Tristan Stubbs and Diego Rosier struck centuries as the EP Warriors beat the Central Gauteng Lions by 50 runs at St George’s Park on Wednesday.
Stubbs scored 144 off 126 balls (11 fours, six sixes) and captain Rosier 116 off 121 (seven fours, three sixes).
The pair put on 259 for the second wicket as the Warriors racked up 348-5 in their 50 overs.
WATCH: Stubbs smashes 144 off 126 balls
In reply, the Lions slumped to 56-3 in the 11th over, before centuries from Reeza Hendricks (113 off 109 balls) and Wiaan Mulder (101 off 95) got them back into the game with a 195-run partnership.
But they then fell in quick succession and the visitors ended up being bowled out for 298 in 49.5 overs to suffer their first defeat of the tournament.
Beyers Swanepoel was the pick of the Warriors bowlers, taking 4-42, while Akhona Mnyaka claimed 3-59.
In Paarl, the Boland Rocks thrashed the North West Dragons by seven wickets.
The result means the winner of Friday’s match between the Rocks and Western Province in Paarl will advance to the final against the Lions.
Shaun von Berg (3-19) and Imran Manack (3-25) helped bowl the Dragons out for 138 in 38 overs. Lesego Senokwane top-scored for the visitors with 35.
The Rocks needed just 22.1 overs to reach their target, with Clyde Fortuin scoring 63* off 61 balls and Michael Copeland 53* off 44.
In Division 2, defending champions the KZN Inland Tuskers will host the final after finishing first on the log.
The Garden Route Badgers (formerly SWD) secured a one-wicket, bonus point victory against the Eastern Cape Iinyathi in Oudtshoorn to book their spot in the final.
The Northern Cape Heat claimed a 65-run win against the Limpopo Impalas in Polokwane, while the match between the Mpumalanga Rhinos and Eastern Storm was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.
Friday fixtures:
Division 1
13:00 – Boland Rocks vs Western Province (Boland Park, Paarl)
13:00 – KZN Dolphins vs Central Gauteng Lions (Kingsmead, Durban)
10:00 – Free State Knights vs Northerns Titans (Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein)
