De Zorzi goes big as WP thump Tuskers

Six Gun Grill Western Province clinched a massive DLS assisted 141-run win over the AET Tuskers in their CSA One Day Cup match at Six Gun Grill Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday night.

A big century from opener Tony de Zorzi set the hosts on their way to an imposing total of 381 all out batting first, while Abdullah Bayoumy, 3-36 and Nandre Burger, 3-42, were the key wicket takers with the ball as the Tuskers fell to 241 all out in response.

George Linde also produced a star all-round performance on the day, scoring a half century and picking up 2-37 with the ball.

A couple of short showers towards the end of the Western Province and Tuskers innings saw the target and overs slightly revised on both occasions.

In the Tuskers innings they had three decent scores as Malcolm Nofal managed 70 off 59 balls (7x4, 2x6), Tiaan Koekemoer hit 53 off 71 (6x4) and Kyle Nipper scored 46 off 38 (6x4), but the lack of someone kicking on to a big century like De Zorzi, as well as some poor efforts from the rest of the batting order cost them.

The Tuskers' chase got off to a tough start as they couldn’t string together any meaningful early partnerships which left them in a spot of bother.

Burger sent opener Dilivio Ridgaard’s (5) off stump cartwheeling, and then had fellow opener Kagiso Rapulana (16) caught by Beuran Hendricks as they slipped to 27/2.

Koekemoer and Michael Erlank (16) tried to rebuild the innings but having shared in a 39-run third-wicket stand Erlank edged Mthiwekhaya Nabe to Jonathan Bird at slip.

Pite van Biljon (2) followed soon after, completely bamboozled by a spinning ball from Linde to edge to Hendricks at slip, leaving the Tuskers in big trouble on 69/4.

This brought Nofal to the crease and along with Koekemoer they tried to give their side a chance with a positive 86-run stand, before Koekemoer slapped Mihlali Mpongwana straight to De Zorzi at cover leaving them on 155/5.

A second good partnership followed, between Nofal and Nipper as they added 68 for the sixth wicket, but once Linde broke that stand by bowling Nofal, the Tuskers were out of the chase on 218/6.

Bayoumy snagged the next three wickets as he had Alindile Mhletywa caught for a third-ball duck in the slips, and then Keith Dudgeon (18) and Thando Ntini off successive balls as the Tuskers tumbled, with Nipper then last man out bowled by Burger.

CAREER BEST FROM DE ZORZI 

In the Western Province innings De Zorzi was in imperious form as he hammered his way to a career best 143 off 113 balls, smashing 18 fours and four sixes along the way.

He was superbly backed up by David Bedingham who crunched five sixes and three fours in his 39-ball 67, while Linde provided top runs down the order with 88 off 69 balls (6x4, 4x6).

The Western Province innings got off to a shaky start as Jonathan Bird (6) was run out in the fifth over after pausing just after setting off for a quick single, with the score 22/1.

Bedingham joined De Zorzi at the crease and they set off on a superb 154-run second wicket stand off just 100 balls.

An action packed 21^st over then saw De Zorzi bring up his century with a single, while Bedingham hammered Nofal over long off for a huge six, but tried to do the same off the next ball only to sky an outside edge to third man where he was caught by Van Biljon.

It's the century for Tony de Zorzi (100*)!💯🏏👏🔥😍#WPcricket #WozaNawe #BoysInBlue💙 #westernprovince pic.twitter.com/x8M8fKu6fZ

— Western Province Men (@WP_Blitz) October 4, 2023

This sparked a flurry of wickets as they slipped from 176/1 to 182/4, before De Zorzi and Linde combined for a solid 75-run stand.

De Zorzi was finally out for his highest list A score, slog sweeping Erlank to Dudgeon on the deep square-leg boundary.

Mihlali Mpongwana, 28 off 20 balls (2x4, 1x6) dominated a 34-run stand with Linde before a comedy of errors saw him run out, with the score 291/6.

Linde received lower order support from Bayoumy (16) and Beuran Hendricks (11)  before he was the penultimate wicket to fall, caught at long off as Mbulelo Budaza cleaned up the tail to finish with figures of 4-51.

WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Jonathan Bird, Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), David Bedingham, Valentine Kitime, George Linde, Abdullah Bayoumy, Mihlali Mpongwana, Beuran Hendricks, Nandre Burger, Mthiwekhaya Nabe

TUSKERS: Dilivio Ridgaard, Michael Erlank, Kagiso Rapulana, Tian Koekemoer, Pite van Biljon, Cameron Sheckleton, Malcom Nofal, Alindile Mhletywa, Kyle Nipper, Keith Dudgeon, Thando Ntini