Moonsamy and Galiem shine as Titans thump Warriors in Gqeberha

Rivaldo Moonsamy and Dayyan Galiem’s half-centuries ensured that the Momentum Multiply Titans walked away with a comfortable six wicket victory in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the Dafabet Warriors at Dafabet St George's Park Cricket Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.

Moonsamy scored a quick-fire 73 off 39 balls while Galiem notched 55 runs off 34 deliveries to help the Titans finish with 174 for four and reach their revised target of 174 with two overs to spare.

The win means the Titans finish second on the log with 21 points and proceed to the playoffs.

Earlier on, Warriors opener Jordan Hermann scored a brilliant century and helped his side register a decent first-innings total of 179 for five.

In reply, Titans got off to a flying start with Moonsamy and Lhuan-dre Pretorius going at a run rate of 13.50. The pair reached 48 runs in four overs before the loss of Pretorious (23), who was run out by Jean du Plessis.

Neil Brand was caught at square leg by Patrick Kruger for a two-ball duck off Alfred Mathoa’s bowling.

With the Titans 50 for two after five overs, Moonsamy and Galiem stepped up and added 99 runs to the Titans' score before Moonsamy mistimed his slog sweep in the 13th over and was caught at deep mid-wicket by Sinethemba Qeshile off JP King’s bowling.

Anrich Nortje clean bowled Galiem in the 14th over but the damage had been done by the men from the nation's capital.

Donovan Ferreira, with an unbeaten 18 runs, ensured the Titans crossed the line comfortably at the end.

The Warriors got off to a bad start in their innings after the Titans won the toss and elected to bowl first.

They lost opener Jiveshan Pillay (3) in the second over to Junior Dala after he flicked his shot straight to Galiem, who was standing at backward square leg.

Hermann and JP King ensured there was no quick tumble of wickets for the Warriors and helped them finish the first power play on 41 for one at a run rate of 7.00, looking set for a 140-run target.

Brand introduced the spin of Tabraiz Shamsi in the sixth over to pick up more wickets. The trick immediately worked as Shamsi bowled JP King for 17 runs, leaving the Warriors 45 for two.

The Titans continued to bowl with discipline and made it hard for King and Hermann to get any easy boundaries. Warriors only managed to get two boundaries between the eighth and 12th overs.

Though King and Hermann were cramped for boundaries, their strike rotation was sublime and helped the Warriors pass the 100-run mark in the 14th over.

Hermann accelerated the Warriors' score and hit fast bowler Dala for an expensive 25 runs in the 15th over.

Brand turned to Shamsi to calm the Warriors' free flow of runs yet again. The change of pace immediately worked in the 16th over as he had Du Plessis (27) caught by Corbin Bosch at cover after skying his slog sweep.

The 22-year-old Hermann reached his second career T20 hundred in the 17th over in style with a four, his ton coming off 58 balls.

In the next over, Galiem removed the dangerous Hermann after he mistimed his shot to Lhuan-dre Pretorius who was at cover.

Sinethemba Qeshile had a short stay in the crease for his nine runs after he hit the wickets off the bowling of Bosch. Andile Makgakane (4) was run out by Bosch in the last ball of the innings.

Shamsi was the standout bowler for the Titans with figures of 2-23 at an economy rate of 5.75.

DAFABET WARRIORS: Jordan Hermann, Jiveshan Pillay, JP King, Jean du Plessis (wk), Sinethemba Qeshile, Andile Mokgakane, Patrick Kruger, Christopher King, Anrich Nortje, Siya Simetu (capt), Shimane Mothoa

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Rivaldo Moonsamy(wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Neil Brand (capt), Bongumusa Makhanya, Donovan Ferreira, Abdu Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Corbin Bosch, Roelof van der Merwe, Junior Dala, Tabraiz Shamsi