Maphaka outstanding as he bowls Lions to victory

Kwena Maphaka sensationally defended 10 runs in the Super Over to lead the DP World Lions to a thrilling one-run win over the World Sports Betting Western Province in their CSA T20 Challenge match at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Bjorn Fortuin, the Lions captain, tasked the 17-year-old bowler with the responsibility of defending the 10 runs scored by Ryan Rickelton and Evan Jones after the Lions had batted first in the Super Over. Wayne Parnell of the Western Province had been exceptional as he conceded a single boundary, a bye, a couple of twos and a single in his over.

Maphaka stepped up and outdid his fellow left-hand pacer, delivering a dot ball, five singles and a boundary off the last ball of the Super Over, with victory secured. The young man showed his range of skills, bowling yorkers, slow full tosses and hard length deliveries that the experienced duo of George Linde and Kyle Verreynne failed to hit out of the park.

The two teams found themselves in the Super Over after Wayne Parnell had brilliantly defended eight runs in the last over of the Lions’ innings. Much of the home side’s innings was affected by rain and lightning. Rain descended on the Wanderers after Western Province had stumbled their way to 127 in a dismal show of batting.

The visitors’ highest partnership was the 31-run stand between David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne. The two Wynberg Boys' High alumni were also Western Province's highest run-getters with scores of 37 and 26, respectively. The second and third-highest partnerships were worth 26 and 24 runs, the latter was between number ten and eleven batters, Beuran Hendricks (23) and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (5).

After an hour of rain, the Lions’ innings was reduced to 11 overs and their target was 81 runs. Ryan Rickelton (22*) and Rassie van der Dussen (14) gave the home side a dream start with a 34-run partnership that kept the DRS-required score in check. The flow of their innings was disrupted by lightning. Van der Dussen was dismissed almost immediately after they returned to the middle after spending some time on the sidelines. By then, the Lions’ innings had been reduced to seven overs and the revised score to 52 runs.

The home side lost another wicket within three deliveries and with Parnell performing heroics in the final over, dismissing Reeza Hendricks with the last delivery as the Proteas opener was trying to go over the inner ring for a single, it looked as if the home side was watching a match they had firmly in their hand slip away. But, Russell Domingo and his captain, Bjorn Fortuin, had an inspired pick for the Super Over, allrounder Evan Jones.

The tall 27-year-old relegated his partner Ryan Rickelton to a spectator as he swung hard to lead his team to victory. Jones scored eight runs from five deliveries and that was enough to give his team a total they could defend.

Earlier in the afternoon, Maphaka had been one of the Lions’ five wicket-takers as the home side’s bowlers put on a polished performance. Codi Yusuf and Lutho Sipamla led the charge with a brace of wickets apiece, while Bjorn Fortuin, Kwena Maphaka, Evan Jones, and Reeza Hendricks bagged a single wicket each as the Lions put the screws on Western Province. The Lions were so good they conceded only five extras, two wides, one no-ball and two legbyes.

LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Mitch van Buuren, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin (c), Codi Yusuf, Lutho Sipamla, Kwena Maphaka.

WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Eddie Moore, Kyle Verreynne (c), David Bedingham, Mihlali Mpongwana, George Linde, Wayne Parnell, Abdallah Bayoumy, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.