#CSAT20Knockout: ‘Britz brilliance’ leads Eastern Storm to final

Chris Britz showed his brilliance with a stunning unbeaten century when the Eastern Storm claimed a convincing 77-run victory against the Northern Cape Heat in the first semi-final of the CSA T20 Knockout Competition at Willowmoore Park on October 16.

The 25-year-old right-hander’s magnificent innings of 107 off 59, which included eight boundaries and six maximums, and Danie Rossouw’s 66 off 45 deliveries (four boundaries and two sixes), propelled Easterns to 222/2 in their 20 overs after being sent out to bat at the toss.

The Heat started brilliantly up front, with Modiri Litheko running out opener Kabelo Sekhukhune in the fourth over. They restricted their hosts to 30/1 in a tricky power-play, but things unravelled in the middle overs when Britz and Rossouw wrestled back the momentum to hand their team an advantage.

Britz reached his half-century with a six over long-off in the 11th over.

Rossouw, dropped by Zakhele Qwabe in the 14th over, scored his half-ton in the 16th over as they put on 128 off 79 for the second wicket.

They were separated when Rossouw, after taking a six and four off Tshepo Ntuli – both scored down the third-man boundary – edged the spinner to keeper Litheko.

After Rossouw’s departure, Dewan Marais joined hands with Britz at the back end of the innings, and the duo scored runs for fun as the wheels came off on the Heat bowlers and fielders to put their team in a comfortable position.

The pair reached their 50-run stand off 20 balls within 15 minutes, with Britz reaching his ton in the 19th over, while Marais scored a quick-fire 28 off 11, with two fours and two sixes, in their 73-run partnership to drive Easterns to 222/2.

Also Read: Sekhukhune drives Storm to victory

The Heat’s run chase began disastrously when they lost four wickets in the power-play. Divan Posthumus started the rout, striking with the second ball of the first over when Gerald Pike edged him behind to Rossouw.

Ronan Hermann followed five balls later when he edged Tumelo Simelane to Shaveer Khan at short third man before Amaan Khan dispatched Ruan Haasbroek, caught at cover by Simelane, in the fourth over.

Amaan struck again with the last ball of the sixth over when he had Christoffel Klijnhans caught at mid-on by Posthumus, and afterwards, Simelane struck with the fourth and fifth balls of the eighth over.

First, Cole Abrahams holed him out to Posthumus at deep cover while Emmanuel Motswiri edged him to Rossouw behind the stumps with the next delivery.

But Litheko and former Proteas bowler Hardus Viljoen struck fear into the Easterns faithful with 74 for the seventh wicket.

The duo were devastating in the 15th over, taking 19 runs off Amaan, with three sixes, two on the leg side and one over the presidential suite, before the bowler struck back, trapping Viljoen (44 off 20) with the fifth ball of the over.

Litheko followed two overs later when he edged Martin Khumalo to Rossouw. Posthumus cleaned the tail, bowling Basheen-Deen Walters and Qwabe with two brilliant toe-crushers, dismissing the visitors for 145.

Simelane, Amaan and Posthumus were the pick of the bowlers for Easterns, with three wickets each, while Litheko top-scored for the Heat with 57 off 45.

Easterns will meet the Tuskers or Garden Route Badgers in the final at Willowmoore Park on Sunday (October 20).

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