Sipamla, Esterhuizen lead Lions to T20 Challenge title with win over Titans

Superb performances from Lutho Sipamla and Connor Esterhuizen led the Lions to their second straight T20 Challenge title after they cruised to a thumping eight wicket win over the Titans in the final at Wanderers Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It was another well-deserved triumph for the Lions after they finished top of the log, recovering well after being hammered by the Titans in their opening match of the season, and then turning that around by beating their cross-Jukskei rivals in the first playoff and in the final to lift the trophy.

Bowler Lutha Sipamla was the key contributor with the ball, picking up brilliant figures of 4/12 in his four overs, while he was backed up well by Bjorn Fortuin, 2/10, as they restricted the Titans to 119 all out.

Esterhuizen then led the charge with the bat cracking an unbeaten 48 off 36 balls (6×4; 1×6), and he finished the game in style by launching a big six over deep midwicket and out of the ground off Proteas pace merchant Gerald Coetzee to get them home with a whopping 29 balls to spare.

“It has been an amazing campaign, especially on the back of winning this trophy last season,” said Lions coach Russell Domingo.

“I am just so pleased for the players that put in brilliant work over the competition. The support staff have all been amazing as well, so it has been a real team effort to get us here again.”

Disastrous start

In the match the Titans innings got off to a disastrous start thanks to Sipamla ripping through the top and middle order to reduce them to 54/6 in the ninth over.

Openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy and Heinrich Klaasen all got starts, each reaching 13, but Sipamla picked up four of the first six wickets, along with Delano Potgieter and Kwena Maphaka claiming a scalp each.

Lower order resistance from Coetzee (20), Andile Phehlukwayo (18), Roelof van der Merwe (15) and Junior Dala (13) helped them get over the hundred run mark, but 120 was never going to be a challenging target for the hosts on a good batting wicket.

The Lions chase did get off to a rocky start with Reeza Hendricks (4) and Zubayr Hamza (20) falling early as they slipped to 26/2 after five overs.

But Rassie van der Dussen, 44no off 31 (7×4; 1×6) started the recovery and Esterhuizen finished it off as they shared in an unbeaten 98-run second wicket stand to power their side home.