An all-round bowling performance from the Momentum Multiply Titans helped them restrict the Dafabet Warriors to a well below par 204 all out in their CSA One-Day Cup qualifier at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Wednesday afternoon.
It was top stuff from all of the bowlers, but the spinners reigned supreme, as experienced veteran Roelof van der Merwe picked up an impressive 3/32 in 9.3 overs, while part timer Neil Brand produced wonderful figures of 2/24 from his 10 overs.
Not a single bowler went for over six an over, and Duan Jansen, 2/42, Junior Dala, 2/45, and Lizaad Williams, 1/32, all also got among the wickets.
Warriors opener Muhammad Manack top scored for the hosts, with 80 off 99 balls (9x4; 1x6), while Patrick Kruger, 40 off 43 (2x4; 1x6) hit some important runs down the order, with no one else really standing out in a very poor batting effort.
The Warriors innings got off to a slow start as openers Manack and Modiri Litheko (26), scored 46 off the first 10 overs, before the 50 came up in the 13th.
In the next over the Titans made the breakthrough, as Van Der Merwe got one to spin past the sweep of Litheko and pin him in front to send him on his way with the score 60/1.
Captain Matthew de Villiers (9) was in next, and he never looked comfortable, despite adding 25 to the score with Manack, before Dala was introduced into the attack and struck first ball, having De Villiers edging behind to keeper Keagan Lion-Cachet.
Dala picked up another in his second over, as new batter Sinethemba Qeshile (2) was in and out, top edging to Dayyaan Galiem at deep fine leg as they slipped to 93/3 in the 23rd over.
Manack brought up a 69 ball half century in the 24th over, followed by the Warriors 100 coming up in the next, before Manack looked to free up against Dala in the 29th, as he cracked him for a four down to long on, and a six over deep midwicket, with 15 coming off it.
In the next over Jean du Plessis, who also struggled in scratching his way to eight off 27 balls, hit Brand straight to Jansen at long on, with the score 127/4.
That brought Kruger in to join Manack and they needed to stick together if they wanted to get to a decent total, but they could only add 13 to the score before Manack became the second batter to hit Brand to Jansen at long on.
Kruger tried to make a fist of it in the closing overs, but he feathered an edge off Van Der Merwe to Lion-Cachet in the 46th over, and Thomas Kaber (11) was the only other batter to get into double figures as they were eventually all out in the final over of the innings.
The Titans will now be more than confident of chasing down a low total in the second innings.
DAFABET WARRIORS: Modiri Litheko, Muhammed Manack, Matthew de Villiers (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile, Jean du Plessis (wk), George van Heerden, Patrick Kruger, Thomas Kaber, Wesley Bedja, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Lesego Senokwane, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Keegan Petersen, Neil Brand, Dayyaan Galiem, Keagan Lion Cachet, Andile Phehlukwayo, Duan Jansen, Carl Dala, Roelof van der Merwe, Lizaad Williams