Jon-Jon Smuts scored a career-best 107 not out as he led his side to a historic victory at Buffalo Park against the Dolphins on Wednesday.

The Warriors captain smashed five fours and nine sixes off 58 balls as he helped his side to the second-highest chase in T20 Challenge history scoring 217-3 to overtake the Dolphins’ 216-5.

Smuts played a captain’s innings to lead his side to a seven-wicket victory and in that helped his side score the fifth-highest total in T20 Challenge history.

It was a clash which got off to a thrilling start, a 145-run partnership between Morne van Wyk (77) and Kevin Pietersen (81) setting the tone for the Dolphins, as they posted the highest T20 Challenge total at Buffalo Park in their 20 overs.

The game seemed to be out of the Warriors’ reach and a perfect innings was needed from their star batsman in their hunt for top spot on the log.

Smuts has proved that he is formidable in the shortest format, backing up his dominant performance from his Africa T20 campaign. In his five matches played for Eastern Province, he racked up 196 runs and hit the highest score since the tournament’s inception two years ago, of 102 not out. Eastern Province ended as champions of the tournament, and Smuts will hope he can repeat this achievement with his franchise.

He currently sits second in this year’s T20 Challenge runs chart with 323 and has led his side to second on the log with a game in hand, confirming their qualification spot.

Photo: Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images