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Rickelton, Maphaka set Lions up for T20 Challenge win over Rocks

cricket08 March 2024 19:32| © MWP
By:Ross Roche
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Kwena Maphaka © Gallo Images

The DP World Lions batting department, led by in-form power hitter Ryan Rickelton set them up for a strong 43-run win over the Gbets Rocks in their CSA T20 Challenge match at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday night.

Rickelton picked up where he left off after finishing as the SA20 top run scorer, as he smashed five sixes and six fours in his 39 ball 75 to get the Lions off to a flying start and set them on their way to a big total of 223/5 batting first.

The Rocks could only respond with 180/7, with Janneman Malan top scoring with 61, while SA U19 bowling sensation Kwena Maphaka claimed superb figures of 3-22 in his four overs to lead the bowling charge.

The Rocks' chase got off to a poor start as Evan Jones struck in the third over, having opener Pieter Malan (14) caught by Wiaan Mulder, and Keegan Petersen caught by Kagiso Rabada for a first-ball duck leaving them in early trouble on 17/2.

Clyde Fortuin looked in the mood as he cracked two fours and a six in his nine-ball 16, but after he was trapped LBW by Bjorn Fortuin it left them on 36/3 in the fifth over.

Janneman found a willing partner in Michael Copeland (21) and they tried to revive the chase with a 74-run fourth wicket stand.

But Copeland was caught by Tshepo Moreki off the bowling of Maphaka and Janneman was caught by Jones off Fortuin two overs later as they slipped to 121/5 in the 15th over.

Ferisco Adams had some fun down the order as he slammed three sixes and a four in a 10-ball 25, but when him and Hardus Viljoen (1) were bowled by Maphaka in the 18th over, they were well out of the game on 158/7 by then.

FLYING START FOR LIONS

At the start of play the Rocks won the toss and chose to bowl, with Rickelton backed up by Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten 42 off 22 balls (3x4, 2x6), as well as Reeza Hendricks, 28 off 18 (3x4, 1x6), Temba Bavuma, 26 off 16 (3x4, 1x6) and Mulder, 22 off 11 (2x4, 1x6) all chipping.

Rickelton and Hendricks got their side off to a flying start as they powered to 63/0 after just five overs, but the first over after the powerplay brought the breakthrough as Hendricks was caught by Copeland off Viljoen leaving them on 76/1 in the seventh over.

Bavuma joined Rickelton and shared in a 56-run second-wicket stand as they cruised past the hundred run mark and Rickelton brought up his half century.

Both set batters fell in quick succession, Bavuma caught by Christiaan Jonker off Adams and Rickelton caught by Petersen off Akhona Mnyaka, as they slipped to 149/3 in the 13th over.

This brought Mitchell van Buuren (11) in to join Van Der Dussen, but he struggled to get the ball away in his 14-ball innings before being trapped LBW by Viljoen with the score 188/4 in the 18th over.

Mulder then dominated his 35-run stand off 16 balls with Van Der Dussen, but was out off the last ball of the innings, caught by Petersen off Viljoen.

DP WORLD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Mitchell van Buuren, Wiaan Mulder, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Tshepo Moreki, Kwena Maphaka.

GBETS ROCKS: Pieter Malan (capt), Janneman Malan, Keegan Petersen, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Michael Copeland, Christaan Jonker, Ferisco Adams, Hardus Viljoen, Siya Mahima, Imraan Manack, Akhona Mnyaka.

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