de Villiers pulverises the Lions

The Standard Bank Pro20 innings of the season was played by AB de Villiers scoring 91 not out with seven sixes and five fours coming off 52 balls as the Titans beat the Lions by six wickets in a high-scoring game at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Winning the toss and batting first, the Lions put together a decent total of 179 for 4 in their 20 overs. Adam Bacher got the innings off on the right foot, scoring 52 from 37 but when he was brilliantly caught at extra cover by Aaron Phangiso one felt that the Gods were smiling on the Titans. Neil McKenzie got off to a slow start but once in his stride, was very strong on the leg side in his 66 off 48. Vaughn van Jaarsveld was aggressive in his 35 off 18 as they put on 83 in seven overs. Brendon Reddy was the pick of the Titans bowlers, getting rid of both van Jaarsveld and McKenzie in consecutive balls.

The Titans innings could not have started any better with de Villiers launching the first ball of the innings into the crowd. The fourth ball received the same treatment and the home spectators sensed something special. And special it was; the second highest score in the South African competition with shots going to all parts of the ground. A square drive for six will long be remembered. One wonders why he is not in Australia with the Proteas. With a willing partner in Goolam Bodi (36 off 33) they put on 93 for the first wicket. It was, however the class of de Villiers and the aggression of Gerald Dros (24 off 11) that put the Titans into a winning position with eight balls to spare and assuring them a home semi-final.

The Dolphins won their first match in the Standard Bank PRO20 Series by defeating the Warriors by 11 runs at Kingsmead in Durban. Batting first, Doug Watson got the Dolphins off to a solid start as he struck nine boundaries and a six in a 23 ball 48. A 46 off 30 balls from Ahmed Amla, that included six fours and a six, saw the Dolphins getting to hundred in just 57 balls. Unable to sustain the run rate and wickets falling, the Dolphins could only score 65 in the final 11 overs, and finished on 165 for 7. Some good bowling at the end of the innings contributed to the Dolphins decline with Robin Petersen taking 2 for 23 and Justin Kreusch, 3 for 24.

Some tight bowling by Yusuf Abdulla (2 for 20) and Andrew Tweedie (2 for 31) at the start of the Warriors innings put the batsmen under a lot of pressure. With the loss of Tyron Henderson (38) and Arno Jacobs (36), the game had slipped away from the Warriors, who ended on 154 for 6 and now prop up the bottom of the table.