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Lions bundled out of Pro20
13/04/2008 18:21 - (SA)
Centurion - The Titans defended a small total at Supersport Park on Sunday to beat the reigning champions, the Highveld Lions, by 21 runs, and bundle them out of the Standard Bank Pro20 competition.
The Lions, needing a small total of 113 for victory, started their run chase well, with 21 runs off the first three overs, compared with the Titans' score of nine for three after three, but then the Lions started leaking wickets.
Alviro Petersen was first to go, caught by Imran Tahir off Andre Nel for six. Ethy Mbhalati bowled Blake Snijman for a duck, and had Vaughn van Jaarsveld caught by Pierre Joubert for two in his next over.
Justin Ontong made 14 before being bowled by Nel, and the Lions collapse was well under way.
Two young players taking part in only their third Pro20 game, Heinrich le Roux and Jean Symes, fell victim to the spin of Tahir, who also snared the wicket of Dumisa Makalima, to finish with the admirable figures of three for 13.
Dismal season
Faf du Plessis trapped Werner Coetsee leg before wicket for nought, and Cliffie Deacon was bowled by Roelof van der Merwe for 12.
Friedel de Wet top-scored for the Lions with 17 runs, smashing two sixes before being bowled by Albie Morkel off the first ball of the last over.
The Lions were all out for 81 with five balls remaining - a dismal ending to what has been a dismal season for them.
Earlier, Garnett Kruger took four wickets for 10 runs to help restrict the Titans to a meagre 112 for eight in their 20 overs. At one stage, Kruger had three for nought, after dismissing Heino Kuhn and Du Plessis in the first over, before the Titans had a run on the board, and then having Albie Morkel caught behind by Van Jaarsveld off the second ball of his second over.
Gulam Bodi made 28 before being caught by De Wet off Deacon, and the only other Titans players to make any significant runs were Van der Merwe, who made 20, and Joubert, who made an undefeated 22. The other wicket-takers were Deacon, who took one for nine, De Wet (1-26) and Werner Coetsee (2-25).
The Titans finished fourth on the log and will meet the log leaders, the Cape Cobras, in the semi-finals. The other semi-final will be between the Diamond Eagles and the Dolphins.
- SAPA
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