Janneman Malan’s valiant century effort was not enough to carry the Auto Investment North West Dragons over the line as they lost by 20 runs in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the Dafabet Warriors at Dafabet St George's Park Cricket Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
Replying to the Warriors' mammoth score of 221-5, which was largely contributed by JP King and Sinethemba Qeshile’s well articulated half-centuries, the Dragons finished on 200-3 in their 20 overs.
Malan notched an unbeaten 111 runs off just 60 balls, which included 11 fours and five sixes, to give the run-chase some momentum but disciplined bowling at the end saw the home side prevail. The century was also Malan’s third in T20s.
Chasing the third highest total in the edition, the Dragons got off to a flying start with Malan and Ludwich Schuld’s 75-run opening stand coming up in seven overs. Schuld, who was a passenger in the partnership, was dismissed for just 18 runs by King who had him caught at deep mid-wicket by a substitute fielder.
Wihan Lubbe had a brief stay at the crease as he was bowled by Alfred Mothoa for 16 runs.
Lesiba Ngoepe shared a 89-run fourth-wicket partnership with Malan at the end but their effort was not enough on the day.
Ngoepe(41) was eventually caught at deep square leg by another Warriors sub fielder in the 19th from the bowling of Duanne Olivier.
KING AND QESHILE STAR WITH THE BAT
Earlier in the evening, King (61 off 33 balls) produced a masterclass with the bat at a strike rate of 184.85 which included six boundaries and three sixes, while Qeshile smoked five boundaries and two sixes for his 53 off 26 balls to help the Warriors reach the double century target.
King shared an 87-run opening stand with Jiveshan Pillay which gave the Warriors a solid start as the Gqeberha side went on a run rate of 8.83 in the first six overs after Siya Simetu, who was the stand-in captain for regular skipler Matthew Breetzke, put the side in to bat first.
Warriors finished the first power play 53/0 and looked set for a projected score of 220.
Kerwin Mungroo had Pillay caught at mid off by Janneman Malan for 25 runs in the eight over and slowed the home side’s fast tempo.
Mungroo accounted for the dangerous wicket of King after he mis-timed his slog to Lesiba Ngoepe who was standing at deep mid-wicket for an easy catch in the first ball of the tenth over.
Beyers Swanepoel wasted no time in the middle and hit Mungroo for four boundaries in the same over.
With a strike rate of 200 next to his name Swanepoel retired hurt in the next over on 22 runs off 11 balls.
Despite the two quick wickets falling and Swanepoel retiring, Qeshile and Patrick Kruger continued with the blistering pace with the bat for the Warriors and took the Dragons bowlers to the cleaners.
The pair added 95 runs with their partnership before Kruger was caught at long on by Wihan Lubbe off Caleb Seleka’s bowling in the 17th over for 34 runs.
Qeshile eased past his second career T20 fifty in the 18 over but was dismissed off the first ball of the following over off Migael Pretorius, caught at fine leg by Achille Cloete.
Chris King was bowled out the next ball for a golden duck by Pretorius.
Pretorius finished with figures of 2-32 while Mungroo had 2-54.
WARRIORS : Jiveshan Pillay, Christopher Jayden King, Sinethemba Qeshile, Jean du Plessis (Wk), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mokgakane, Beyers Swanepoel, JP King, Anrich Nortje, Siya Simetu, (C), Alfred Mothoa
DRAGONS : Janneman Malan, Ludwich Schuld, Meeka-eel Prince (Wk), Wihan Lubbe (C), Lesiba Ngoepe, Ruan de Swardt, Migael Pretorius, Bamanye Xenxe, Caleb Seleka, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete