Reigning champions, Six Gun Grill Western Province bounced back to winning ways in the CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup, while the DP World Lions remained in the title race with an outright victory during the second to last round of action for the season.

Momentum Proteas all-rounder, Nadine de Klerk played a crucial role with both bat and ball as Western Province claimed a dominant 61-run win over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at the Six Gun Grill Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

The Lions, who went into the weekend just a single point behind log-leaders WP, ensured the title race will go into the final weekend of the campaign with a seven-wicket triumph over the North West Dragons in a shortened 17-over contest at the Orban Oval (U) in Johannesburg.

In the other Division One match, the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers earned a five-wicket victory over the Fidelity Titans via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method at the Six Gun Grill Recreation Ground to move up into third place in the CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup.

Heading into the bumper weekend at the top of the table, Western Province won the toss and elected to bat first as Andrie Steyn contributed a 21-ball 25 at the top of the order before de Klerk helped launch the home side to 106 / 7 after 20 overs with an unbeaten 50 off 44 balls, bludgeoning a six fours and one six.

With the ball, de Klerk claimed the wicket of both openers to inspire the rest of her bowling attack as the Dolphins collapsed to 45 / 9 at the end of their innings, with the fiery all-rounder finishing with outstanding figures of two for seven as WP sealed the 61-run win within 16.4 overs.

In Johannesburg, knowing that only a win will keep them in the title pursuit, the Lions won the toss and chose to bowl first as Yolani Fourie (2 / 23) and an all round team display in the field helped the hosts restrict the Dragons to 64 / 6 in the adjusted 17 overs after a delayed start to the match.

The Lions made their chase look easy, with the experienced and latest recruit, Sunette Viljoen-Louw leading from the front with an undefeated 43 off 38 deliveries (4 fours, 1 six) to help the second-placed side reach their target in the 12th over and with seven wickets in hand to stay in the title hunt.

In the mid-table tussle at the Recreation Ground, the Garden Route Badgers were asked to bowl first as the Titans posted a competitive 117 / 7 in their allotted 20 overs, with bowling all-rounder Eliz-Mari Marx top-scoring with 46 off 40 balls alongside Nicolene Janse van Rensburg (38*).

Badger’s Haroline Rhodes was the standout bowler with a return of three for 27.

Following a weather delay in Oudtshoorn, the Badgers were then tasked with a modified target of 104 in 17 overs for victory. In typical fashion, the competition’s top-scorer, Tazmin Brits took on the chase with confidence as she notched up her fourth half-century of the season, striking a 34-ball 53 (3 fours, 3 sixes) to take the Badgers over the line with a five-wicket margin and seven deliveries to spare.

That win moves the South Western Districts side into third place, overtaking the Hollywoodbets Dolphins who went down to Western Province.

In Division Two, there were positive results for Free State and the Eastern Storm.

The orange army from the Free State dispatched of Eastern Cape Iinyathi by 10 wickets at the Buffalo Park Stadium, while the Eastern Storm closed the gap to log-leaders Northern Cape Heat with a 14-run win over their closest Pool B rivals to wrap up their campaign.

The tenth and final round of the CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup and T20 Cup takes place next weekend (1 – 2 April), with both competitions still up for grabs, with Western Province, the Dolphins and the Lions all in with a chance for glory.

Results – CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup

Division One –

Six Gun Grill Western Province beat Hollywoodbets Dolphins by 61 runs.

Six Gun Grill Western Province: 106/7 after 20 overs; N. De Klerk 50* (44), L. Jones 21 (22); N. Shangase 3 / 11, N. Mlaba 1 / 13

Hollywoodbets Dolphins: 45 / 9 after 16.4 overs; N. Shangase 17 (22), N. Mlaba 9 (15); L. Jones 2 / 5, N. de Klerk 2 / 7

Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers beat the Fidelity Titans by 5 wickets (DLS)

Fidelity Titans: 117/7 after 17 overs (17 overs); E. Marx 46 (40), N. Janse van Rensburg 38 (49); H. Rhodes 3 / 27, M. Andrews 2 / 11

Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers: 105 / 5 after 15.5 overs; T. Brits 53* (34), M. de Ridder 12 (23); N. Janse van Rensburg 3 / 20 m, R. Coetzer 1 / 15

DP World Lions beat North West Dragons by 7 wickets.

North West Dragons: 64/6 after 17 overs (17); E. Janse van Rensburg 21 (33), M. Klaas 10 (20); Y. Fourie 2 / 23, S. Nettleton 1 / 5

DP World Lions: 65 / 3 after 11.5 overs (17); S. Viljoen 43* (38), D. Ramlakan 5* (15); N. Nini 1 / 8, K. Sethlodi 1 / 9

Division Two –

Eastern Storm won by 14 runs.

Eastern Storm: 78 / 9 after 20 overs; V. Reddy 10 (34), L. Langa 10 (35); B. Greef 2 / 7, C. Velskoen 2 / 11

Northern Cape Heat: 58 all out after 17.1 overs; M. Arthur 12 (30), B. Groot 10 (2); A. Rudolph 4 / 19, M. Edwards 3 / 9

Free State beat Eastern Cape Iinyathi by 10 wickets.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi: 46 all out after 18 overs; S. Copiso 14 (23), G. Frits 12 (16); M. Ntsane 4 / 4, G. Rensburg 2 / 4

Free State: 47/0 after 4.3 overs; D. Hoffman 32 (13), Y. Potgieter 10 (14); S. Fawuli 11 / 0

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images