Warriors' collapse costs them play-off spot
A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 matches that were played on December 6, 2015
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Dec-2015
File photo: Eddie Leie was the pick of Lions' bowlers with returns of 4 for 32 • AFP
Warriors failed to chase down a target of 128 against Lions and their 21-run loss denied them a play-off spot in this season's Ram Slam T20. With Titans already through to the final, the play-off will now be played between Dolphins and Cape Cobras at Kingsmead on December 9 and the winner will meet Titans in the final on December 12.
Looking for their third straight win, the Warriors line-up imploded in the chase and folded for 106 in 18 overs. Dwaine Pretorius (3 for 19) and Eddie Leie (4 for 32) were the main wicket-takers for Lions.
Pretorius ran through Warriors' top-order, taking three wickets at the start to help reduce the side to 34 for 5 by the seventh over. Christiaan Jonker scored an attacking 45 but he played a lone hand and once he was dismissed by Leie in the 16th over, the Warriors lower order folded quickly.
After being put in to bat, Lions' innings was driven by contributions from Dominic Hendricks (35) and Devon Conway (20), which helped them recover from a shaky start of 40 for 3 in the seventh over. Pretorius' run-a-ball 14 and Fortuin's 13 in the latter half of the innings helped lift the score to 127 for 9. Basheeru-Deen Walters had the best returns among Warriors' bowlers with 3 for 21, while Andrew Birch and Sisanda Magala ended the innings with two wickets apiece.
Andre Russell's all-round performance - 4 for 11 followed by a blazing 66 not out off only 23 balls - guided Knights to a comfortable four-wicket win over Titans in Benoni. The bonus-point win for Knights had no bearing on the positions of the two teams in the table - Titans, are already through to the final, while Knights finished last on the table, two points behind Lions.
Put in to bat, Quinton de Kock and Graeme van Buuren tried to lift Titans' innings taking them to 45 for 2 from a score of 9 for 2. The Knights bowlers, however, chipped away at the wickets limiting Titans to 136 for 9. Van Buuren top-scored with a 41-ball 57 that included six fours and three sixes. Chris Morris scored an 11-ball 21 in the death but Russell denied Titans a strong finish, taking three wickets in his final two overs.
Russell walked in to bat with Knights at 54 for 4 in the ninth over and went on to smash seven sixes and four fours in his 66. Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi suffered the brunt of Russell's attack, and conceded 32 and 42 runs respectively. His charge helped Knights chase down the target by the 16th over.
