Fortuin captain's knock helps Boland set 172 target in Paarl

Goldrush Boland captain Clyde Fortuin's half century helped his side register a decent first-innings total of 171-6 in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the Dafabet Warriors at Eurolux Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.

Fortuin scored a well calculated 50 runs off 35 balls which included three sixes and three boundaries and also shared an opening stand of 71 runs with Grant Roelofsen after electing to bat first on a slow Boland surface.

Boland finished the first power play on 61-0 at a run rate of 10.17 and looked set for a projected score of 230.

Warriors captain Siya Simetu turned to the left-arm spin of Liam Alder in the sixth over to counter Boland's quick start and introduced himself in the next over, during which he picked up the wicket of Roelofsen after having him caught at cover by Patrick Kruger for 26 runs.

Alder broke through new batter Gavin Kaplan's defence and bowled him for just three runs in the eighth over.

From the eighth over till the 12th, Boland managed to get only two boundaries as Simetu and Alder dried up the runs with their impressive spells of spin.

The continuous pressure from the Warriors duo led to Alder's second scalp of the evening, that of big fish Fortuin just after he reached his 50 runs.

Alder bowled Fortuin trying to cut a length ball off the third delivery of the 12th over, leaving Boland on 105-3.

Aviwe Mgijima and Lehan Botha tried accelerating Boland's scoring rate, but they only managed to add 33 runs to the score with their partnership.

Mgijima mistimed his shot off the bowling of Patrick Kruger and was caught brilliantly by a sprinting Beyers Swanepoel at mid-on for a slow 40 runs off 30 balls in the 17th over.

Shaun von Berg (6) had a short stay at the crease after being run out by Jiveshan Pillay off the third ball of the 18th over.

Three balls later Alfred Mothoa had Lehan Botha(18) caught at long-off by Andile Mokgakane after toeing his half volley.

Keith Dudgeon hit Swanepoel for 17 runs in the 19th over and helped Boland reach their total.

Boland desperately need a win against the Warriors to keep them in contention for the last semifinal spot going into the last round.

GOLDRUSH BOLAND: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Clyde Fortuin(capt), Gavin Kaplan, Aviwe Mgijima, Lehan Botha, Shaun von Berg, Keith Dudgeon, Glenton Stuurman, Imraan Manack, Ayabulela Gqamane, Siyabonga Mahima

DAFABET WARRIORS: JP King, Jordan Hermann, Jiveshan Pillay, Jean du Plessis (wk), Sinethemba Qeshile, Patrick Kruger, Andile Mokgakane. Beyers Swanepoel, Liam Alder, Siya Simetu (capt), Alfred Mothoa