Steyn ton gives Titans victory

PRETORIA (October 6) - Rudolf Steyn steered the Northerns Titans to a dramatic three-wicket victory over Western Province in their Standard Bank Cup game at Supersport Park on Friday. The Titans' opening batsman scored 111 runs off 122 balls with 10 fours to lay the platform for victory and claim the man of the match award.

The honour of clinching the game went to the diminutive Kruger van Wyk. Van Wyk, making his provincial debut, showed character and courage in taking on the acting Western Province captain, Alan Dawson. He first hooked Dawson for a six and then unleashed a cover drive for a four off successive deliveries to clinch the issue with an over to spare.

HD Ackerman, the province captain, pulled a hamstring during his innings of 92. With Herschelle Gibbs acting as a runner and with the Western Province innings in trouble at 62 for the loss of four in the 20th over, the visitors rescued the situation through a fifth wicket partnership of 134 off 132 balls.

After a slow start to the innings, Western Province picked up their run rate during the last 10 overs of their innings to score 229 for six. But all it did was raise the stakes slightly to set the Titans a more challenging yet still very makeable total of 230 in their 45 overs.

The Titans' Steve Elworthy ended with figures of three for 34 and Pierre Joubert, who also had a hand in the frantic run chase in the final overs of the innings, picked up three wickets for 51 runs.