Tag: RAM SLAM T20

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Proteas Prepare for International Summer as SACA MVP Expands 

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) anticipates an exciting international summer for both the Proteas Men and Women. Kicking off…

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SACA Celebrates Tony Irish on Receiving the Prestigious Tim May Medal of Honour

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) is proud to celebrate its founder and former CEO, Tony Irish, who received the…

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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MORRIS SIX-FOR TAKES TITANS TO SUNFOIL SERIES TITLE

The Multiply Titans were crowned 2017/18 Sunfoil Series champions on Sunday after concluding a tense final round of rain-hit matches with a nervy four-wicket win over the VKB Knights in Centurion.

Chris Morris was their star performer with six for 55 that helped set up a low-scoring chase of 110, which the hosts knocked off with plenty of time to spare.

Mark Boucher’s side went into the final round of games in fourth place and as one of the teams with the slimmest of chances of claiming the four-day crown, but in the end finished the day with their fifth outright first-class title of the franchise era.

The Warriors, who had begun the round first, had to settle for runners-up, and the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras in third.

The final day, which was effectively the second day of the match after the opening two days had been washed out by rain, had started out with the Knights batting on 62 for three and still trailing by 38 in their second innings.

Both sides had faced 40 overs each in their first innings – the away side posting 169 for seven declared and the home side replying with 269 for three declared.

Captain Rudi Second top-scored with 76 (136 balls, 8 fours), with David Miller chipping in with 52 (70 balls, 8 fours), before Morris and Malusi Siboto (3/43) ripped through the middle and lower order to leave the Central franchise all out for 209.

It left a target of just over 100 to get, and despite Marchant de Lange grabbing three for 40, an important 43 from Heino Kuhn and 29 by Farhaan Behardien ensured the Titans got to their target midway through the final afternoon.

They then had to wait for the result of the bizhub Highveld Lions against the Cape Cobras Cobras – the latter needing to win in order to win the title – but as it played out, the Cape side fell to a nine-wicket loss handing the Titans the title.

It also capped another impressive season for Boucher’s side, who secured the double after their success in the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge.

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KP JOINS DOLPHINS FOR THE RAM SLAM T20

The Sunfoil Dolphins have re-signed global T20 star Kevin Pietersen for the upcoming RAM Slam T20 Challenge, adding a fresh injection of energy as the franchise prepares for the 2016/17 domestic cricket season.

Pietersen has again signed a five-match deal that will see him represent the KZN franchise in the second half of the round robin stage and will also turn out for the Dolphins in the playoff and final should the team progress to the knockout phase of the competition.

“I’m as excited as anything to have signed with the Dolphins again,” explains Pietersen.

“I had such a wonderful season with them last season and I really enjoyed the team, the camaraderie and the competition so it was a very easy decision to sign again for this season’s T20 competition.

“It will be great to getting back onto the cricket field again and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone in Durban again as well.

“Here’s to a successful campaign!” he adds.

While disappointed to see Sunfoil Dolphins CEO, Pete de Wet’s time in charge of the KZN franchise draw to a close shortly, Pietersen is relishing the opportunity of working with newly appointed head coach, Grant Morgan again.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to deal with Pete (de Wet) – I’m sorry to see him leave the Dolphins, but I’m really excited to work with Grant Morgan who I know very well,” says Pietersen.

“Its great to have Kevin coming back and playing for the Dolphins again this season. He is a world class player in all formats of the game and in T20 he is no doubt one of the best there has ever been.” Said Morgan.

While Pietersen’s mentoring role was again evident during his time with the Dolphins last season, taking players such as Andile Phehlukwayo under his wing and guiding the exciting all-rounder, it was his effort with the bat that left the most telling impression.

The former Maritzburg College pupil and KZN age group player blasted 401 runs in just seven innings – including two hundreds and two fifties at an average of 80.20 and a strike of 172.84 – that ignited the competition as a whole and played a key role in seeing the Dolphins reach the final.

“Through my involvement with the Warriors last year, from the side of the field one could see and feel the impact Kevin had on the game,” says Morgan. “His results were of a freakish nature that really helped pilot the Dolphins into the final.”

“It’s a privilege to have a player join us at the Dolphins who has such an impact on the squad, the tournament as well as the fans and we look forward to him having a huge impact on our team, and indeed the whole competition, once again.”

Outgoing CEO, De Wet is another thrilled by Pietersen’s return and believes his inclusion in the squad’s T20 plans will yield positive results for the franchise.

“I’m extremely pleased we’ve been able to sign Kevin to the Sunfoil Dolphins again for this season’s RAM Slam T20 Challenge,” says De Wet.

“He added immense value to our franchise last year and having a guy like him around can only do wonders for the Dolphins again this time around.”

“We got very close to winning the T20 competition last year but unfortunately weren’t able to get over the line against the Titans in the final; hopefully having KP around again this year can help us achieve part of what we’re trying to achieve as a franchise this season.”

De Wet is also confident the remainder of the Dolphins squad has what it takes to achieve the franchise’s goals for 2016/17 and wishes the players and coaching staff well for their upcoming campaign.

“As the Dolphins gear up for a big season, Grant (Morgan) has been working really hard with the players that are not playing overseas and are available to him now and we’re already starting to see those guys hitting their straps.

“I will look back on my tenure at the Dolphins with much fondness and will certainly be keeping a close tabs on the results from New Zealand.

“I would like to wish the squad all the best of luck and hope that they will continue to put in the hard yards in the next couple of weeks and months leading up to the season.

“I have no doubt that they will bring success to Dolphins franchise in the very near future,” says De Wet.

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SACA CONGRATULATES DOMESTIC MVP WINNER DWAINE PRETORIUS

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today congratulated Bizhub Highveld Lions all-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius, on winning its Most Valuable Player (MVP) title for his performances over the three domestic competitions in the 2015/16 season.  Pretorius finished on a total of 468, 282 points.

The SACA MVP is a cumulative points system that rewards franchise players for every run scored, wicket taken and catch held in the three franchise domestic competitions, and also takes into account the context of the match and in which the performances are achieved. Each of the CSA domestic competitions has a unique weighting for each discipline, dependant on what is considered more important in that format (for example strike rate and economy rate in the T20 format).

Following his remarkable start to the season, Pretorius’ hard work with bat and ball earned the Lion’s all-rounder a total of 641 runs and 60 wickets in all competitions. Despite picking up an injury half way through the season, Pretorius was a strong contender for the top spot throughout, and in the end, he took the overall MVP title, 31.929 points ahead of Sunfoil Dolphins left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who finished second.

“The SACA MVP is something all of us franchise cricketers strive to win because it combines what you do with bat, ball and in the field in all three competitions.  It is recognised by players as a measure of consistency throughout the season.  I’m proud to have won this but must also give some credit to my Lions teammates in helping me to do it” said Dwaine Pretorius.

The SACA MVP rankings also focus on performances in each particular competition.  Bizhub Highveld Lions paceman, Hardus Viljoen clinched the top spot in the four day Sunfoil Series MVP rankings from team mate Pretorius, doing so in the Lions final match against the Warriors. Viljoen’s performance kept him in the running for the title as he held his position at the top of the ranking for five of the nine Sunfoil Series matches he played.  He finished the Sunfoil Series as the top wicket-taker with 47 wickets.

Alviro Petersen was a runaway winner of the Momentum One-Day Cup MVP award after a record-breaking season in which he scored 726 runs, an astonishing 31% of all his teams runs. His remarkable total included five centuries, four in consecutive matches, and was compiled at an equally remarkable strike rate of 100.13 runs per hundred balls. His was the outstanding contribution in the Lions’ successful Momentum One Day Cup campaign.

The Unlimited Titans T20 captain, Albie Morkel, started the RamSlam T20 with a bang and stayed within touching distance of the top spot throughout the tournament. Morkel’s steady flow of runs and wickets, as well as his captaining proficiency, saw him edge out the VKB Knights international star, Andre Russell, by just 0.92 points.

“I’d like to congratulation Dwaine on winning the overall SACA MVP,” said SACA chief executive, Tony Irish.  “To achieve the top spot a player has to perform for his franchise pretty much week in and week out throughout the season.”

“I would also like to congratulate Hardus, Alviro and Albie for leading the way in each of the domestic competitions.  There were some pretty impressive individual performances from a number of players this season and I think Heino Kuhn’s 1126 runs in the Sunfoil Series and Alviro Petersen’s five hundreds in the Momentum One Day Cup deserve special mention.  Well done also to the entire Titans squad for winning the Sunfoil Series and the RamSlam and to the Lions Squad for taking the Momentum One Day Cup.”

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STEPHEN COOK JOINS PROTEAS TEST SQUAD

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today added Stephen Cook to the Castle Lager Proteas squad for the final Sunfoil Test match against England, starting at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The bizhub Highveld Lions opening batsman currently tops the Sunfoil Series batting averages with 415 runs at an average of 83 including two centuries. If he does gain selection for the final XI he will part of the first ever father and son combination to represent the Proteas in a Test match.

His father, Jimmy, played in three Test matches against India and Sri Lanka between 1992 and 1993.

“Stephen has been in excellent form this season,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi, and gives us another option at the top of the order.”

Castle Lager Proteas Test squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), Stephen Cook (bizhub Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (the Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (bizhub Highveldl Lions).

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MOSEHLE BLASTS TITANS TO RAM SLAM VICTORY

 Mangaliso Mosehle played his finest innings to date in one of the biggest matches of his career to help The Unlimited Titans lift the RAM SLAM T20 trophy in front of a full house home crowd at SuperSport Park. 

 

After the Sunfoil Dolphins had posted what looked to be a challenging 159 for five, Mosehle walked in at No. 3 and smashed seven sixes to score 87 from 39 balls. Although Mosehle and Henry Davids (35), with whom he put on 123 in 67 balls for the second wicket, fell to successive deliveries from Kyle Abbott, by that stage the game was won. With just 12 runs needed from 33 balls, Farhaan Behardien and Albie Morkel merely needed to keep their heads, which they did to record a seven-wicket win with 19 balls to spare. 

 

It was the first time since the 2011/12 season that the Titans had won the domestic Twenty20 competition, and it gave Rob Walter his third trophy since taking over as coach of the franchise at the start of the 2013/14 season. Given their dominance in the league phase, when they won eight games on the trot and finished 13 points clear at the top of the table, nobody could claim they were not deserved winners. One of the keys to their success has been the number of bases that they cover, and that was the case once again.

 

Albie Morkel was able to call on no fewer than eight bowling options, all of whom did a job as the Dolphins were strangled in the middle period of their innings. With runs hard to come by, Morne van Wyk (29), Jonathan Vandiar (26) and Kevin Pietersen all holed out as they tried to get the scoreboard going. A late blast from Dwayne Bravo and David Miller gave the visitors something to bowl at as they took 65 off the last six overs, with Bravo making 53 from 30 balls and Miller scoring 33. But that proved inadequate once Mosehle got going. While he has a List A century to his name as well as an unbeaten 93 in the shortest format, neither have come in such a pressure situation. As he went hard at the Dolphins, their bowlers had no answer, with Imran Tahir taking the worst punishment when Mosehle took 24 off his second over. That took the required rate below a run a ball, and the Titans eased home from there. Davids was named RAM Deliverer of the Day and Mosehle RAM Slammer of the day.

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DOLPHINS SET THE STAGE FOR A THRILLING RAM SLAM FINAL

TheCape Cobras contrived to blow the advantage given to them by Richard Levi’s superb innings, as the Sunfoil Dolphins clung on for a thrilling five-run victory at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead that put them into the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Final. Andile Phehlukwayo was once again the bowling hero at the death for the Dolphins, being given the 18th and 20th overs to take 2/7 and also build the pressure that led to the run out of Justin Ontong.

With Levi blitzing 85 from just 43 balls, the Cobras went into the last five overs of their chase needing just a run a ball with seven wickets in hand to win the play-off.

Although Levi had departed by that stage, with plenty of batting to come the Cobras looked certain victors, but they went on to lose five wickets for the addition of just 19 runs to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. The Dolphins will now travel to SuperSport Park to take on The Unlimited Titans in Saturday’s final, with their belief undoubtedly buoyed. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, they saw Cameron Delport put up his first significant score of the campaign as he scored 55 from 37 balls in an opening partnership with Morne van Wyk (57) that was worth 99.

That set the tone, and allowed David Miller and Kevin Pietersen to do what they do best once the openers had departed. The pair hit two sixes apiece, with Pietersen making 27 from 10 balls and Miller finishing unbeaten on 33 from 24 balls, as the Dolphins posted 178 for three. No team has scored more than 179 in the competition this season, and so it was clear that the Cobras faced a stiff challenge, particularly with a lack of firepower in their middle-order. Levi produced the big innings when they needed it most, bludgeoning seven sixes in a brutal innings that saw him reach 50 in just 20 deliveries.

The Cobras romped to 77 without loss in the power play, with Wayne Parnell (27) playing the supporting role, and, even after Levi misjudged the length and pace of a Delport delivery to depart in the 14th over, the game should have been in the bag. Yet the Cobras hit just two boundaries from that point on – both of them by Lesiba Ngoepe (32) – and the pressure built up progressively as a result.

It was then that Phehlukwayo became the hero for the Dolphins – and not for the first time in this season’s competition either – bowling two of the last three overs, during which he conceded just seven runs off the bat and claimed two wickets, while Justin Ontong was also run out in his final over. The all-rounder is still four months shy of his 20th birthday on March 3 next year, but will now have the opportunity to showcase his growing skills and impressive nerve in South Africa’s most high-profile domestic game on Saturday.

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THRILLING ROAD TO THE RAM SLAM T20 FINAL

SuperSport Park will be the place to be on Saturday evening when it plays host to the fourth RAM SLAM final. The home side, The Unlimited Titans will take on the winners of Wednesday’s playoff between the Sunfoil Dolphins and the Cape Cobras for the coveted winners cheque of R2,7 Million.

Leading up to Saturday’s game, the ever popular RAM SLAM DropZone will be up and running at the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre from 16h00 – 18h00 on Friday 11 December. The exhilarating match day activation has seen fans queueing time and time again for their opportunity to jump up to 18 meters off a crane onto a massive inflatable cushion. In addition to the DropZone, there’ll be ticket give aways as well as the Unlimited Titans players present for autographs. Everyone is welcome to come and join in the free fun!

The crowd favourite competition #CatchAMillion will be in full force at the final with all 9 winners to date being flown into the ground via helicopter, which will land on the pitch minutes before the coin toss. Add to this live DJ’s Black Coffee as well as DJ Euphonik, the ongoing #DanceCam competition now with double the prize money on offer, 20 Slams and the RAM SLAM DropZone the fans are certainly set to get more than they bargained for. The #DropAMillion prize of R10 000 for the worst drop catch is sure to be a winner with those selected fans who missed out on their share of the massive R1 million Rand due to their dropped catch. Funny-man Joey Rasdien is in place to ensure that those unable to attend the game are at least laughing at home.

RAM Hand to Hand Couriers Joint MD David Lazarus encourages the fans to join in the fun atmosphere in the final “Supersport Park will be set alight this Saturday – we’ve ensured that there’s something for everyone from kiddies areas, live music, competitions and all-round thrilling Summer entertainment.”

 

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WARRIORS CLICK INTO A HIGHER GEAR

 

After notching up the first of the three victories that they need to challenge for the RAM SLAM T20 qualifier spots, Colin Ingram admits that the thrill of the Warriors’ task is proving beneficial as they prepare to take on the VKB Knights at the Mangaung Oval in their next assignment.

The Warriors kept the race for the tournament’s play-off game wide open by seeing off the Cape Cobras on Wednesday night, leaving four teams in the running for the qualifier.

While the Cobras are still in pole position with 20 points, the fact that they face the third-placed Sunfoil Dolphins in their remaining fixture means that one of the play-off places is likely to be there for the taking if the Warriors or the Lions can win their final two games.

Ingram says that the intense pressure on the Warriors, who have travelled to Bloemfontein with an unchanged squad, is kicking them into a higher gear.

“You’d obviously prefer to be right up there and not have to play with this pressure, but if you look at the positives, every game is almost a final for us,” he said.

“In that way we can really leave it all out there, and maybe for a bunch of young guys who are quite ambitious, it can be exciting.”

Ingram was pleased with the way that the Warriors “won all the big moments” against the Cobras, recovering from the loss of three early wickets to post an above-average total, and then holding their nerve with the ball and in the field when it mattered.

A similar performance will be required against the Knights, who have bounced back from losing their opening six games in the competition to win their last two games convincingly.

“We’re feeling a lot better after getting some results that suggested how we’ve been playing,” said captain, Werner Coetsee. “We hadn’t played bad cricket before that; we just hadn’t been able to cross the line.

“We’d like to build on that and keep on improving, because there’s still a long season left for us. We want to make sure we take something out of this campaign.”

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DU BRUYN STEERS KNIGHTS TO VICTORY

A dominant bowling performance followed by Theunis de Bruyn’s 42 steered VKB Knights to a comfortable eight-wicket win – their second win of the season – over the Sunfoil Dolphins in a low-scoring game in Port Elizabeth. Andre Russell and Malusi Siboto took three wickets apiece, as Dolphins were restricted to 82 for 9 in 20 overs.

Dolphins got off to a horror start after choosing to bat, as they were left reeling at 35 for 5 at the end of the 10th over. They failed to recover from that start as wickets fell regularly – including two run-outs – and substantial partnerships were hard to stitch. Dwayne Bravo, who was the only batsman to score more than 15, top-scored with a 24-ball 23, before he was dismissed by Russell in the final over.

In the chase,  Knights too were off to a dodgy start, losing both openers within the first three overs. De Bruyn then came in and combined with Aubrey Swanepoel to post an unbeaten 75-run partnership which helped Knights reach their target with eight overs to spare, earning them a bonus-point in the process.

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PARNELL PERFORMANCE PUSHES COBRAS TO SECOND

Wayne Parnell played the innings of his life in the shortest format to take the Cape Cobras to second place on the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge log with a 6-wicket victory over the bizhub Highveld Lions at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

The Cobras now have 20 points with two games to play while the Sunfoil Dolphins have 18 points with one match to play which is against the Cobras. This match could well decide who finishes second on the log although the Warriors are by no means out of the picture either. The Cobras match against the Warriors on Wednesday is also a critical one.

The Lions can still reach the knock-out stage but they will have to win both their remaining fixtures. The Unlimited Titans are now confirmed as the top team on the log and get direct access to a home final.

Ironically, Parnell would never have got the chance to bat at the top of the order had the Cobras not suffered yet another injury – this time a freak concussion for opening batsman Richard Levi who was hit on the back of the head while fielding.

The turning point of the match, although it was not evident at the time, came when Parnell, who opened with Andrew Puttick, was caught by Thami Tsolekile off the bowling of Hardus Viljoen. On referral the delivery was confirmed as a no ball and Parnell, who had 20 at the time, went on to make a match-winning 99 (57 balls, 9 fours and 5 sixes). The next highest contribution to the Cobras’ winning total was Andrew Puttick’s 19 which illustrates just how much he dominated the runs chase.

The Lions looked to have posted a competitive total of 153/5 after winning the toss thanks to an unbroken partnership of 53 in 4.3 overs between Thami Tsolekile and Dwaine Pretorius but in the end they had no answer to Parnell’s onslaught.

Parnell was named RAM Slammer of the day while Justin Kemp, playing his 100th game in the T20 format, was named RAM Deliverer of the day for his figures of 2/26.

Levi was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with mild concussion and kept in hospital overnight as a precautionary measure.

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COBRAS COUNTING ON EXPERIENCE OF KEMP AND PETERSON

The Cape Cobras will fall back on the experience of an old hand in Justin Kemp as they look to overcome the loss of overseas star, Kieron Pollard, in Sunday’s crunch RAM SLAM T20 clash against the bizhub Highveld Lions at Bidvest Wanderers.

Pollard was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after injuring his right knee during last Sunday’s win over the Knights in Paarl, handing the Cobras their latest blow in a campaign beset by injuries and non-availabilities.

Wayne Parnell, Rory Kleinveldt, Robin Peterson and George Linde have all spent time on the sidelines during the tournament, while Pollard was absent for a week when he was called up to the West Indian Twenty20 side in Sri Lanka.

“We’ve been in the wars in this tournament,” said Cobras coach, Paul Adams.

However, Adams had three causes for cheer this week, two of them on the injury front as Parnell showed promising recovery from his foot injury and Peterson also improved swiftly enough to suggest that he will be available on Sunday.

The third fillip is the depth of the Cobras’ resources, which allows Adams to call on someone like Kemp – who will play his 100th T20 match – to fill the gap left by Pollard.

“Kempy has been around very much as a mentor, practising with the guys and staying in touch with the game, so for us it’s about bringing in that experience,” said Adams.

“Also Robbie has recovered nicely so it’s a very experienced side that we take into the weekend, which is at the business end, so hopefully some of their calmness will rub on to the younger players.”

