Gideon Peters claimed a four-wicket haul before Sinethemba Qeshile struck a measured half-century to help the Dafabet Warriors secure a five-wicket win over the Moothee Ram Tuskers in their CSA One-Day Cup match at St George's Park on Saturday.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping to mount an unassailable total.
That was not to be. The Warriors' bowlers landed the ball in good areas on their way to bowling the Tuskers out for 197 in 46.5 overs.
The Warriors needed 35.5 overs to reach 200=5 to claim a bonus point victory.
The Warriors were on 83-2 after 14 overs when Qeshile walked out to bat. The middle-order batter struck an unbeaten fluent 55 from 66 balls to shepherd the hosts to victory.
This is his 10th List A half-century. He shared an unbroken 68-run sixth-wicket partnership with Patrick Kruger (34*) that saw them home.
The pair capitalised on the platform built, in large part by Modiri Litheko (49). The opener ensured that the Warriors had a steady start to the chase and saw them get to 45/1 after the powerplay.
They were three runs adrift from where the Tuskers were at the same point. The Tuskers were on 48-0 after the first 10 overs.
The big difference, though, was that the hosts maintained a healthy scoring rate in their innings.
The Warriors, who maintained a run rate of more than five runs an over, cruised to 111-2 after 20 overs, compared to the Tuskers, who inched to 81-2 after 20 overs in their innings.
PETERS STAR WITH THE BALL
Earlier in the day, Gideon Peters produced a match-winning performance with the ball. The pacer registered his second List A four-wicket wicket haul to help the hosts restrict the visitors to a below par total.
The first innings par score in day games at St George's Park is 239 runs.
Peters finished the match with a commendable four wickets for 32 runs in nine overs. He delivered a crucial spell that helped to put the visitors on the back foot.
Peters, Patrick Kruger and George van Heerden, who were introduced after the powerplay, dried the flow of runs and conceded a mere 33 runs in the period between the 10th and 20th overs.
The sustained pressure earned the Warriors dividends, as they claimed three wickets for 14 runs in 4.5 overs. The Tuskers did not recover from that setback. Their innings meandered to 197 runs.
Peters had support from Thomas Kaber, who claimed a brace of wickets, and Kerwin Mungroo, Wesley Bedja and Grant van Heerden, who clinched a wicket each.
The 30 extras conceded by the Warriors' bowling attack was the only blemish on what was a good showing.
Malcolm Nofal was the Tuskers' shining light with a patient half-century. The opener dropped anchor and compiled a patient 57 from 111 balls while wickets tumbled at the other end.
Nofal, who was in the middle for 37 overs, played a workman-like innings that ended when he was run-out by Thomas Kaber and George van Heerden.
This is Nofal's 11th List A half-century. He faced 97 balls to reach the milestone.
Jack Lees (38) and Wayne Parnell (31*) were the only other Tuskers batters who made meaningful contributions.
Michael Erlank (11) and Daryn Dupavillon (10) were the only other batters to reach double figures.
DAFABET WARRIORS: Modiri Litheko, Muhammed Manack, Matthew de Villiers (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile, Jean du Plessis (wk), George van Heerden, Patrick Kruger, Thomas Kaber, Wesley Bedja, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters
TUSKERS: Jack Lees, Malcolm Nofal, Michael Erlank, Cameron Shekleton (capt), Matthew Urquhart, Wayne Parnell (capt), Ntandoyenkosi Zuma, Andile Mogakane, Hardus Viljoen, Bamanye Xenxe, Daryn Dupavillon