A superb assault with the bat from Keagan Lion-Cachet and Duan Jansen helped lead the Momentum Multiple Titans to a thrilling four-wicket win over the Dafabet Warriors in their CSA One-Day Cup qualifier at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Wednesday.
On a difficult wicket that both teams’ batters struggled on it was the onslaught from Lion-Cachet and Jansen, who combined for a match winning 66-run sixth-wicket partnership off 53 balls, that got them close enough to eventually get over the line with 41 balls to spare
Lion-Cachet starred with a maiden list A half century, eventually finishing unbeaten on 57 off 42 balls, slamming three sixes, including a glorious straight six to end the match, and a four in a brilliant innings.
Jansen backed him up extremely well with his run-a-ball 30 (1x4; 2x6), in a strong all-round performance as he also picked up 2-42 in 10 overs with the ball.
The other key contributors in the chase were captain Rivaldo Moonsamy, 46 off 83 balls (5x4), and Keegan Petersen, 39 off 69 (3x4), but when they both fell the Titans were in a tough position on 127-5 in the 33rd over and needed the two younger players to bail them out.
The Titans now move on to the final where they will face fierce cross-Jukskei rivals the DP World Lions at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
MATCH RESULT: The Momentum Multiply Titans seal a thrilling 4-wicket victory! đź’Ą
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) March 25, 2026
And just like that, we’ve powered our way into the 1-Day Cup FINALS! 🔥💙 Wanderers, get ready… it’s time to turn EVERYTHING BLUE!#WhereLegendsRise I #1DayCup pic.twitter.com/Tvwyp2PmzX
A BIT OF A WOBBLE
Earlier the Warriors had been put into bat and were bowled out for what seemed to be a well below par 204, but in the end proved a tricky target, as their bowlers kept the Titans batters largely in check, before Lion-Cachet and Jansen turned it all on its head.
The Titans' chase got off to a slow and difficult start as they lost two wickets in the first 10 overs, with Patrick Kruger having opener Lesego Senokwane (10) top edging to Sinethemba Qeshile at deep backward point, and bowling Neil Brand (13), leaving them on 39-2 in the 10th over.
That brought Petersen in to join Moonsamy and they revived the chase with a 57-run stand off 106 balls as they ground their way towards the 100-run mark.
But Moonsamy’s wicket sparked a bit of a wobble, as the Titans lost three wickets for 31 runs, with the opener first popping an easy catch to Warriors captain Matthew de Villers at mid on off the bowling of Wesley Bedja.
Dayyaan Galiem (1) then skied Gideon Peters to keeper Jean du Plessis, followed by Petersen dragging a wide ball from spinner Thomas Kaber onto his own stumps as they slipped to 127-5.
But that saw Jansen join Lion-Cachet and they powered their side towards the win, before Jansen was clean bowled by Bedja with the finish line in sight.
Kruger, with 2-28 in his eight overs, was the pick of the Warriors bowlers, while Bedja, with 2-46, backed him up.
TOP STUFF FROM TITANS' BOWLERS
In the Warriors' innings a top all-round bowling performance saw the Titans bowl the Warriors out in the last over.
It was top stuff from all of the bowlers, but the spinners reigned supreme, as experienced veteran Roelof van der Merwe picked up an impressive 3-32 in 9.3 overs, while part-timer Brand produced wonderful figures of 2-24 from his 10 overs.
Not a single bowler went for over six an over and Jansen, Junior Dala (2-45) and Lizaad Williams (1-32) all also got among the wickets.
Warriors opener Muhammad Manack top scored for the hosts, with 80 off 99 balls (9x4; 1x6), while Kruger, 40 off 43 (2x4; 1x6), hit some important runs down the order, with no one else really standing out in a very poor batting effort.
50 up for Muhammad Manack
— The Dafabet Warriors (@WarriorsCrickEC) March 25, 2026
He steadied the innings with 50 off 69 balls🏏🔥#WozaNawe #1DayCup #WarriorWay #DafabetWarriors pic.twitter.com/F2OoHCUqi4
The Warriors' innings got off to a slow start as openers Manack and Modiri Litheko (26) scored 46 off the first 10 overs, before the 50 came up in the 13th.
In the next over the Titans made the breakthrough, as Van Der Merwe got one to spin past the sweep of Litheko and pin him in front to send him on his way with the score 60-1.
De Villiers (9) was in next, but he never looked comfortable despite adding 25 to the score with Manack, before Dala was introduced into the attack and struck first ball, having the captain edging behind to keeper Lion-Cachet.
Dala picked up another in his second over, as new batter Qeshile (2) followed shortly, top edging to Galiem at deep fine leg as they slipped to 93-3 in the 23rd over.
Manack brought up a 69-ball half century in the 24th over, followed by the Warriors' 100 coming up in the next, before the opener looked to free up against Dala in the 29th, as he cracked him for a four down to long on and a six over deep midwicket, with 15 coming off it.
In the next over Du Plessis, who also struggled in scratching his way to eight off 27 balls, hit Brand straight to Jansen at long on, with the score 127-4.
That brought Kruger in to join Manack and they needed to stick together if they wanted to get to a decent total, but they could only add 13 to the score before Manack became the second batter to hit Brand to Jansen at long on.
Kruger tried to make a fist of it in the closing overs, but he feathered an edge off Van Der Merwe to Lion-Cachet in the 46th over and Thomas Kaber (11) was the only other batter to get into double figures as they eventually tumbled all out.
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
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Lesego Senokwane, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Keegan Petersen, Neil Brand, Dayyaan Galiem, Keagan Lion Cachet, Andile Phehlukwayo, Duan Jansen, Carl Dala, Roelof van der Merwe, Lizaad Williams