Northern Cape matched North West’s total of 181-6, resulting in an elimination over with Northern Cape hailing victorious to meet EP in the final.
Rassie van der Dussen’s 85 runs off 54 balls helped North West post a competitive score 181-6 in their 20 overs. Wihan Lubbe and Rassie van der Dussen’s third-wicket stand of 84 runs steadied the ship after in-form wonder kid, Janneman Malan, lost his wicket after posting an opening partnership of 37 runs with Van der Dussen. Lubbe was caught lbw off the bowling of Akhona Kula just four runs after his half-century. Van der Dussen went on to reach his fifty and powered North West forward before Aiden Brooker took a brace in the 18th over to dismiss him on 85 and Marques Ackerman for a duck, putting a stop to his free-flowing form. Mbulelo Budaza was key to prevent the score from running away from Northern Cape in the final over taking a brace for eight runs, ending his tally with 3-39.
Northern Cape matched North West from the get go. Their opening batsman, Patrick Kruger, jumped through partnerships before finding his stride with Werner Coetsee posting a fourth-wicket partnership of 66 runs before Kruger fell to Siviwe Gidana on 82 off 45 balls. Coetsee continued to push forward, but he lost his partner Jacques Snyman for Gidana’s second, as Coetsee struggled to find the momentum needed to take his team over the line. With one run left to win and four wickets to spare on the final ball, Corné Dry attempted a single and was run out by Bjorn Fortuin, the match ending in a tie with both teams posting identical scores of 181-6, pushing the game into a one-over tiebreaker to find out who would meet Eastern Province in the final.
Kruger continued his fine form with the bat in Northern Cape’s one-over elimination, smashing two sixes of the first two balls. After a few singles and a final maximum by Diego Rosier, they posted 22 runs at the end of the over.
North West struggled during their one-over elimination with Van der Dassen and Lubbe struggling to find runs, only managing nine in their final over as they failed to progress to the final.
Some great talent will be on display when the only two unbeaten teams go head-to-head as Northern Cape take on Eastern Province in the final on Saturday afternoon.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
