Enigma Mangi Mosehle explodes as Highveld Lions win

Mangaliso Mosehle is an enigma at the best of times.

On a given day, the Highveld Lions wicketkeeper-batsman will frustrate his coach, Geoff Toyana, with poor judgement like the shot he skied in Centurion last weekend.

And then he’ll play a match-winning innings like the one at the Wanderers on Friday evening as the Lions beat the Cape Cobras by six wickets in the Ram Slam T20 challenge.

The 27-year-old’s 55 off just 36 balls was, at times, a brutal exhibition of hitting, reminded all of the punch the diminutive player packs.

Mosehle really does have an unique ability to play outrageous attacking shots.

None was better than the driven six off his fellow Protea Dane Paterson, a meaty blow that broke a panel in the new electronic scoreboard.

But it shouldn’t have come down to that.

The Cobras bowlers will be kicking themselves for their discipline as Mthiwekhaya Nabe actually had Mosehle caught at third man when he had only scored 11.

However, the umpires let the Lions anchor hang around as they checked for a no-ball.

Nabe was a centimeter over.

Later on, Omphile Ramela (30 off 24) was also caught off a Vernon Philander no-ball and, bafflingly, also dropped twice.

To their credit, the Lions took full advantage to reach a target of 170 with quite some ease.

Opener Reeza Hendricks set a good platform with his 42 off 32.

The Cobras will also rue a short stutter in the middle of their innings after Lions skipper Aaron Phangiso (2/25) struck twice in the 10th over, crucially removing Hashim Amla (36) and Wayne Parnell (33) off successive deliveries.

JP Duminy’s silky 55 off just 31 balls helped the Capetonians recover nicely but they didn’t bank on such a poor performance in the field.

One pleasing development was Kagiso Rabada’s excellent spell of 3/19 as he adapted well on an easy-paced pitch.

– In East London, the Warriors suffered an astonishing collapse as they lost by 61 runs to the rampant Titans.

The hosts had flown out of the blocks in reaching 50 without loss in 5 overs.

Three overs they were 57/6 as Lungi Ngidi (4/14) and Aiden Markram (3/21) created havoc.

The Titans had recovered from 9/2 to reach an imposing 172/4.

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