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Moonsamy heroics not enough as Lions edge Titans

cricket15 March 2024 19:54| © MWP
By:Ross Roche
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Rivaldo Moonsamy © Gallo Images

A fantastic half century from the bat of Rivaldo Moonsamy was not enough for the Momentum Multiply Titans as they fell just one run short in a thrilling CSA T20 Challenge match against the DP World Lions at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday night.

Set 184 to win, the Titans were indebted to Moonsamy who slammed a brilliant 88 off 50 balls, featuring six fours and six sixes, to get the Pretoria side in range, only for a lack of support from the rest of the batting order to cost them as they replied with 182 for six.

The Titans' chase got off to a disastrous start as both openers found themselves back in the dugout within three overs. Joshua van Heerden was trapped LBW by Bjorn Fortuin for a golden duck and Lhuan-dre Pretorious (9) was caught by Kagiso Rabada off Fortuin, leaving them in early trouble on 12 for two.

 

 

However, Moonsamy and Sibonelo Makhanya, 34 off 25 (3x4), combined for a strong 89-run third-wicket stand to bat their side back into the match.

Just as the Titans were setting a decent platform, Makhanya was caught by Mitchell van Buuren off the bowling of Rabada as they slipped to 101 for three.

The wicket didn’t slow down Moonsamy as he took charge of a 45-run fourth-wicket stand with Neil Brand (21), but with him nearing what would have been a fabulous century, Moonsamy found Wiaan Mulder off the bowling of Codi Yusuf, to leave them on 146 for four in the 17th over.

Brand struck two fours and a six in his 16-ball stay, but Dayyaan Galiem (3) was caught at long-on by Reeza Hendricks off the bowling of Kwena Maphaka, and Brand was caught at deep square leg by Temba Bavuma off Yusuf as they fell to 168 for six deep into the 19th over.

With 14 needed to win off the last over, Rabada would have been odds-on to defend bowling to Corbin Bosch (4no) and Aaron Phangiso (9no).

But he proved to be incredibly sloppy at the start as a wide off the first ball, and a full toss that was dropped for four in the deep by Yusuf meant the Titans managed 12 runs off the first five balls.

This left them needing two to win off the final delivery but Bosch attempted an ill-advised reverse scoop and missed the ball, with them running a bye which was not enough as they fell agonisingly short.

In the first innings, Wiaan Mulder and Van Buuren rescued the Lions from a tricky position and helped them post a defendable score of 183 for five in their 20 overs.

Mulder cracked seven fours and a six in his 32-ball 48, while Van Buuren struck three sixes in an unbeaten 37 off 27, as their 81-run fifth wicket partnership dug them out of a hole and laid the platform for a Delano Potgieter, 32no off 15 (3x4, 2x6), onslaught at the end of the innings.

At the start of play the Titans won the toss and put the Lions in to bat, with the hosts getting off to a poor start with the early wicket of Rassie van der Dussen (8), caught and bowled by Junior Dala in the fourth over leaving them on 23 for one.

Ryan Rickelton, 24 off 18 (2x4, 1x6) however looked good in guiding his side to 46 for one at the end of the powerplay, before his wicket sparked a mini-collapse that saw three fall for eight runs.

Rickelton was run out by Bosch, Reeza Hendricks (12) was caught by Makhanya off the bowling of Lizaad Williams and Bavuma (5) offered a return catch to bowler Phangiso as they slipped to 54 for four at the start of the ninth over.

This brought Mulder and Van Buuren together and they steadied the ship before powering their team over the hundred-run mark with a strong stand, before Mulder, just two runs short of a well-deserved half-century, was caught by Bosch off the bowling of Williams leaving them on 135 for five in the 17th over.

Potgieter was then the star of an unbeaten 48-run sixth wicket stand with Van Buuren, as he hammered the ball to all parts of the wicket, while 25 runs off the final over bowled by Dala boosted them to a decent total in the end.

DP WORLD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Mitchell van Buuren, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin (capt), Codi Yusuf, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Lhuan-dre Pretorious (wk), Sibonelo Makhanya, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Josh van Heerden, Neil Brand (capt), Dayyaan Galiem, Corbin Bosch, Junior Dala, Lizaad Williams, Aaron Phangiso, Tabraiz Shamsi

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