The Cobras currently sit in third place, but could lose that position if they lose to the Lions, who are just four points behind.

The Lions had the opportunity to draw level on points on Wednesday night, but blew their chance by losing to the Knights, making Sunday’s game all the more important.

“Everyone knows where we stand,” said Lions captain, Thami Tsolekile. “If we had won on Wednesday night then it would have taken the pressure off, but now every game has become a must-win.”

Tsolekile acknowledged that batting remains the main problem for the Lions, but suggested that they wouldn’t want conditions to try and make up for that in Sunday’s game.

“Ideally we don’t want the wicket to be too quick, because our spin bowling has been one of our main strengths,” he pointed out. “That said, the Wanderers has always got pace, even when it’s turning.”

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WARRIORS SEEK MOMENTUM AGAINST DOMINANT TITANS

The Warriors face the stiff task of revitalising their RAM SLAM T20 campaign against the tournament’s standout side when they take on The Unlimited Titans in the second game of Saturday’s double-header at St. George’s Park.

The Warriors currently sit fifth on the table with 10 points, but are the only side who still have four games remaining – something that could be turned into an advantage if they can beat the Titans and generate some momentum.

“We know we’re up against a tough challenge, where three wins out of four games will give us an outside chance of qualifying for the play-offs, and four wins out of four would give us a good chance,” said captain, Colin Ingram.

“If we get on a good run and develop some momentum in the final league games, then we could take that into the knockouts as well. This next home game is key, because if we win it then playing three games in quick succession next week could suit us.”

Their task looks all the steeper for the fact that Colin Ackermann remains a doubt due to his quad strain, and Lundi Mbane may be unavailable due to a bereavement.

What’s more, they will be up against a team that is set on total domination – the Titans need just two wins from their final three games to guarantee a home final, but after winning their last six on the trot, they have their sights set even higher.

“We’ve obviously worked out what we need to get a home final but that’s not our main focus,” said captain, Albie Morkel. “We want to go through the rest of the competition without losing. It would be tough, but that’s our ambition.”

It’s no secret that the Warriors have been heavily reliant on Ackermann and Ingram for runs in the competition, and Morkel made it clear that the Titans will be out to exploit that.

“With any side that we face we try and identify their match-winners and take them out as early as possible. Those two have played some nice cricket this season, so if we can take them out early then the Warriors have a young bowling attack that we can target.”

Morkel added that the Titans were likely to travel with an unchanged squad for the game, which gets underway at 6pm tonight.

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REEZA AND RILEE GET KNIGHTS OFF THE MARK

The VKB Knights finally got off the mark in the RAM SLAM T20 and consequently put a dent in the bizhub Highveld Lions’ campaign as Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw orchestrated a 29-run victory at Senwes Park.

The pair shared in a 90-run stand for the first wicket to send the Knights on their way to a total of 175 for five, with Hendricks finishing unbeaten on 72.

The Knights had put similar totals on the board in previous games and failed to defend them, but this time they backed it up with an impressive bowling performance to restrict the Lions to 146 for nine in reply.

The Lions had hoped to join the third-placed Cobras on 16 points after seven games, but instead sit four points back making Sunday’s clash between the two sides at Bidvest Wanderers all the more important.

It was Rossouw who took the game to the Lions early on after the hosts had won the toss and elected to bowl, hitting 46 from just 29 balls.

Although the Knights lost their way a little bit after he had come down the track and hit Aaron Phangiso (2 for 26) straight to long-on, they were still able to reset and take 59 off the last five overs of their innings.

While Hendricks naturally played a role in that, finishing with seven fours in his 56-ball knock, Tumelo Bodibe’s innings also proved valuable as he struck an unbeaten 22 from just nine deliveries.

On another dry pitch, the importance of scoring while the ball was still hard was not lost on the Lions, and after allowing themselves a few sighters Devon Conway and Rassie van der Dussen got stuck in.

When they took 17 off Shadley van Schalkwyk’s first over, and then went on to reach 71 without loss after eight overs, the Lions were perfectly on track.

However, Malusi Siboto recovered from an expensive first over to break the partnership in his second, as Conway (36) got an inside edge through to the keeper.

Werner Coetsee then grabbed two wickets in two overs, including the key one of Van der Dussen (40 from 26 balls), and the Knights scented an elusive victory.

Thami Tsolekile (20) and Andre Malan (25) sparked a brief recovery, but Siboto went on to grab another two wickets and record figures of 3 for 29 and Van Schalkwyk recovered brilliantly to finish with 2 for 33, as the Knights secured their first points in their seventh game.

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POLLARD TO MISS OUT DUE TO KNEE INJURY

Kieron Pollard, world-class all-rounder of the defending RAM SLAM T20 champions, the Cape Cobras, won’t take part in the remainder of the domestic T20-showpiece due to an injury to his right knee.

He will fly back to the Caribbean on Wednesday.

The injury occurred while the 28-year Pollard was fielding in the T20 match against the VKB Knights at Boland Park in Paarl on Sunday.

Despite experiencing some discomfort, he hammered an unbeaten 22 off 13 balls to power the Cobras to a win to entrench their third position on the log.

“We are severely disappointed about the loss of a stalwart like Kieron,” said Paul Adams, the Cape Cobras coach. “Kieron has given his all. The fact that he went out to bat after he got injured, underlines his dedication and commitment to the team. He has been an inspiration to the whole squad.”

