A maiden T20 century by Clyde Fortuin helped the Rocks beat the Warriors by 17 runs in their opening Pool D match of the T20 Knock Out in Kimberley on Monday.

In what was seen as more batsman-friendly conditions, it was a surprising start made by the Warriors, as they made early inroads after winning the toss and electing to field first.

The Sinethemba Qeshile-led side removed three of the top order – brothers, Janneman (5) and Pieter Malan (14) and Sinalo Gobeni (5) cheaply before Fortuin and Christiaan Jonker (45 off 31 balls; four fours, one six) recovered their innings well with a century stand for the fourth wicket.

Fortuin, who won the U19 World Cup with South Africa in 2014, put on a show with the bat, recording an unbeaten 103 off 63 balls (11 fours, four sixes) to propel the side from the Boland region to 183-5 after their 20 overs.

Mthiwekhaya Nabe was the standout bowler for the Port Elizabeth-based outfit, picking up 3-49.

The Warriors made an explosive start to their chase, with Matthew Breetzke notching up his fifth career T20 half-century in an 88-run second-wicket partnership with Jon Jon Smuts, reaching 96-1 after 10 overs.

The scoring rate was slowed down through measured bowling from right-arm off-break, Imraan Manack (0-18) and Ziyaad Abrahams (3-27), before experienced campaigner Ferisco Adams (2/27) sparked a middle-order collapse in the penultimate over.

The Warriors lost four wickets in the final two overs for 20 runs despite a destructive 30 off 16 deliveries (3 sixes) from Lesiba Ngoepe, before going on to being restricted to 166-7 at the end of their allotted overs.

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