Ken Borland

The wonderfully aggressive batting of the Free State Knights, led by Rilee Rossouw’s fiery century and the undimmed class of Farhaan Behardien, took them into the semi-finals of the CSA Provincial T20 Knockout as they beat Western Province by just four runs in Kimberley on Tuesday.

Rossouw added 52 off 32 balls with Jacques Snyman (32) for the second wicket, but when Behardien (57 off 29) came to the crease, the Knights really cut loose as 130 runs were plundered off just 66 balls.

Prodigal son Rossouw reached his fabulous century and then hit the last two balls of the innings off fast bowler Nandre Burger for six to finish with 112 not out off just 55 deliveries, allowing Free State to post a massive 223 for three.

Western Province looked well out of the running as they stumbled to 90 for four at the halfway stage, but captain Wayne Parnell was in belligerent mood and kept them in the battle with the innings of his life.

The left-hander battered 80 not out off just 29 balls and took Migael Pretorius for 24 off the last over as Western Province astonishingly finished just one big blow short.

In the other quarterfinal, Division II SWD would like to allege they are not far off the standard of the first division, but their fielding was appalling and four batsmen were run out as they lost to Northerns Titans.

Donovan Ferreira, an uncontracted 23-year-old, was the mainstay of the Northerns total of 192 for five, finishing with a feisty 55 not out off 29 balls, suggesting he might be the long-awaited replacement for Behardien.

Theunis de Bruyn showed his class at the top of the order with 48 off 33 deliveries, and Sibonelo Makhanya (26 off 18) and Aya Gqamane (21* off 10) supported Ferreira well.

SWD looked in the game while Leus du Plooy was blasting 55 off 33 balls, he and Hanno Kotze putting on 82 off 53 balls for the first wicket.

But three wickets fell in the ninth over of the innings, bowled by cunning left-arm spinner and skipper Aaron Phangiso, including Du Plooy being run out by a fine piece of fielding by Simon Harmer.

The rest of the SWD batting imploded, 10 wickets falling for just 56 runs in 11.4 overs, as the Northerns spinners held sway.

The intensity and skill on display in the new domestic structure makes the cricket very competitive, but it is the game-awareness of international players that marks them out when you move to a higher level, according to Western Province paceman Beuran Hendricks.

Hendricks was unfortunate to miss out on selection for the Proteas squad currently in the United Arab Emirates preparing for the T20 World Cup, but will instead spearhead Western Province’s efforts to try and win the CSA Provincial T20 Cup and bring some silverware to Newlands for the first time since 2014/15.

Western Province did not have things easy though qualifying for the quarterfinals from Pool A, and the Central Gauteng Lions fell by the wayside in the same group, which was topped by Division II side South-Western Districts.

“The start of the season has been brilliant and very competitive,” Hendricks told The Citizen. “It looks like a good product and it woke up a few teams. We nearly found out the hard way that the Division II teams are not mediocre.

“We were in difficult positions, the Lions were knocked out and the Titans had a big scare. We’ve seen talent come through, names you didn’t see at franchise level like Evan Jones and Clyde Fortuin.

“There’s no problem with the intensity and the guys have the skill, but where the shift to international level comes is in game-awareness. You have to make sure you have all your bases covered, not just one factor.

“The guys need to make sure they hone their skills, specifically the T20 ones like change-ups and yorkers at the death, and the awareness that the field-placings have to be spot-on,” Hendricks, who has played one Test, eight ODIs and 19 T20s for South Africa, said.

While Western Province were far from perfect in edging out the Lions by two runs and beating Northern Cape, it was pleasing that they came through under pressure, which speaks well of the environment in the squad under Faiek Davids.

“We’re quite relaxed and the guys are starting to enjoy themselves. It was quite a tough environment before because losing is never easy.

“But experienced guys like myself, Wayne Parnell and Aviwe Mgijima are trying to bring a sense of calm to the group. If the seniors take responsibility then the youngsters can just express themselves.

“Having three left-arm quicks in myself, Wayne and Nandre Burger is also good because it means it’s not easy for the opposing batsmen, who normally face so many right-armers.

“I’ve never seen three left-arm quicks play in the same team before, but we feed off each other and it’s definitely an asset to have 12 overs of left-arm seam,” Hendricks said.

While Northern Cape came within a whisker of upsetting the Lions, South-Western Districts suggested that Division II of local cricket will not be weak as they beat Western Province by three wickets with two balls to spare in the CSA Provincial T20 Cup at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Saturday.

A weak batting effort by Western Province after they elected to bat saw them slump to 49 for five as seamer Hershell America returned an outstanding three for 22 in his four overs. Western Province were lifted to 130 for seven by Aviwe Mgijima, with a run-a-ball 35, and Kyle Simmonds, who struck a determined 46 not out off 32 balls.

SWD’s other new-ball bowler, Renaldo Meyer, was also excellent, taking one for 20 in his four overs, while off-sinner Pheko Moletsane took two for 12 in two overs.

SWD were indebted in their run-chase to opener Yaseen Valli, who has been around the block for more than a week, as he steered them home with his run-a-ball 55 not out. SWD were five for two inside the first two overs, but Valli and the experienced Andre Malan (21) added 48 for the third wicket to settle them down.

Heath Richards, Moletsane, Meyer and Sean Whitehead then all reached double-figures as they helped Valli seal a big win over their local rivals. Western Province’s three left-arm quicks – Nandre Burger (2-21), Beuran Hendricks (4-1-18-1) and Wayne Parnell (1-29) all bowled well but had too much to do. 

The Central Gauteng Lions paid for a poor display in the field as they were beaten by just two runs by Western Province in the opening game of the CSA Provincial T20 Cup at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Friday.

Having sent Western Province in to bat, the Lions were loose up front and wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton, seemingly losing the white ball against quite a pale-coloured pitch, dropped opener Tony de Zorzi in the first over off Sisanda Magala.

De Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza went on to add 58 for the first wicket in 7.5 overs as the Lions added sloppy ground fielding and missed half-chances to their woes.

Hamza, who has struggled in T20 cricket before this year, went on to score a brilliant century, only being dismissed in the final over after he had stroked a dazzling 106 off just 63 balls.

With the able support of De Zorzi (26 off 22), Kyle Verreynne (35 off 23) and Wayne Parnell (18 off 8), Hamza led the Cobras to 197 for seven.

Malusi Siboto rescued an even worse situation for the Lions as he was economical at the death and took wickets to finish with a brilliant four for 30 in his four overs. Magala finished with one for 32, but the rest of the Lions bowling was poor.

Young openers Josh Richards (28 off 22) and Rickelton (53 off 31), as well as Shane Dadswell (32 off 14) in the middle overs, were good advertisers for the hitting ability off the Lions, but they fell just short despite the valiant efforts of Magala (23* off 15) with the bat.

Parnell, after his cameo with the bat, produced an outstanding display of skill with the ball, conceding just nine runs in the final over and 29 runs overall in his four overs.

Left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds took crucial wickets in the 13^th and 17^th overs.

In the other match on Friday, South-Western Districts consigned Northern Cape to a 24-run loss on their home turf.

Yaseen Valli (60 off 49) and captain Jean du Plessis (69 off 39) added 113 in 12 overs to give SWD a great start after they were sent in to bat. Heath Richards then took them to 192 for four with a destructive 41 off just 14 deliveries.

Pacemen Hershell America then took crucial wickets, finishing with a superb three for 23 in his four overs, as Northern Cape were restricted to 168 for nine.

Onke Nyaku supported well with two for 30.

On Saturday, South-Western Districts play neighbours Western Province and Northern Cape take on the Central Gauteng Lions.