Adams said Pollard’s record speaks for itself. He was the domestic RAM SLAM T20 Challenge player of the year in the 2014/2015 season and was at the summit of the Cobras’ batting averages (he averages 51.50 in the T20-format) at the time of the injury.

Yet mere statistics don’t do justice to Pollard’s contribution as his ability to change matches with his belligerence as a dashing batsman or with his expert change of pace with the ball, gave the Cobras the ascendancy in several matches the past season and a half.

Pollard had been on record saying the difference between winning and losing in RAM SLAM T20 Challenge matches is about “who blinks first”. The lanky all-rounder was almost always the one to emerge victorious when the dust settled, as he showed during his stylish display on Sunday.

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COBRAS BEAT KNIGHTS TO STAY IN THE RACE

The Cape Cobras kept pace in the race for the RAM SLAM T20 play-offs after they triumphed by four wickets over the VKB Knights, who have now lost all six of their games in the competition.

On a Boland Park pitch that none of the batsmen were able to sink their teeth into, the Knights put up 140 for seven after being put into bat, which the Cobras eclipsed with three balls to spare.

While that suggested a close run chase, in truth the Cobras always looked in control after Richard Levi had scored a quick 36 and Justin Ontong had anchored the innings with his 40.

The Cobras were also grateful to Dane Paterson, who took 2 for 24 from four overs and, crucially, broke a threatening stand between Theunis de Bruyn and Andre Russell.

The Knights had slumped to 49 for three in the first half of their knock, but De Bruyn and Russell put on 51 in 34 balls to put them on track for a solid total.

Paterson ensured the pair were not around for the business end of the innings when he bowled Russell (27) and then completed the run-out of De Bruyn (45) in the same over.

With Levi scoring his runs from just 23 balls at the top of the Cobras innings, the scoreboard pressure was taken off the rest of the line-up.

Although they were pegged back by Dillon du Preez’s double strike in the ninth over and squeezed by Malusi Siboto’s canny bowling, which permitted just 15 runs in four overs, the required rate never rose above eight per over.

With Kieron Pollard’s firepower that was never a problem, and the West Indian’s unbeaten 23 from 12 balls saw the hosts over the line.

The Cobras remain in third place on the table, two points behind the second-placed Dolphins, but will feel that they are yet to hit top gear in the tournament.

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PRETORIUS STRIKES IN LIONS VICTORY

Dwaine Pretorius struck four crucial blows to give the bizhub Highveld Lions the sweet taste of revenge as they beat the Sunfoil Dolphins in a RAM SLAM T20 nail-biter at Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday.

Pretorius’ 4 for 22 gave him a personal best in the format, but most importantly included the wickets of David Miller, Dwayne Bravo and Ryan McLaren as the Lions clung on to win by six runs.

The victory was all the more satisfying for the fact that the Lions had lost to the Dolphins by one run in the second round of the competition – a defeat that clearly set the young side back as they went on to lose their next two games.

This victory moved them up to fourth on the table with 12 points from six games, and gave them fresh hope of catching the top three – they are now four points behind the third-placed Cobras, who the Lions will host at the same venue in a week’s time.

By contrast the Dolphins have now failed to win in four games, and although they remain in second place, they lead the Cobras by just two points, having played a game more.

While Pretorius’ bowling swung the game in the second innings, Alviro Petersen’s unbeaten 60 from 41 balls kept the Lions in the game during the first innings as they posted 145 for six.

With Devon Conway (28) the only other real contributor, the hosts were unable to form any meaningful partnerships, as much because of their mistakes as the Dolphins’ good bowling – both Conway and Andre Malan were guilty of pulling long-hops straight to fielders.

With Morne van Wyk (20) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld putting on 45 for the first wicket while the ball was still hard, and Van Jaarsveld going on to score 42 from 28 balls, the Lions’ total looked short.

Aaron Phangiso pegged the Dolphins back by dismissing Van Jaarsveld and Khaya Zondo, but David Miller got himself in and put the visitors on track when he took 17 off an Eddie Leie over.

However, Hardus Viljoen pulled things back for the Lions with a quiet over that saw him finish with figures of 1 for 15 from four overs, and in the next over Pretorius cleaned up both Miller and Bravo to leave 23 runs required from the final two overs.

McLaren’s two fours off Lonwabo Tsotsobe in the penultimate over left 13 required off the last, which was whittled down to seven off the last two balls before Pretorius bowled McLaren to seal the game – much to the delight of the home side.

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COBRAS SPINNING RESOURCES PUT TO THE TEST

The Cape Cobras head into their crucial RAM SLAM T20 clash with The Unlimited Titans at PPC Newlands on Friday without their best two spinners after George Linde joined Robin Peterson on the injured list.

Linde fractured a finger on his bowling hand during the five-wicket win over the Dolphins on Sunday, and so the Cobras have called on Siya Simetu for their two upcoming games this weekend.

The Simetu was a regular fixture in the Cape Cobras side during the 2013/14 RAM SLAM, but did not feature at all last season and will need to adapt to the pace of the competition quickly.

The defending champions currently sit third with 12 points from five games, and will need to rein in the Titans after their bonus-point victory over the Dolphins on Wednesday put them top of the table with 21 points.

“This is a key game – we need to take some points off the Titans now that they’re top of the log. We need to make sure that we’re ticking,” said Cobras coach, Paul Adams.

