Sinethemba Qeshile (L) © Gallo Images
JP King and Sinethemba Qeshile’s well articulated half centuries helped the Dafabet Warriors register a mammoth score of 221-5 in their CSA T20 Challenge match against the Auto Investment North West Dragons at Dafabet St George's Park Cricket Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
King’s 61 off 33 balls masterclass at a strike rate 184.85 with the bat included six boundaries and three sixes, while Qeshile smoked five boundaries and two sixes for his 53 off 26 balls.
King shared an 87-run opening stand with Jiveshan Pillay which put the Warriors on a solid start as the Gqeberha side went on a run rate of 8.83 in the first six overs after Siya Simetu, who is stand-in captain for regular skipper Matthew Breetzke, put the side to bat first.
Warriors finished the first power play 53/0 and looked set for a projected score of 220.
Kerwin Mungroo had Pillay caught at mid off caught by Janneman Malan for 25 runs in the eight over and slowed the home side’s fast tempo.
Mungroo accounted for the dangerous wicket of King after he mis-timed his slog to Lesiba Ngoepe who was standing at deep mid wicket for an easy catch in the first ball of the tenth over.
Beyers Swanepoel wasted no time in the middle and hit Mungroo for four boundaries in the same over.
With a strike rate of 200 next to his name Swanepoel retired hurt in the next over on 22 runs off 11 balls.
Despite the two quick wickets falling and Swanepoel retiring, Qeshile and Patrick Kruger continued with the blistering pace with the bat for the Warriors and took the Dragons bowlers to the cleaners.
The pair added 95 runs with their partnership before Kruger was caught at long on by Wihan Lubbe off Caleb Seleka’s bowling in the 17th over for 34 runs, leaving the Warriors 190-3.
Qeshile eased passed his second career fifty in the 18 over but was dismissed in the first ball of the following over Migael Pretorius, caught at fine leg Achille Cloete.
Chris King was bowled out the next ball for a golden duck by Pretorious.
WARRIORS : Jiveshan Pillay, Christopher Jayden King, Sinethemba Qeshile, Jean du Plessis (Wk), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mokgakane, Beyers Swanepoel, JP King, Anrich Nortje, Siya Simetu, (C), Alfred Mothoa
DRAGONS : Janneman Malan, Ludwich Schuld, Meeka-eel Prince (Wk), Wihan Lubbe (C), Lesiba Ngoepe, Ruan de Swardt, Migael Pretorius, Bamanye Xenxe, Caleb Seleka, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete
