All-round Titans beat Western Province to reach T20 Challenge final

An all-round performance from the Momentum Multiply Titans saw them clinch 19-run win over World Sports Betting Western Province in their T20 Challenge playoff at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday night.

The win sees the Titans earn their place in the final against the DP World Lions at DP World Wanderers on Sunday afternoon, which should be a cracking encounter after the Titans thumped the Lions in the pool stage, only for the roles to be completely reversed in the first playoff earlier this week.

In the final playoff the Titans batted first and managed to score a competitive 182/7 thanks to some fireworks from allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo, as he hammered an unbeaten 39 off 16 balls (4x4; 2x6) along with a number of starts from the rest of their batting order.

Western Province’s chances were then effectively ended by a disastrous start to their chase that saw them crash to 48/5 in the ninth over, before Eddie Moore, 48 off 31 (6x4; 2x6) and Oliver Whitehead (40no) showed some fight to help their side get close as they eventually ended on 163/6.

Proteas quick Gerald Coetzee was the pick of the Titans bowlers, picking up 2/14 in his four overs, as he continues his impressive return to action after injury.

The Western Province chase got off to a decent enough start with 16 coming off the first two overs before everything went pear shaped.

Poor running saw the back of Jonothan Bird (6) and Daniel Smith (13) after smart keeping from Rivaldo Moonsamy and a great throw from Sibonelo Makhanya aiming at one stump, while Valentine Kitime (4) edged Coetzee to Donovan Ferreira at first slip, as they slumped to 29/3 in the fourth over.

Mihlali Mpongwana (4) then came in for some stick, with him hit on the helmet by a vicious Coetzee bouncer, and copped a blow to the forearm from Corbin Bosch, needing a bit of attention after both, before he inside edged Junior Dala onto his own stumps in the eighth over with the score 43/4.

That soon became 48/5 as Tabraiz Shamsi was introduced into the attack and bowled Geroge Linde (1) with his first delivery at the start of the ninth over.

Province finally received some respite, aided by a poor 10th over from Dala, with him conceding five wides and being hit for a six and a four by Moore as 19 came off it which saw them on 74/5 at the halfway point.

That kick started a 67-run sixth wicket partnership off 40 balls, with Moore the aggressor and Whitehead backing him up, as they threatened to fight their way back into the match.

Just as Province may have started to believe, the Titans brought Coetzee back into the attack and he bowled an action packed over that saw Whitehead dropped by Heinrich Klaasen, before Moore mistimed a slog to Phehlukwayo at mid-off the very next ball as they slipped to 115/6.

Kyle Simmonds, 19no off 13 (1x4; 1x6) and Whitehead then shared in an unbeaten 48-run stand, but the run rate was too much for them as they fell well short in the end.

At the start of play Western Province won the toss and chose to bowl and managed to keep the Titans largely in check with regular wickets over their innings, until Phehlukwayo’s late onslaught.

The Titans innings getting off to a solid start as openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 24 off 16 (4x4; 1x6) and 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.

Pretorius was then out off the last ball of the fifth, stunningly caught by 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 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 Mpongwana in the ninth over.

Every time the Titans looked to be building a good partnership Province managed to strike with a wicket, and that trend continued as 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 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