“We haven’t had the perfect game yet, and that’s what the players are striving for. We keep presenting that in front of them and hopefully it comes as we get close to the end of the league phase.”

A big part of the Unlimited Titans’ success during their winning streak, which stretched to five games on Wednesday, has been their ability to think on their feet.

“We’ve played on some funny wickets so far – some turners and some up-and-down wickets – so we’ve had to adapt our bowling plans on the field and I think that’s one thing we’ve done well so far,” reflected Titans captain, Albie Morkel. “We’ve assessed the situations quite nicely.”

Lungi Ngidi missed Wednesday’s game because he was writing exams, but has joined the Titans squad for the game against the Cobras.

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DOLPHINS AND WARRIORS SEEK VICTORY TONIGHT

Sunfoil Dolphins coach, Lance Klusener, has called on his players to show greater commitment to their franchise and themselves as they look to arrest a two-game losing run in the RAM SLAM T20 when they visit the Warriors at Buffalo Park on Friday night.

Klusener was visibly angry after Wednesday’s game, which saw the Dolphins restrict the Titans to 136 for nine, only to be bowled out for a record low score of 70 and gift the Titans a bonus-point win.

With such a tight turnaround in between the games there has been little time to make major changes – and the Dolphins have travelled with the same squad – but Klusener feels that a mental shift is desperately required.

“It’s about letting the Dolphins down, and we need to apologise to our fans for that performance,” he reflected.

“I don’t think it’s a skill thing – it’s a mindset or a commitment thing. It’s about wanting to be your best which I sometimes have to question.”

While the Dolphins sit second on the table and still look good for a place in the play-offs as long as they can overcome their patch of poor form, the Warriors go into a string of three home games knowing that positive performances are non-negotiable.

With just two wins from the first half of the competition, home games against the Dolphins, the Titans and the Cobras represent an opportunity to move up the table, but support from their batsmen lower down the order will be necessary to do so.

The Warriors have been hugely reliant on Colin Ackermann and Colin Ingram thus far, with the pair notching up 379 runs while the rest of the squad have managed just 245.

Nevertheless, Ingram is not overly concerned.

“I think we expect the top four to take care of most of the overs,” he said. “That’s where you want your big scores to come from, and then for the guys coming in after that to chip in and really maximise their strike rate.

“We’ve been fortunate that the top order has done some good work through the season and long may it continue. These next three home games are massively important for us. They’ll give us either an easier run-in or a really tough one.”

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MORRIS SENDS DOLPHINS PLUMMETING TO DEFEAT

Chris Morris  consigned the Sunfoil Dolphins to their lowest ever Twenty20 total as The Unlimited Titans shot to the top of the RAM SLAM T20 table with a comprehensive victory at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.

 

The Titans looked to have fallen short of a good total when they were limited to 136 for nine on a slow Durban wicket, but Morris returned figures of 4 for 9 in three overs as the Dolphins were rolled for 70 to give the visitors a bonus point.

 

While the droughts around the country have led to drier pitches that have aided spin in the competition, that trend changed on Wednesday as the pacemen found a surface to their liking.

 

The short ball claimed a handful of victims on either side, while the yorker also proved a deadly weapon.

 

With most batsmen failing to deal with the change, Quinton de Kock’s 38 at the top of the Titans order made all the difference in the end, even with Ryan McLaren using the conditions wisely to bounce out Albie Morkel and york David Wiese and finish with figures of 3 for 28.

 

Six of the Titans top seven reached double figures without going any further, a statistic that appeared glum at the innings break but then looked like a luxury at the end of the game.

 

The Dolphins batting line-up had been powerful in the first half of the competition but there was a suspicion it was being held together by Kevin Pietersen, and so it proved in the first game after the Englishman’s departure.

 

David Miller (12) and Dwayne Bravo (27) were the only players to reach double figures, as Morris claimed two wickets up front and two later on.

 

With Morkel (2 for 14 in four overs) and Junior Dala (2 for 13 in 2.4 overs) also chipping in – the former using the short ball to good effect and the latter bowling fuller – the Dolphins were bowled out in just 15.4 overs, finishing short of their previous lowest total, which was the 82 they made against the Knights at the same venue last season.

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TITANS FACE TESTING WEEK IN BATTLE AT THE TOP

With four straight wins under their belt The Unlimited Titans may be the form team in the RAM SLAM T20, but they know that they face their toughest challenges in the competition this week, starting with Wednesday’s visit to the Sunfoil Dolphins. Losing to the Dolphins in their opening game, the Titans have gone on an impressive winning streak to sit level with their opponent at the top of the standings.

But this week sees them visit the Dolphins and then travel to Cape Town to take on the third-placed Cape Cobras on Friday, making it a crucial few days in the race for top spot and an automatic place in the final.

The Titans have retained the same squad that conquered the Warriors over the weekend, with coach, Rob Walter, enjoying the depth that he has found in his ranks.

“We’ve changed our team pretty much every game for varying reasons – from family loss to injury to game plans – so what’s nice is that the guys who have come in and got an opportunity to play have stood up and done something for us,” said Walter.

“So we’re happy with everyone’s form, and we want to be able to field a team that is specific to our opposition or the conditions, and know that whoever we bring in is in form and is ready to play. We obviously have good momentum, but I see Wednesday and Friday as being our biggest challenges.”

After winning their first four games, the Dolphins were finally felled on Sunday when Wayne Parnell engineered a five-wicket win for the Cobras.

