Boland Rush to titanic victory over Titans

A wonderful half-century from captain Clyde Reeves-Fortuin helped Goldrush Boland to a massive seven-wicket, bonus-point victory over the Momentum Multiply Titans in an entertaining CSA T20 Challenge match at Boland Park in Paarl on Thursday evening.

Reeves-Fortuin’s 32-ball 50 included four boundaries and two maximums, despite suffering from an injured toe, to help Boland to 129 for three with a massive 38 balls to spare in reply to the Titans’ 128 for eight after Roelof van der Merwe had won the toss in hot and windy conditions and decided to bat first.

Reeves-Fortuin and Grant Roelofsen (28) had set the tone early on with a second-wicket stand of 51 from just 26 balls after the early loss of Gavin Kaplan (8), caught at point by Gerhardus Maree from the bowling of Dayyaan Galiem (2-0-24-1).

Roelofsen was aggressive, striking two fours and three sixes from just 15 balls before being caught at mid-on by debutante Janco Smit from the bowling of Van der Merwe (3-0-21-1). However, despite the loss of Roelofsen’s wicket, the home side did not let up.

Reeves-Fortuin was joined at the crease by the young Lehan Botha and the pair smashed their way to a third-wicket stand of 67 from only 47 balls before Tabraiz Shamsi (4-0-34-1) managed to get through the Boland captain’s defences and clip off-stump with the hosts just three runs shy of victory.

Botha, who faced just 29 balls, struck three fours and two sixes after being dropped on nought by Smit at short third-man from the bowling of Junior Dala (2-0-17-0), ending unbeaten on 42.

Earlier, the Titans had struggled to get going, struggling to 20 for two at the end of the power play, taking a massive 49 balls before scoring their first boundary.

Andile Phehlukwayo (3) was caught in the deep by Jhedli van Briesies from the bowling of Imraan Manack (4-1-18-2) while Glenton Stuurman (4-0-16-2) removed Phehlukwayo’s partner, Steve Stolk, without scoring.

Josh Jordaan (39) and Keagan Lion-Cachet (22) managed the best partnership for the Titans, a 46-run stand for the third wicket from 45 balls, but then Ferisco Adams (3-0-24-1) castled Jordaan and Siyabonga Mahima (4-0-32-1) cleaned up Lion-Cachet.

Sibonela Makhanya, who was dropped on 10, added just a further six runs before being caught at square-leg by Adams from the bowling of Botha (1-0-3-1). Galiem managed one four and a six from 15 balls but sliced Keith Dudgeon (4-0-32-1) to Manack at short third-man.

Manack then cleaned up Maree (15) before Stuurman ended the Titans innings, having Van der Merwe caught by Botha at mid-off for just seven.

The victory moves Boland to 18 points from four matches, 11 points clear of the Dafabet Warriors, who have two games in hand and take on WSB Western Province in Gqeberha tomorrow. Boland’s next match is against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins here in Paarl on Friday, 14 November, while the Titans travel to Newlands to take on WP on Sunday.

 GOLDRUSH BOLAND: Gavin Kaplan, Grant Roelofsen, Clyde Reese-Fortuin (capt, wk), Lehan Botha, Aviwe Mgijima, Jhedli van Briesies, Ferisco Adams, Keith Dudgeon, Imraan Manack, Glenton Stuurman, Siya Mahima.

 MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Andile Phehlukwayo, Steve Stolk, Josh Jordaan, Gerhardus Maree, Sibonelo Makhanya, Keagan Lion-Cachet (wk), Dayyaan Galiem, Roelof van der Merwe (capt), Janco Smit, Junior Dala, Tabraiz Shamsi.