A superb undefeated 79 by Temba Bavuma paved the way for Gauteng’s 27-run win over North West in the first semi-final of the African T20 Cup.
North West put Gauteng in to bat and enjoyed immediate success, picking up two wickets for seven runs off the first seven balls. Gauteng’s Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder then teamed up to add 111 for the third wicket in 12 overs, at a rate of 9.25 runs per over.
Mulder was first to go in the 14th over, caught by Wihan Lubbe off the bowling of Brady Barends after a well-played 63 off just 43 balls (10 fours, S/R 146.51).
Bavuma marshalled the middle order through to the end of the innings, finishing on 79 not out off 45 balls. His innings included four fours and five sixes and came at a strike rate of 175.55 as Gauteng finished their 20 overs on 171-5, a run rate of 8.55.
Barends kept a tidy scoresheet, going for just 6.75 runs to the over in picking up 1-27, while Migael Pretorius picked up two wickets for 38 runs (econ 9.50).
North West got off to an explosive start, with Kagiso Rapulana and Shane Dadswell putting on 64 for the first wicket in lightning fashion, before Dadswell departed for nine off nine balls in the sixth over.
Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, with none of the North West batsmen able to offer sufficient support to Rapulana, who was caught by Bavuma off Pongolo with North West on 128-6.
With Jovuan van Wyngaardt absent through injury, North West was bowled out for 144 off 17.5 overs, as Gauteng breezed through to tomorrow’s final.
The Gauteng bowlers all produced the goods, with Tumelo Tlhokwe (2-17, econ 5.66), Nandre Burger (1-18, 6.35) and Mulder (1-19, econ 6.33) the pick of the bunch.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
