Cameron Delport’s unbeaten 83 helped the KZN Inland Tuskers flatten the Northern Titans by six wickets in Centurion on Sunday.
The veteran opener smashed six sixes and five fours in a whirlwind 49-ball show as the visitors easily chased down 166 with 14 balls to spare, securing only their second win of the campaign, although they stayed bottom of the T20 Challenge log.
There was also a win for the KZN Dolphins, who overcame the North West Dragons by 19 runs in Potchefstroom thanks to half-centuries from Marques Ackerman and Eathan Bosch.
The day’s other game, between Western Province and the Boland Rocks, ended in a no-result after rain ruined the clash in Cape Town.
Delport’s performance was the one that stood out for a Tuskers team that has struggled so far this season.
The Pietermaritzburg-based side bowled first after winning the toss and managed to restrict the home side to 165-6.
This despite Lhuan-dre Pretorius top-scoring with 58 (43 balls, 10 fours) with support coming from Steve Stolk (22), Sibonelo Makhanya (28) and Neil Brand (32*).
Kurtlyn Mannikam was the best of the bowlers for the Tuskers, claiming a tidy 3-28, before a destructive display by Delport caught the Titans by surprise.
First, he put on 71 with Kagiso Rapulana in 7.3 overs, before Cameron Shekleton (15) and Keith Dudgeon (28) helped do the rest of the work and complete the job.
Meanwhile at the JB Marks Oval, the Dolphins climbed up to third on the log thanks in the main to Ackerman and Bosch.
The duo, the only two to reach double figures, strung together a remarkable recovery for their side after they had been emphatically reduced to 39-7 when they lost the toss and were put in to bat.
The former scored 72* off 46 balls (six fours, two sixes) and the latter hit 66 off 38 (six fours, one six) in an eighth-wicket partnership of 134 that ended with the last ball of the innings.
Migael Pretorius (3-35) and Ruan De Swardt (3-23) each claimed three wickets for the Dragons, who could only manage 154-9 in their reply.
Raynard van Tonder top-scored by recording 37 with Okuhle Cele (3-28) and Ottniel Baartman (2-28) sharing five wickets to earn their side a good win.
The other game on Sunday lasted 9.2 overs with WP reaching 86-1 after winning the toss and batting.
Tony de Zorzi was unbeaten on 51 (three fours, four sixes) and Kyle Verreynne had reached 28 when the weather intervened.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
