanepoel (c), Patrick Kruger, Pite van Biljon, Isaac Dikgale, Orapeleng Motlhoaring, Gerald Coetzee, Migael Pretorius, Mbulelo Budaza.
TITANS: Dewald Brevis, Jiveshan Pillay, Theunis De Bruyn, Sibonelo Makhanya (c), Neil Brand, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Dayyaan Galiem, Aya Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Junior Dala, Aaron Phangiso.