A brutal batting assault of 40* from just 18 balls by Donovan Ferreira and a slightly more measured 58* from 30 by Neil Brand carried the Momentum Multiply Titans to a comfortable six-wicket victory against the Moothee Ram Tuskers in their CSA One Day Cup match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.
The match has been reduced to 20-overs per side although the forecast is for further drizzle in the evening.
Andile Mogakane top-scored with 43 from 33 balls to help the Tuskers post a challenging total of 180-7 after being asked to bat first and, with the Titans at 103-4 after 14 overs, they were very much in the contest.
But Ferreira crashed four sixes and a four with Brand adding four apiece during their unbroken stand of 78 from just five overs to seal an emphatic victory with an over to spare at 181-4 after the match was reduced to 20-overs per side because of persistent drizzle for most of the day.
Earlier Mogakane struck four fours and two sixes but also endured 15 dot balls during his innings against some fine bowling from the home side, particularly Duan Jansen (4-0-18-2) who conceded just four runs from his first two overs on an uncharacteristically awkward pitch for batting.
Twenty-four-year-old former SA Under-19 opener Jack Lees contributed 37 from 23 balls (2x4, 3x6) but it was largely a struggle for the middle order with veteran paceman Junior Dala claiming 3-27 in a typically attacking spell.
But Jansen, who is looking more and more like his fabled twin brother Marco, was outstanding at both ends of the innings, claiming 13 dot-balls from the 24 he bowled as well as the two wickets.
The pedestrian innings was transformed in the closing overs by Michael Erlank (22 from 12 balls) and wicket keeper Ntando Zuma who thrashed a fine 29 from just 15 balls with Dayaan Galiem (3-0-38-1) and Lizaad Williams (4-0-50-0) bearing the brunt of the late assault.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (18 from 14 balls) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (19 from 21) laid a solid and brisk platform for the run-chase upon which Brand and Ferreira built with vigorous enthusiasm.
The Titans now join the DP World Lions in second place on the log with 12 points from three wins and a defeat from their four games while the Tuskers remain in last place with just two points from a washout and three defeats in four matches.
The Warriors head the log with 14 points from three victories and one ‘no result.’
TITANS: Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wkt), Rivaldo Moonsamy (captain), Keegan Petersen, Lesego Senokwane, Neil Brand, Donovan Ferreira, Dayyaan Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Duan Jansen, Junior Dala, Lizaad Williams
TUSKERS: Matthew Urquhart, Malcolm Nofal, Michael Erlank, Wayne Parnell (captain), Andile Mogakane, Sean Gilson, Hardus Viljoen, Bamanye Xenxe, Daryn Dupavillon, Ntando Zuma (wkt), Jack Lees.