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MZANSI SUPER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISED T20 SQUADS

The inaugural Mzansi Super League (MSL) T20 Player Draft was held today at Montecasino in Johannesburg today.

Each team had already been allocated a Marquee Standard Bank Protea player. Today the teams made their picks from the six International Marquee Players and then filled the remaining 14 places in each squad from the foreign and South African players who had applied to enter the draft.

In the mini-round to select the International Marquee Players, the Durban heat had first call and went for Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, the No. 1 ranked bowler in the current ICC T20 rankings. They were followed by the Jozi Stars who went for Chris Gayle of the Windies. Paarl Rocks followed with another Windies player, Dwayne Bravo. Cape Town Blitz then took Dawid Malan of England followed by Tshwane Spartans with England white ball captain Eoin Morgan and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants with England opening batsman Jason Roy.

In round one proper, the Giants led off with Chris Morris, followed by the Spartans with Lungi Ngidi, the Blitz with Andile Phehlukwayo, the Rocks with Tabraiz Shamsi, the Stars with Kolpak star Dane Vilas and the Heat with David Miller.

Lutho Sipamla became the first rookie to be chosen in Round Eight by the Spartans and they followed with another rookie in Tony de Zorzi in Round Nine. Other rookies signed were Sinethemba Qeshile for the Stars, Dyllan Matthews for the Giants, Okuhle Cele for the Heat, Eathan Bosch for the Rocks, and Kyle Verreynne for the Blitz.

The resulting teams are a unique blend of both local youth and international experience which is sure to make for some very exciting cricket.

The Draft order was predetermined by a weighted Player Matrix system. The players who are eligible for the main Draft are those who entered into a binding agreement to enter the Draft.

FINAL SQUADS

(in order of Protea Marquee Player, International Marquee Player, and then the 14 draft rounds, making a total of 16 players per squad)

CAPE TOWN BLITZ: Quinton de Kock, Dawid Malan (England), Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree (Windies), Asif Ali (Pakistan), Farhaan Behardien, Anrich Nortje, Janneman Malan, Malusi Siboto, George Linde, Ferisco Adams, Jason Smith, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Verreynne (rookie), Dane Piedt.

DURBAN HEAT: Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott (kolpak), Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange (kolpak), Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta (Zimbabwe), Temba Bavuma, Morne van Wyk, Okuhle Cele (rookie), Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

JOZI STARS: Kagiso Rabada, Chris Gayle (Windies), Dane Vilas, Rassie van der Dussen, Daniel Christian (Australia), Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Eddie Leie, Pite van Biljon, Duanne Olivier, Ryan Rickelton, Sinethemba Qeshile (rookie), Simon Harmer, Calvin Savage, Alfred Mothoa.

NELSON MANDELA BAY GIANTS: Imran Tahir, Jason Roy (England), Chris Morris, Jon-Jon Smuts, Junior Dala, Christiaan Jonker, Aaron Phangiso, Ben Duckett (England), Sisanda Magala, Ryan McLaren, Heino Kuhn, Marco Marais, Dyllan Matthews (rookie), Lizaad Williams, Rudi Second, Carmi le Roux.

PAARL ROCKS: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo (Windies), Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Paterson, Aiden Markram, Mangaliso Mosehle, Bjorn Fortuin, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Grant Thomson, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Tshepo Moreki, Henry Davids, Cameron Delport , Eathan Bosch (rookie), Patrick Kruger, Kerwin Mungroo.

TSHWANE SPARTANS: AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan (England), Lungi Ngidi, Robbie Frylinck, Jeewan Mendis (Sri Lanka), Theunis de Bruyn, Rory Kleinveldt, Sean Williams (Zimbabwe), Gihahn Cloete, Lutho Sipamla (rookie), Tony de Zorzi (rookie), Dean Elgar, Andrew Birch, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Shaun von Berg, Eldred Hawken.

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MOTHOA’S PUTS TITANS AHEAD ON DAY 1

A career-best five-for from Alfred Mothoa handed the Multiply Titans the advantage at the end of the opening day of the 4-Day Franchise Series season against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in Centurion on Wednesday.

The medium-pacer claimed five for 55 to help the reigning champions bowl out the visitors for 269 shortly before stumps, before replying with nine for one – a deficit of 260 at SuperSport Park.

There were also two wickets apiece for Chris Morris (2/34) and Shaun von Berg (2/71) as the relatively inexperienced Dolphins batting line-up struggled.

Only Sibonelo Makhanya troubled the home side with his own franchise-best score of 86 (156 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) as those around him struggled.

The Durbanites had won the toss and opted to bat at the start, with debutants Grant Roelofsen and Jason Oakes (both 31) putting on a solid 52 for the opening wicket. But after the dependable Vaughn van Jaarsveld was cleaned up second ball for one by Mothoa, the visitors lost their way.

Roelofsen followed not long after, while Senuran Muthusamy (7), Cody Chetty (34), Calvin Savage (15) and Robbie Frylinck (0) failed to assert themselves. It left the Dolphins on 143 for seven in the 55th over and facing an early bowl out.

However, Makhanya finally found an able partner in captain Keshav Maharaj (41), with the pair adding 90 for the eighth wicket to frustrate the Titans. The former was eventually last man out with his side dismissed in 83.5 overs.

The latter then claimed the wicket of Tony de Zorzi (one) to give the away side hope heading into day two.

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KNIGHTS EDGE PAST DOLPHINS IN TENSE THRILLER

The VKB Knights will host the Momentum One-Day Qualifier on Sunday after they beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in a low-scoring thriller at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday night.

