Moore magic guides Province to bonus-point win

Eddie Moore’s second career T20 century powered World Sports Betting Western Province to a win by 84 runs over the Momentum Multiply Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge at Newlands on Sunday.

The opener had scored just eight runs in three T20 innings this season, but ripped up the form book with a blazing 105 off 53 balls that helped his side to 225 for six.

His efforts capped an afternoon of complete dominance and a bonus-point victory for the home side, who were invited to bat first on a hard, flat surface by the visitors on a hot Cape Town afternoon.

Mthiwekhaya Nabe then starred with the ball as Western Province notched their second win of the campaign to leave the Titans scratching around the lower reaches of the log.

Steve Stolk was out to his first ball when he skied fellow teenager Raeeq Daniels to Moore, who juggled and clung on in the first over, as the visitors set about their pursuit of a record 226 target.

Seasoned Dane Paterson’s second ball from the Wynberg End was clubbed for six by Andile Phehlukwayo, but he had his man safely pouched again by Moore next ball at mid-on for 13 to make it 14 for two.

And that became 28 for three as the magnetic Moore drew his third catch out of three when Neil Brand perished to Daniels without scoring.

Dayyaan Galiem (42 off 22) countered well, taking the visitors to 50 inside five overs before twice despatching the misfiring Asakhe Tsaka as the Titans reached 69 for three at the end of the six-over powerplay.

But Moore struck yet again when he grabbed one-handed, with Galiem turning Nabe around the corner.

Nabe finished with 4-19 from an excellent spell in the middle overs, as Province smothered their opponents with a disciplined effort in the field.

He had his second thanks to a diving catch on the boundary by Jiveshan Pillay, gathering in front of the Railway Stand as Keagan Lion-Cachet tried to clear the ropes.

Then he had a third in comical fashion when Josh Jordaan (17 off 13) misjudged his swing.

Nabe only had eyes for the ball as he tracked a looping shot towards midwicket, clattering into the similarly unaware Valentine Kitime as he managed to hold on.

And three became four to make it 81 for seven when Lethabo Phahlamohlaka was clean bowled attempting an ugly swing.

Rookie legspinner Josh Breed (1-22) was launched down the ground for six by the valiant Duan Jansen but had his man caught at long-on by Joshua van Heerden the next ball, claiming a deserved wicket in his final over.

MOORE STEALS THE SHOW

Tsaka returned to remove Junior Dala, who walked past an innocuous delivery to be stumped by a mile.

And he finished the job by having Tabraiz Shamsi caught at point, leaving captain Roelof van der Merwe stranded not out on a defiant 35 off 23 balls.

Earlier, Moore stole the show for Western Province with the bat, striking nine fours and seven sixes on his way to a second career T20 ton.

In doing so, he banished a torrid run of form at the top of the over that saw him come into the contest off the back of three successive single-figure scores in the competition this season.

Van Heerden’s 58 off 29 balls in support would have been the standout innings on most occasions, while Daniel Smith (28 off 16) kept the scoreboard ticking in the death overs.

Jansen was literally and figuratively head and shoulders above the rest of the Titans with the ball, claiming 3-22 from his four overs.

But his effort alone was far from enough, on a day when Western Province returned to winning ways in style on home turf.

WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE: Eddie Moore, Valentine Kitime, Joshua van Heerden, Daniel Smith (capt, wk), Jiveshan Pillay, Oliver Whitehead, Raeeq Daniels, Josh Breed, Dane Paterson, Asakhe Tsaka, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: TBC