Phehlukwayo fireworks get Titans to 182/7 in T20 Challenge playoff

A stunning late onslaught from Momentum Multiply Titans allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo powered his side to a competitive 182/7 batting first in their T20 Challenge playoff against World Sports Betting Western Province at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday evening.

Phehlukwayo arrived at the crease in 17th over and proceeded to hammer two sixes and four fours on his way to the innings top score of 39no off 16 balls, which helped his side score 53-runs off the final four overs to give their bowlers a decent total to defend.

Most of the Titans batting department got starts but were unable to kick on, until Phehlukwayo made sure they finished with a flourish.

At the start of play Western Province won the toss and chose to bowl, with the Titans innings getting off to a solid start as Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 24 off 16 balls (4x4; 1x6) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (29) took eight an over off the first three moving them to 24/0.

Pretorius hammered a six and four off the fourth over from Wesley Bedja as 12 came off it, followed by Moonsamy hitting two fours in Beuran Hendricks fifth, with Pretorius then out off the last ball, stunningly caught by Oliver Whitehead who had to take the catch on the boundary, throw the ball up, step out and back in to complete it.

A maiden over from Kyle Simmonds then saw the Titans finish the powerplay still well placed on 45/1, with them moving onto the halfway mark on 78/2 after Moonsamy was bowled by Mihlali Mpongwana in the ninth over.

Every time the Titans looked to be buolding a good partnership Province managed to strike with a wicket, and that trend continued as Heinrich Klaasen (13) was well caught by a diving Simmonds a ball after crashing Bedja for a six over deep midwicket, with the score 85/3.

That became 102/4 and 129/5 as Dayyaan Galiem (23) and Sibonelo Makhanya (11) were both caught in the deep when looking dangerous off the bowling of Whitehead and Hendricks respectively.

That set the stage for Phehlukwayo and he took aim at Bedja’s 18th over, crashing a six and three fours as 21 came off it, and 15 off Hendricks 19th adding another six and four, before Mpongwana pulled it back well with just eight coming off the last over.

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Migael Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Dayyaan Galiem, Heinrich Klaasen (c), Sibs Makhanya, Donovan Ferreira, Andile Phelukwayo, Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch, Junior Dala, Tabraiz Shamsi

WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE: Daniel Smith, Jono Bird, Valentine Kitime, Eddie Moore (wk), Mihlali Mpongwana, George Linde, Oliver Whitehead, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks (capt), Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Wesley Bedja