Five-star Stuurman helps Boland across the line against Warriors

Glenton Stuurman's brilliant five-wicket haul helped Goldrush Boland claim a 11-run win in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the Dafabet Warriors at Eurolux Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Stuurman picked up career-best T20 figures of 5-33, which included a hat-trick in the 18th over, to help Boland bowl out the Warriors for 160 in their chase of 172 runs.

In the 18th over, with the Warriors needing 18 off 10 balls and Patrick Kruger hitting the Boland bowlers to all parts of the ground, Stuurman put on his Superhero cape and bowled Andile Mogakane (9).

He also sent Liam Alder and Siya Semetu back to the changeroom for golden ducks in the same over.

Kruger, who was dropped twice in the 16th over, was eventually dismissed by Ayabulela Gqamane for a brilliant 51 (28 balls) after he mistimed a shot to deep backward point and was caught by Clyde Fortuin.

Earlier in the evening, Boland captain Fortuin scored a well calculated 50 runs off 35 balls, which included three sixes and three boundaries to help his side register a decent first-innings total of 171-6.

Chasing the highest total on the ground in the campaign, the Warriors' pursuit got off to the worst possible start after Stuurman trapped their opener JP King LBW for a single in the first over and then knocked over Beyers Swanepoel (15) with a yorker in the third over.

Keith Dudgeon sent Jordan Hermann (19) packing after he edged his shot to Ayabonga Gqamane at deep backward point.

Wickets continued to tumble for the away team even after the powerplay as Sinethemba Qeshile (4) was run out by Siyabonga Mahima, leaving the Warriors 54-4 after seven overs.

Jiveshan Pillay and Jean du Plessis notched 38 runs in their sixth-wicket partnership, before Pillay was knocked over by Gqamane for 17 runs in the 12th over.

Three overs later Du Plessis (34) was another victim of Gqamane, this time caught at deep backward square leg by Aviwe Mgijima.

Boland finished the first powerplay on 61-0 at a run rate of 10.17 and looked set for a projected score of 230 after electing to bat first on a slow Boland surface.

FORTUIN FIFTY

The 29-year-old Fortuin shared an opening stand of 71 runs with Grant Roelofsen.

Warriors captain Simetu turned to the left-arm spin of 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 had reached his 50. 

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

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

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 delivery of the 18th over.

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

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

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