Kruger, Swanepoel bowl Warriors to bonus-point victory

Four wickets by Beyers Swanepoel and three by Patrick Kruger saw the Dafabet Warriors claim a fourth win in a row, after a 32-run bonus-point triumph over the Gbets Rocks in their CSA T20 Challenge clash in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Swanepoel grabbed 4-16 from four overs while Kruger returned figures of 3-20 from 2.3 overs as Anrich Nortje and Siya Simetu claimed one wicket each to dismiss the visitors for 116 with two balls to spare.

Earlier, a 47-run partnership between Kruger and JP King propelled the Dafabet Warriors to 165 for six in their allotted 20 overs.

Kruger smashed the final ball of the innings for a maximum to score 29 runs off 16 balls including two boundaries and a six while King struck 24 off 13 including three boundaries in their respective stays at the crease.

Chasing a revised target of 150 from 17 overs, the Rocks lost both Malan brothers when Janneman was caught behind by Sinethemba Qeshile for a single run while Pieter was bowled off an inside edge for a golden duck to close out the Swanepoel opening over.

Swanepoel struck for a third time to remove the set batter in Clyde Fortuin after the right-hander registered 33 runs from 22 balls including five boundaries and a six.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Simetu took his tournament wicket tally to nine when he sent Michael Copeland back to the dugout for a single as the Rocks slipped to 42-4 at the end of the powerplay.

When play resumed, Christiaan Jonker and Ferisco Adams dropped their anchor in an attempt to put together a partnership, taking their side to 71 for four at the halfway mark.

Kruger had Adams (13) caught on the boundary by Jiveshen Pillay, while Shaun von Berg fell without troubling the scorers, also caught on the fence by Jordan Hermann as they slipped to 80/6 in the 12th over.

Kruger’s third wicket came when Mokgakane held onto a catch to get rid of Jonker, who scored his 33 at better than run a ball, while hitting just two boundaries.

Imraan Manack was Swanepoel’s fourth victim, out for a single before Viljoen and Mahima fought valiantly, as the visitors lost their final three wickets for just 16 runs.

Winning the toss and batting first, the early loss of skipper Matthew Breetzke for a single by Hardus Viljoen, saw Warriors duo Pillay and Mokgakane combined to take the hosts to 41 for one after the first six overs.

Rocks left-arm orthodox spinner Mahima broke the 42-run second-wicket stand, removing both batters in consecutive overs.

He disturbed the wickets of Mokgakane (16) in the seventh over, and then removed Pillay in the same manner in the ninth over, to leave the Warriors on 67 for three.

Hermann and Qeshile steadied the ship, taking their side past 100 in the 13th over with seven wickets in hand and looking to increase the scoring rate.

Von Berg grabbed two quick wickets in the 15th over when he had Qeshile (24) and Hermann (19) caught by Jonker and Adams respectively as the home side slipped to 109 runs with half the side out.

Swanepoel edged Viljoen to wicketkeeper Fortuin before Kruger and King took the hosts past 150 in the penultimate over.

The duo faced 25 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a six in their seventh wicket partnership as the Warriors surpassed 160 in the final over.

Von Berg and Mahima returned figures of 2-23 and 2-33 respectively, while Viljoen took 2-28.

DAFABET WARRIORS: Jiveshen Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Matthew Breezke (C), Andile Mokgakane, Sinethemba Qeshile (WK), Patrick Kruger, JP King, Beyers Swanepoel, Anrich Nortje, Renaldo Meyer, Siya Simetu

GBET ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Clyde Fortuin (WK), Pieter Malan (c), Christiaan Jonker, Michael Copeland, Ferisco Adams, Shaun von Berg, Hardus Viljoen, Imraan Manack, Siyabonga Mahima, Akhona Mnyaka.