Lions scrape past Warriors as Sunfoil race remains open

Aya Myoli, Bjorn Fortuin and Beuran Hendricks took three wickets each to help the Highveld Lions secure a dramatic 14-run win over the Warriors late on the final day of their crucial Sunfoil Series meeting in East London on Sunday.

After the visitors declared overnight on their day three total of 153/2 at the start of day four, it left the hosts needing 258 for victory.

But they made a mess of the chase early on after slumping to 42/4 thanks to the pace of Myoli, who claimed three of the wickets at that stage before ending with 3/58.

But a fifth-wicket partnership of 102 between Colin Ingram (46) and Lesiba Ngoepe put the Warriors well on track.

They needed just another 104 at that stage, but blew their prospects when both set men fell – Ngoepe going for a top-score of 77 (104 balls, 9 fours).

And, when Somila Seyibokwe (4) and Sisanda Magala (7) were removed either side of a rain delay, the end looked close at 183/8.

However, captain Simon Harmer struck a determined 45 and shared in a 54-run ninth-wicket stand with Anrich Nortje (26) to take his side to the brink.

But they were removed by Fortuin (3/39) and Hendricks (3/70) respectively as the Lions sealed a memorable win.

In Pietermaritzburg, the Titans scrambled their way to the top of the table after edging out the Dolphins by two wickets midway through the final day of a closely fought affair.

Chasing a paltry 91 for victory, the champions made heavy weather of the win, before getting there with eight wickets down against a depleted home attack that was without the injured Proteas spinner, Keshav Maharaj.

Another slow bowler in Prenelan Subrayen claimed a career-best 5/35 with his right-arm off-breaks, but it was still not enough as the valiant hosts were made to pay for their poor second-innings showing.

The Durbanites had started the final day on 146/5, a lead of only 44, and more poor batting on day four saw them lose their remaining five wickets for only 47.

Daryn Smit, who was unbeaten overnight on 62, top-scored with 72 (131 balls, 9 fours), but there was little else support from the rest of his team-mates – the home side bundled out for 192 in 61.3 overs.

Leg-break bowler Shaun von Berg was the pick of the bowlers for the Titans and ended with 3/66, with captain Henry Davids returning the best figures of 3/29.

With a target of less than 100 and plenty of overs to get them, the away side limped their way through.

Subrayen was the star man with his maiden career fiver-for giving the batsmen nightmares, while Senuran Muthusamy picked up 2/43.

Heinrich Klaasen top scored with 35, while Von Berg made a critical unbeaten 16 after the Titans had lost 6/46 at one point.

In the end, they got over the line in 31.4 overs to move back to the competition summit with one round to play.

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