Titans struggle against Boland

A wonderful collective bowling display from Goldrush Boland restricted the Momentum Multiply Titans to a below-par score of 128 for eight in a CSA T20 Challenge match at Boland Park in Paarl on Thursday evening.

Having won the toss and electing to bat first, it took the visitors 49 balls to score their first boundary, bumbling their way to 20 for two at the end of the power play. The best partnership that the Titans could muster was a 45-ball 46 for the third wicket between Keagan Lion-Cachet (22) and Josh Jordaan (39).

Glenton Stuurman (4-0-16-2) got things going for the home side when he had opener Steve Stolk caught behind by captain Clyde Reese-Fortuin with the first ball that he faced. Spinner Imraan Manack (4-1-18-2) then grabbed the wicket of Andile Phehlukwayo (3), caught at wide mid-wicket by Jhedli van Briesies.

Lion-Cachet, who struck one boundary from 27 balls, and Jordaan, who struck two boundaries and a six from his 34 deliveries, stemmed the flow somewhat, trying to get the visitors back into the game, but then Siyabonga Mahima (4-0-32-1) clean-bowled Lion-Cachet to send the sparse crowd into raptures.

Jordaan followed shortly thereafter, being castled by Ferisco Adams (3-0-24-1). Sibonelo Makhanya, who was dropped on 10, did not take his chance as he was caught at square-leg by Adams from the bowling of Lehan Botha (1-0-3-1).

Dayyaan Galiem struck one four and a six from 15 balls before slicing Keith Dudgeon (4-0-32-1) to Manack at short third-man. Manack then cleaned up Gerhardus Maree (15) before Stuurman brought the 20-over innings to a close, having Roelof van der Merwe caught at mid-off by Botha for just seven.

Having fallen short of the average first innings total of 153 for a day/night T20, the Titans will have to bowl beyond themselves if they are to stop the hosts from registering their fourth consecutive victory and extend their lead at the top of the log.

 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.