Western Province have scored a critical win against Boland. As a result, they’re now fourth on the One Day Cup league table.
A solid, measured century from Yaseen Vallie held the WP innings together, as Boland consistently kept their progress in check with wickets. Cameos from the youngsters Daniel Smith and Gavin Kaplan were priceless towards the end of the innings, as they reached 300 on the nose at halftime.
Ferisco Adams was the star of the show with the ball, as his 4-wicket haul with 3 at the death limited the late surge from WP.
In response, Ruan Terblanche and Stiaan van Zyl started off briskly, but Terblanche struggled to find another gear. A pair of strikes from Basheer Walters was just what WP needed, with the game seesawing back and forth for much of the chase.
There were multiple handy contributions across the batting order, but none of the middle-order players could push on and make a match-defining score to seize control.
It was a true team effort with the ball from WP, with four bowlers taking two wickets each. Wickets were important, especially when Michael Copeland was scoring quickly and Hardus Viljoen landed a couple of meaty blows.
However, Boland fell short by 18 with 8 balls to spare. It was an intense contest, but WP held the upper hand and consistently put the pressure right back on the visitors.
WP 300/8 (Y Vallie 100 – F Adams 10-1-54-4)
Boland 283 (S van Zyl 66 – Walter 10-0-48-2, M Mpongwana 9.4-0-51-2)
It was an impassioned fight down to the wire between table-toppers Titans and the Imperial Lions.
A low-scoring game produced one of the most thrilling games of the tournament, reminiscent of the Australia-New Zealand match in the group stage of the 2015 WC.
Gihahn Cloete carried his hat with a dogged 62, and that was the story of the Titans innings. Apart from a useful 27 from skipper Sibonelo Makhanya, Cloete never got support from the other end, as the Lions bowlers were wreaking havoc.
Proteas left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin impressed with an excellent 5-wicket haul. The Titans were struggling at 73/5, but Fortuin spun a web during his second spell. A lower order collapse made sure that the visitors would manage a measly 145.
It seemed like a straightforward chase in store, but the home team were in for a rude awakening. Neil Brand claimed three quick wickets, reducing the Lions to 26/3.
Spin continued to dominate during the chase, but Mitchell van Buuren negotiated the tricky passages with calmness and skill. His 44 made sure the innings wouldn’t fall apart completely, and that the Lions would remain the favourites.
Wickets were falling at the other end, and everything was happening. Titans skipper Heinrich Klaasen decided to swap the gloves for the ball, and got the wicket of Malusi Siboto, leaving the Lions 8 down with another 42 runs to get.
All of a sudden, the Titans had a sniff at victory. However, it was a 26-run stand between van Buuren and Codi Yusuf that brought the Lions even closer to the elusive finish line.
When van Buuren was trapped LBW, another 17 runs were needed. The final-wicket duo of Yusuf and Tladi Bokako nervously sealed the deal, and this win has propelled the Lions to the second position on the table.
Titans 145 in 38.2 overs (Cloete 62* – Fortuin 9.2-2-34-5)
Lions 147/9 in 45 overs (van Buuren 44 – Brand 10-1-22-3)
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
