Dragons fire to trumpet out Tuskers in nervy finish

The Renault Dragons held their nerve to beat the Moothe Ram Tuskers by 25 runs and claim their first win of the tournament at JB Marks Oval in the CSA T20 Challenge on Tuesday.

Having won the toss and opted to bowl, the Tuskers couldn’t replicate the death bowling masterclass that saw them outclass the Lions last week, with the Dragons posting 173-5.

The hosts were in the hunt late into the game but never managed to string meaningful partnerships together.

Ntandoyenkosi Zuma’s 42 off 37 kept the innings steady as the Tuskers stuttered to 71-4 after 12.1 overs, and a cameo from Wayne Parnell (26 off 15) was never going to be enough.

With the score at 108-5 when Parnell departed in the 15th over, the Dragons turned the screws. Consistent wickets and a rising required rate proved the Tuskers’ undoing.

The Dragons’ innings had followed a similar trajectory. Ludwich Schuld set the tone with a brisk 43 off 33, while Janneman Malan anchored with a measured 37 off 38.

Wihan Lubbe added a rapid 23 off 12 before Michael Erlank (3-30) struck twice to stall the middle order.

Meeka-eel Prince and Lesiba Ngoepe fell in quick succession, but Ruan de Swardt’s late cameo - 27 off just 10 balls - helped the Dragons finish with a flourish.

He launched a six and four boundaries in the final overs, supported by Diego Rosier’s 16* off 9.

Despite tidy spells from Sean Gilson and Daryn Dupavillon, the Tuskers leaked 31 runs in the last two overs.

Even without a half-century on the board, the Dragons edged their first win at a crucial time.

NW DRAGONS: Ludwich Schuld, Janneman Malan, Wihan Lubbe, Lesiba Ngoepe, Meeka-Eel Prince, Ruan De Swardt, Diego Rosier, Onke Nyaku, Jade De Klerk, Caleb Seleka, Shimane Mothoa

TUSKERS: Kagiso Rapulana, Ntandoyenkosi Zuma, Michael Erlank, Sean Gilson, Andile Mogakane, Cameron Shekleton, Sean Whitehead, Wayne Parnell, G Viljoen, Daryn Dupavillion, Ziyaad Abrahams