“It’s just the nature of the game,” reflected Morne van Wyk. “It’s such a short format that you have to be on the ball all of the time, and it’s hard to claw yourself back if you aren’t.”

The Dolphins do, however, need to figure out their best combinations now that Kevin Pietersen has departed, Prenelan Subrayen has been banned from bowling and Kyle Abbott has flown to India to play for the Proteas.

After scoring 77 off just 46 balls for KZN Inland in the CSA Provincial T20 Challenge this weekend, Vaughn van Jaarsveld has returned to the Dolphins squad along with Sibonelo Makhanya.

While SuperSport Park’s quicker surface did not require a spinning ally for Keshav Maharaj on Sunday, replacing Subrayen, who took 4 for 22 the last time these teams met, may be a priority for Sahara Stadium Kingsmead’s conditions on Wednesday.

“It will be tough to replace him because he’s a star performer who’s done really well for us, but you need your squad to perform in a competition and it’s an opportunity for someone else to contribute and showcase their skills,” said Van Wyk.

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CAPE COBRAS TAKE THE WIN AT THE DIAMOND OVAL

Reeza Hendricks completed his return to form with an unbeaten 98, but it wasn’t enough to get the VKB Knights off the mark in the RAM SLAM T20 as the Cape Cobras triumphed by four wickets at the Diamond Oval.

After going through a lean spell in the Momentum One-Day Cup, when he managed just 101 runs in five innings, Hendricks showed signs of improvement with his 42 against the Dolphins last week and backed that up with a superb 66-ball knock that gave the Knights a total of 174 for five.That looked to be enough at several points in the Cobras reply, but the defending champions found the firepower in their batting line-up to keep up with a demanding asking rate and pick up their second win in the competition.

The Knights will feel they should have put the game to bed after Hendricks put on a 92-run stand with Rudi Second in under 11 overs, but that platform was dismantled by George Linde, who recorded figures of 4 for 21.Hendricks brought up his fifty off 39 balls in the 11th over of the innings, but the Knights were pegged back soon after when Justin Ontong took a stunning catch on the long-on boundary to dismiss Second (35).Linde backed that wicket up with two more in his next over as he lured Theunis de Bruyn out of his crease before extracting turn from the dry Kimberley surface, and then had Diego Rosier caught behind two balls later.Linde returned later to grab his fourth scalp, but Hendricks recovered from the barren spell brought on by his teammates’ struggles to take 30 off the final two overs and finish just short of three figures.

The Cobras’ task became harder when they had a poor powerplay, which yielded just 34 runs for the loss of two wickets and ramped the required rate up to 10 per over. However, Andrew Puttick (37) and Ontong (31) just about kept in touch with that in a partnership of 60, and after Ontong had fallen, Rory Kleinveldt was promoted to No. 5 and duly smashed four sixes in his 14-ball 36. Momentum shifted back to the Knights when Kleinveldt and Puttick holed out in quick succession, only to swing again when Sybrand Engelbrecht scored 33 off 15 balls. Engelbrecht fell with 12 runs still needed off nine deliveries, but Lesiba Ngoepe (16 not out) finished the game in style, hitting two sixes to carry the Cobras home with an over to spare.

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BEHARDIEN PUTS TITANS IN CHARGE

Farhaan Behardien’s brisk half-century guided The Unlimited Titans out of a sticky situation and took them to a 26-run victory over the Cape Cobras in Sunday’s RAM SLAM T20 clash at SuperSport Park.

Behardien smashed an unbeaten 61 from just 31 balls in an innings that stood head and shoulders above any other on the surface, allowing the Titans to post 173 for five.

Its quality became increasingly apparent as the Cobras failed to generate any momentum in their reply, which ultimately finished on 147 for six.

The victory left the Titans second on the table with eight points from three games, but it didn’t always look as though it would come as easily as the final margin suggested.

High on confidence after his heroics at the death against the Warriors in Paarl on Friday, Dane Paterson (3 for 31) grabbed the early wickets of Henry Davids and Grant Mokoena to leave the Titans 22 for two.

Behardien then saw the Titans slip to 74 for four just moments after he came to the crease, with Justin Ontong snuffing out a promising stand between Quinton de Kock (34) and Graeme van Buuren (27) when he removed both batsmen in the space of four deliveries.

Behardien put the innings back on track in a 52-run stand with Qaasim Adams (27 off 19 balls), and then made sure that it finished with a bang by taking 26 from the last two overs along with Albie Morkel.

The Titans opened the bowling with Graeme van Buuren in a move that paid off – the spinner allowed just two runs in his opening over and finished with none for 15 in four overs – but a key moment came when Chris Morris won his tussle with Richard Levi.

After being hit for four and then six by Levi, Morris had the last laugh when he ended the second over by having him caught.

Although Andrew Puttick (27) and Keegan Petersen (27) kept the innings ticking over, they weren’t able to inject the level of urgency required before Puttick was trapped lbw by Ruben Claassen.

Fresh from his exploits with Assupol TUKS in the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals, the 22-year-old off-spinner went on to grab the wicket of top-scorer Omphile Ramela (38) and finish with figures of 2 for 34 on his franchise debut.

With Albie Morkel and Morris also finishing with two wickets apiece and Van Buuren restricting the Cobras, the visitors’ chase petered out to leave them with just one win from their three matches to date.

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