In a see-saw affair, the visitors made heavy work of a modest 205 target and had to rely on an unbeaten last wicket stand of 27 to get them over the line with four balls to spare. Sammy Mofokeng (17) and Marchant de Lange (7) were the heroes in a remarkable game that could so easily have gone either way.

Dillon du Preez and Imran Tahir claimed 4/31 apiece for their respective sides, but it boiled down to nerves at the end as the Knights held theirs in what was essentially a quarter-final meeting.

The Central franchise will now host the Warriors in Bloemfontein in the next round, with the Multiply Titans awaiting the winner in the March 31 final.

But they had to work hard to get there, despite a disciplined performance with the ball after they had lost the toss and were asked to bowl first.

The home side were in trouble from the outset after losing in-form openers Morne van Wyk (11) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (8) inside the first six overs. The visiting bowlers continued to chip away through the likes of Shadley van Schalkwyk (2/34) and Mofokeng (2/45).

Despite the efforts of top-scorer Sarel Erwee (44), the Dolphins were in a defensive mode for most of their innings, but did manage to pass 200 thanks to Andile Phehlukwayo (39), Robbie Frylinck (36) and Prenelan Subrayen (25).

The Knights then looked to be cruising to victory thanks to an opening stand of 61 between Rudi Second (39) and Tumelo Bodibe (20). But a collapse of five wickets for 12 runs saw the visitors plunge from 61/0 to 73/5 – David Miller amongst the wickets to fall when he was dismissed by Tahir for a first ball duck.

But a 56-run sixth wicket stand between captain Pite van Biljon (44) and Aubrey Swanepoel (42) looked to have steadied the ship, and they looked in more control after the latter was part of a 42-run seventh wicket stand.

More drama followed with three more quick wickets leaving the Knights on 180/9, but Mofokeng and De Lange squeezed their side home.

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ZONDO AND MAHARAJ BOOST DOLPHINS LEAD

Keshav Maharaj and Khaya Zondo’s dominating first-innings performances against bizhub Highveld Lions helped HollywoodBets Dolphins consolidate their lead at the top of the table in the Sunfoil Series. Zondo struck his seventh first-class century, an unbeaten 290-ball 141 that included 21 fours, to lift Dolphins to 339 in the first innings after they opted to bat in Pietermaritzburg.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld chipped in with a brisk 53. Lions seam-bowling allrounder Dwaine Pretorius claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in first-class matches, returning figures of 5 for 54. In reply, the Lions were quickly reduced to 4 for 49. Dominic Hendricks and Pretorius brought the Lions some respectability with a 91-run partnership.

After Hendricks was dismissed for 78, Kagiso Rapulana hit a patient 52 to push Dolphins’ total to 267. Left-arm spinner Maharaj finished with figures of 6 for 86.

Entering the fourth day with a lead of 72, Dolphins set up a late declaration after posting 189 for 5 in 51 overs, taking the safety-first approach to ensure the Lions didn’t have enough time to bowl them out. Zondo struck a 139-ball 54. Left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks took 3 for 48. The Lions chose not to go after the steep target of 262, as the game petered out into a draw.

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TITANS PULL OFF LATE WIN OVER DOLPHINS

Heino Kuhn’s attacking half-century proved key for The Unlimited Titans as they stayed top of the Sunfoil Series table with a memorable four-wicket win over the Sunfoil Dolphins deep on the final day at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Sunday.

The opener, who made 129 in the first innings, plundered 62 in 57 deliveries as the hosts chased down a tough 173 victory target in a little over a session to claim the win. Qaasim Adams also played a vital role with his 38 anchoring the majority of the chase, which came in 33.5 overs.

The visitors will regret not taking up more time with the bat in their innings. They relied heavily on a century from Imraan Khan (107) – his 18th first-class ton – to get them to 255 after starting out the last day on 65 for one.

Khan shared in important stands of 91 with Vaughn van Jaarsveld (47) for the second wicket and 74 with Sibonelo Makhanya (30) for the sixth wicket to get them there. Ethy Mbhalati (3-42) and Tabraiz Shamsi (3-38) were the pick of the bowlers.

The Durban side then failed to keep their Pretoria rivals in check as they scored at 5.17 to the over to reach their target with 3.1 overs remaining.

The Titans picked up 19.28 points for the win, compared to the 6.14 for the Dolphins.

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TITANS STRIKE LATE TO JOLT DOLPHINS

Late wickets by the Unlimited Titans fast bowlers helped restrict the Sunfoil Dolphins to 357 all out on the opening day of their Sunfoil Series clash at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Thursday.

Ethy Mbhalati and Marchant de Lange shared seven wickets for the hosts, but half-centuries by Imraan Khan, Khaya Zondo and Daryn Smit ensured the visitors held the slight advantage in Benoni.

Wicketkeeper Smit top-scored with a fluent 85 from 111 deliveries, while opener Khan anchored a solid start with 83.

Zondo, meanwhile, made 65 before he was out on the stroke of tea. But the Dolphins may rue the fact that they lost their last six wickets for less than 100. They had progressed nicely through to 244 for four during the afternoon, but the Titans’ opening bowlers struck some telling blows.

Mbhalati, the pick of the bowlers with four for 48, accounted for Khan, Vaughn van Jaarsveld (30), Sibonelo Makhanya (one) and Craig Alexander (two).

De Lange took three for 79 – his wickets being captain Divan van Wyk (nought), David Miller (26), both bowled, and Keshav Maharaj (13).

The Titans, who won the toss and chose to bowl, faced two overs in their reply to reach stumps on two without loss.

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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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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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