Rain had the final say in Bloemfontein as the Junior Proteas clinch a 23-run DLS method victory to end second in group D and qualify for the Super League Quarterfinals.

There really was no other way for the host nation was there? A tough start to their campaign, a possible scare that shook them awake and the realization of every game there on being a knock out stared them right in the face.

Both the hosts and the United Arab Emirates came into this clash under pressure but more so the team who dons the green and gold with the winner advancing to the knockout stages.

Jonathan Bird, this time partnered up with wicket-keeper batter Khanya Cotani in what isn’t a familiar position for him. They got their side off to a flyer. The former farmed the strike scoring a sparkling 43 from 36 deliveries with 7 fours and 1 six while Cotani (19) did the supportive role well.

The UAE skipper brought himself to the middle in the 10th over and the test against the spin was on but Bird fell victim off the first delivery as he tried to play across the line and was trapped lbw before Cotani was the next to be dismissed in the same over.

The series of the Parsons-Beaufort partnership continued as the duo notched up their third consecutive 50+ stand with a 152-run partnership. The highest in this tournament.

The pair once again consolidated and rescued the hosts negating the spin overs well with Parsons in particular being the aggressor with execellent foot work. Both fell agonizingly short of their respective tons but a brilliant 84 by Bryce Parsons who’s the tournaments leading run scorer with 245 runs. He overtook New Zealand’s Rhys Mariu. Acareer best 85 by Luke Beaufort ensured the Junior Proteas were on their way to a decent total.

UAE fought back during the latter overs picking up wickets at crucial stages of the game, not allowing the middle-lower order to get stuck in. Aryan Lakra 3/48 and Sanchit Sharma 3/57 were the key wicket takers. They picked up 5 wickets in the final 10 overs conceding only 74 runs.

Achille Cloete and Pheko Moletsane ran well in the final over to squeeze out 10 runs to get South Africa close to the 300-run mark which at one stage looked as if they’d easily get there. Nevertheless, 299/8 was all she wrote.

Chasing a mammoth 300 to win was always going to be tough but UAE have batsmen who were very capable of getting the job done. 17 runs came off the second over with Merrick Brett being hit to the boundary at ease.

Achille Cloete was unlucky as he found the edge of the UAE skipper Aryan Lakra (6) but a diving Parsons couldn’t pull off what would’ve been an outstanding catch but the very next ball, he found the edge again and the wicket-keeper did the rest. Vriitya Aravind played a stunning innings of 31 off 17 before Bryce Parsons found the leading edge sending him on his way.

With Jonathan Figy (29*) at the crease, UAE always stood a chance but the South African bowlers kept things reasonably tight and then rain came to ruin an exciting match with both teams’ hopes depending on it. The green and gold, the host nation, edged it by a tiny margin on the DLS method.

Heartbreak for UAE but a nation so richly in need of a glimmer of happiness, the South Africans go marching on…