Ken Borland

David Wiese and Farhaan Behardien showed that they are in the right mental space to play for their country again, but their efforts were not enough as the Unlimited Titans lost by four runs in a thrilling Momentum eKasi Challenge against the bizhub Highveld Lions at Dobsonville Oval yesterday.

Both players have tasted life in the green and gold in the last 12 months and will have their eyes on making the World Cup squad early next year, so they will be delighted with the positive way in which they started their season.

The Titans were chasing a testing 259 for victory and the pair were brought together after the Lions had gobbled up three wickets for just 28 runs.

Behardien scored a well-judged 60 off 76 balls as he added 113 off 131 deliveries with Wiese for the fourth wicket to set the Titans up for a late charge to victory.

The captain fell in the 32^nd over when he mis-hit a lofted drive off Dwaine Pretorius to wide mid-on, but Wiese continued to feast on the bowling as he stroked 94 off 102 balls, helping himself to eight fours.

The Titans went into the last 10 overs on 197 for four, needing just 62 runs, but they suffered a mortal blow in the 41^st over as Wiese was run out, the all-rounder misjudging a second run to Eddie Leie at deep backward point.

Heinrich Klaasen (43*) produced a commendable effort to try and see his team through to victory on his franchise debut, but he didn’t have the experience to deal with the tricky mixture of slower balls dished up by Pretorius at the death or the aggressive fast bowling of Hardus Viljoen.

The result could have gone either way with the Titans needing 22 off the last three overs, but Viljoen and Pretorius sent the crowd – comprising largely school children from surrounding schools – away happy as they sealed a hard-fought victory.

Viljoen had tormented the Titans top-order and was a handful throughout, finishing with one for 29 in his 10 overs.

The Titans also had the misfortune to lose Heino Kuhn, retired hurt for just two, after he was struck on the hand by Viljoen, having gone into the game with stitches.

The Lions total was set up by Devon Conway, the left-hander scoring freely while most other batsmen struggled on the two-paced pitch.

The introduction of Eden Links saw the Lions slump from 80 for one after 19 overs to 123 for five, the off-spinner turning the ball sharply and varying his pace well as he took four for 35.
Felllow spinner Roelof van der Merwe produced the delivery of the day to bowl the in-form Temba Bavuma, the darling of Soweto, for just three, the ball pitching outside leg and hitting the off stump.

But the Lions’ resurgence started with Conway and Pretorius (32) as they added 51 off 64 balls for the sixth wicket and the innings was given a tremendous late surge as Conway finished on 78 not out off just 73 balls.

The unfortunate Vincent Moore went for 20 runs in the final over as Conway hammered him for three fours and a six.