Sibonelo Makhanya and Corbin Bosch played leading roles to help the Northern Titans end the EP Warriors’ eight-match winning run with a 12-run victory in Gqeberha on Friday.
Batsman Makhanya struck 60 off 48 balls (four fours, one six) as the reigning champions posted 168-9, before seamer Bosch nabbed 3-22 to help restrict the hosts to 156-7 – securing an important 12-run triumph.
The performances of the pair overshadowed a career-best return of 5-39 by Beyers Swanepoel, whose side remained top of the T20 Challenge log despite the outcome, while the Titans moved up to fourth.
Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors progressed well initially despite losing regular wickets and the threat of the fast bowler after he took out the top three.
The Titans reached 72-3 in the 10th over, before Alfred Mothoa’s double saw them slip into a big hole at 84-6 by the 12th over.
But Makhanya and the evergreen Aaron Phangiso (28) put on 74 for the seventh wicket to help their side rebuild and end the innings with a competitive total.
Matthew Breetzke (25), Andile Mogakane (33) and Jordan Hermann (32) all got starts for the Warriors, taking them to 100-2 by the 14th over, but their innings lacked flow.
It left the lower order with too much work, and although Swanepoel (22*) did his best, they came up short at St George’s Park.
Elsewhere on Friday, the Central Gauteng Lions beat the KZN Dolphins by seven wickets in a rain-reduced clash in Johannesburg.
The match was ultimately a T9 with Codi Yusuf’s three wickets (3-15) restricting the away side to 98-6 at the Wanderers.
The bulk of the Dolphins’ runs came through openers Bryce Parsons (36) and Grant Roelofsen (27).
Ryan Rickelton then continued his rich form by thrashing 53* off 23 balls (four fours, four sixes) to carry his side to victory with four balls to spare – the Lions strengthening their grip on second spot and moving to within five points of the Warriors having played a game more.
Finally in Paarl, spinners Imran Manack (3-17), Siyabonga Mahima (1-22) and Shaun von Berg (2-15) gave the Boland Rocks a four-wicket win over the KZN Inland Tuskers.
The visitors were bowled out for 94 in their 20 overs with only Cameron Shekleton (35) managing to cross 20.
In reply, Mbulelo Budaza took three wickets, but the below-par total proved too easy for the home side as Aiden du Toit (24) and Ferisco Adams (21) did most of the scoring to carry them to victory with more than four overs to spare.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
