Lions crush Titans in CSA One-Day Cup

The DP World Lions powered their way to a crushing eight wicket win over the Momentum Multiply Titans in their CSA One-Day Cup clash at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions bowled the Titans out for a paltry 78 in just 22.5 overs after winning the toss and sending their cross-Jukskei rivals into bat, before they smashed their way to an easy win off just 11.1 overs.

The chase was set-up by opener Ryan Rickelton, who clubbed an unbeaten 41 off 32 balls (6x4, 1x6), while he shared in a 52-run opening stand with Joshua Richards, 24 off 21 (4x4, 1x6) to all but end the game in the first seven overs.

Richards pulled Aya Gqamane straight to Modiri Litheko at square leg and Dominic Hendricks (1) edged Tladi Bokako to keeper Rivaldo Moonsamy as the Lions stuttered on 55/2.

But it was just a blip as Zubayr Hamza (9no) helped Rickelton get them home in style, as the opener cracked Gqamane back over his head for six to end proceedings at the start of the 12th over.

In the first innings it was a superb bowling effort from the Lions, while their fielding was mixed as they did well to effect three run outs but also dropped three catches, as the Titans flopped to their third lowest ever list A score.

Tshepo Moreki, wicketless in his first five overs at the start of the innings, returned to clean up the tail taking three wickets in his sixth to finish with figures of 3/22 off 5.5 overs.

Evan Jones, 2/21, Malusi Siboto, 1/14, and Wiaan Mulder, 1/20, all got among the wickets to destroy the Titans batting order.

Dewald Brevis top scored with 24, while only two other batters, Litheko (14) and Dayyaan Galiem (10) reached double figures.

The Lions decision to bowl first after winning the toss was vindicated early on as opener Joshua van Heerden was run out for a second ball duck in the second over by a good direct hit from Richards, leaving them on 2/1.

Brevis and Litheko tried to build a partnership, sharing 39 runs off 48 balls for the second wicket, but the dismissal of Litheko, who couldn’t regain his ground after bowler Mulder deflected the ball onto the non-strikers stumps, sparked a disastrous collapse.

The Titans lost their last nine wickets for just 37 runs, as the Lions bowlers ran through the middle and lower order, leaving the hosts with an extremely easy chase which they duly completed.

DP WORLD LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Mitchell van Buuren, Wiaan Mulder, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Nqaba Peter, Tshepo Moreki

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Joshua van Heerden, Modiri Litheko (wk), Dewald Brevis, Dean Elgar (capt), Rivaldo Moonsamy, Donovan Ferreira, Dayyaan Galliem, Ayabulela Gqamane, Matthew Boast, Aaron Phangiso, Tladi Bokako