Aya Myoli, Bjorn Fortuin and Beuran Hendricks took three wickets each to help the bizhub Highveld Lions secure a dramatic 14-run win over the Warriors late on the final day of their crucial Sunfoil Series meeting in East London on Sunday.
After the visitors declared overnight on their day three total of 153/2 at the start of day four, it left the hosts needing 258 for victory.
But they made a mess of the chase early on after slumping to 42/4 thanks to the pace of Myoli, who claimed three of the wickets at that stage before ending with 3/58. A fifth-wicket partnership of 102 between Colin Ingram (46) and Lesiba Ngoepe put the Warriors well on track. The Warriors needed another 104, but blew their prospects when both set men fell – Ngoepe going for a top-score of 77 (104 balls, 9 fours). Followed by Somila Seyibokwe (4) and Sisanda Magala (7) dismissed early on either side of a rain delay, the end looked close at 183/8.
Captain Simon Harmer struck a determined 45 and shared in a 54-run ninth-wicket stand with Anrich Nortje (26) to take his side to the brink. But they were removed by Fortuin (3/39) and Hendricks (3/70) respectively as the Lions sealed a memorable win.
The result helped the Johannesburg side climb off the bottom of the table and ahead of the Warriors with a total of 83.35 points to just about stay alive in the title hunt.
The Warriors are effectively now out of the race with their 78.66 total too far behind the leaders, the Multiply Titans, on 94.62.