Delano Potgieter and Zubayr Hamza starred with bat and ball as they helped the DP World Lions maintain their unbeaten run in their CSA One-Day Cup campaign with a 47-run (DLS) win over the Moothee Ram Tuskers at the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lions won the toss, batted first and scored 265-5.
The Tuskers made slow progress in their chase and were on 92-4 after 24.1 overs when the match was disrupted by rain. Their score was below the DLS par total at the same point.
Zubayr Hamza put the Lions on the path to victory with a well-played 75 from 97 balls. This is his 15th List A half-century and he faced 53 deliveries to reach the milestone.
The opener got the visitors under way with a solid 48-run opening stand with Reeza Hendricks (22).
The pair ensured that the visitors did not lose a wicket in the powerplay. Unfortunately, Hendricks was unable to kick on after a solid start.
He was dislodged shortly after the powerplay and was replaced by Rassie van der Dussen (49). Hamza and Van der Dussen scored 98 runs for the second wicket.
The duo was dismissed in quick succession as the hosts tried to fight their way back into the contest.
However, it was too little too late. Temba Bavuma (39) and Mitch van Buuren (25) walked in and made meaningful contributions to the total before Delano Potgieter gave the visitors’ innings a flourish with an unbeaten 19-ball 29.
TWO WICKETS IN TWO OVERS
The Tuskers needed to replicate the start by the Lions or do better. They almost succeeded with a 51-run opening partnership between Jack Lees (24) and Malcolm Nofal (34).
The pair guided the hosts to 41-0 after the powerplay. They were not far behind the Lions’ powerplay score of 47-0.
However, Potgieter came in and disrupted the Tuskers’ chances for victory. The allrounder claimed two wickets in two overs to put the Tuskers on the back foot.
Potgieter, who was introduced in the 11th over, gave the Lions a much-needed breakthrough with Jack Lees’s dismissal in the 13th over.
He then accounted for Jonty Rapulana in the 15th over to put the visitors firmly in control.
Potgieter finished the match with two wickets for 11 runs in 4.1 overs.
Bjorn Fortuin complemented his efforts by claiming a brace of wickets of his own.
The spinner claimed two wickets for 17 runs in six overs. Potgieter and Fortuin capitalised on the platform laid by Beyers Swanepoel and Codi Yusuf.
Despite going wicketless, Swanepoel and Yusuf ensured that the Tuskers did not score at a healthy rate in the powerplay.
Tuskers: Jack Lees, Jonty Rapulana, Malcolm Nofal, Cameron Shekleton (capt), Michael Erlank, Andile Mogakane, Ntando Zuma (wk), Hardus Viljoen, Bamanye Xenxe, Daryn Dupavillon, Ziyaad Abrahams.
Lions: Reeza Hendricks, Zubayr Hamza, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Mitch van Buuren (wk), Delano Potgieter, Richard Seletswane, Beyers Swanepoel, Bjorn Fortuin (capt), Codi Yusuf, Nqaba Peter.