Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland secured their place in the final of the CSA Provincial T20 Cup by beating Eastern Province by 21 runs in the first semi-final at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
The four teams had a week to recover, to assess the conditions and come up with the best combination of players to try secure a spot in the final of the tournament.
Eastern Province won the toss and elected to field first. The men from KZN responded with a brilliant opening-stand of exactly 100 runs before Jade de Klerk finally broke through the defence of Cody Chetty, dismissing the KZN captain for 62 off 43 deliveries.
Chetty’s knock included 10 boundaries at a strike rate of 144.18. His partner, Grant Roelofsen, scored 63 off 51 deliveries.
KZN-Inland made a total of 172-3, Robbie Frylinck chipped in with a quick-fire 28 off 14 balls while Jade de Klerk returned figures of 1-23 (4 overs).
In reply, EP had the worst of starts when they lost their key player, Marco Marais, for only six runs at the top of the order.
Frylinck continued to show the value of experience as he blew away the men from the Eastern Cape with his figures of 2-28 in 4 overs. EP could only manage 151 runs for the loss of nine wickets.
Nduduzo Mfoza finished with impressive figures of 3-16 in his 4 overs as KZN-Inland won the match by 21 runs.
Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
