A blistering career-best from Matthew de Villiers and a maiden List A ton from Modiri Lotheko enabled the Dafabet Warriors to post a mammoth 400 for five against Goldrush Boland in a One-Day Cup match at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday.
Captain de Villiers cracked 17 boundaries and five maximums in an innings that really change the complexion of the Warriors’ innings, after having won the toss and electing to bat first.
Not to take anything away from the opening 126-run stand from 138 balls between Litheko and Muhammed Manack (57), but De Villiers’ acceleration allowed the visitors to post the highest List A total at Boland Park, beating the previous best of 357 for six – posted by the Warriors against Boland back in 2021/22 season.
De Villiers’ 133-run innings lasted just 77 balls and such was his flair at the crease was that he dominated the second-wicket stand, scoring 101 of the 158 runs from 103 balls with Litheko.
Litheko registered his maiden List A ton, scoring 117 from 115 runs which included nine fours and four sixes and used the chance he was given on 13 by Yves Kamanzi to great extent. Kamanzi dropped Litheko at fine leg from the bowling of Keith Dudgeon (10-1-87-3), which set the tone for the home side’s fielding efforts.
Many of the half-chances did not go to hand, with balls dropping just short of the fielders, or the fielders just not making a strong-enough effort.
Akhona Mnyaka (9-0-78-1) made the initial breakthrough, having Manack edging behind to Clyde Reeves-Fortuin after striking nine fours in his 61-ball knock. With Litheko on 66 at the time his captain came to the crease, De Villiers just exploded and quickly caught up with the opener.
Litheko eventually fell, striking Ferisco Adams (9-0-77-1) to Mnyaka on the point boundary. De Villiers played the Boland attack all around the park, hitting boundaries at will, but eventually succumbed to a slower ball, playing the ball straight to Imran Manack at short thirdman, giving Dudgeon, playing in his 50th List A match, a deserved wicket.
Patrik Kruger (36) and Jean du Plessis (28) continued the carnage with a 26-ball 48 after Kruger and De Villiers had smashed 51 from 36 balls. Dudgeon then gave his figures some semblance of respectability, having Kruger caught by Gavin Kaplan at square leg and then Du Plessis caught at short thirdman by substitute fielder, Jevano Baron, who was on for Imaran Manack (8-0-60-0).
Despite the efforts in the field, Kamanzi was the most economical bowler, conceding 60 runs in his 10 overs.
GOLDRUSH BOLAND – Grant Roelofsen, Blayde Capell, Gavin Kaplin, Clyde Reeves-Fortuin (capt, wk), Jhedli van Briesies, Ferisco Adams, Ethan Cunningham, Imraan Manack, Keith Dudgeon, Yves Kamanzi, Akhona Mnyaka.
DAFABET WARRIORS – Muhammed Manack, Modiri Litheko, Matthew de Villiers (capt), Jean du Plessis (wk), Senuran Muthusamy, Sinethemba Qeshile, Patrick Kruger, Jean Upman, Thomas Kaber, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters.