Ken Borland

Our DP World Lions were able to find both their winning form and a ready-made replacement for new Proteas leg-spinner Nqaba Peter as they won both their weekend home matches in the CSA T20 Challenge, with Junaid Dawood collecting a haul of eight wickets against the Warriors and the Dolphins.

Having spearheaded #ThePrideOfJozi’s charge to the title last season, young Peter has deservedly found his way into the national set-up. But after a tough opening encounter for both him and the team against the Titans, Dawood stepped up superbly this weekend when given the chance to emerge from the shadows.

The 28-year-old destroyed the Warriors’ batting line-up with five for 30, the second-best ever CSA T20 Challenge figures at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, as our DP World Lions secured a bonus point victory by 62 runs on Friday night. Dawood was then instrumental in the nine-run win over the Dolphins on Sunday, helping to trigger a middle-order collapse as he took three for 22.

Figures of eight overs, eight for 52 are an outstanding weekend’s work, and Dawood’s success is once again an indication of the healthy pipeline that DP World Lions cricket enjoys at the moment.

Chasing 157 for victory, the Dolphins were in good shape on 48 for one in the seventh over, but Dawood then deceived key batsman Marques Ackerman (32) and had him stumped by the lightning-quick gloves of Wandile Makwetu.

Codi Yusuf then got Jon-Jon Smuts (1) and Bradley Porteous (0) out with successive deliveries, and an outstanding hat-trick ball just went over off-stump, having completely squared-up Andile Simelane.

Dawood then removed Tshepang Dithole (26) and Simelane (1) to reduce the Dolphins to 81 for six in the 13^th over.

But the return of opener Khaya Zondo, who had retired hurt in the fourth over, to partner captain Prenelan Subrayen, ensured the visitors were not out of the contest as they added 52 off 34 balls. Our DP World Lions had 19 to defend in the final over and Evan Jones held his nerve after his first two deliveries went to the boundary, getting Zondo out for 28 and conceding just one more run.

Young left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka enjoyed more success as he took two for 24 in his four overs, while Yusuf also had a fine evening with two for 24 in his ration of overs.

There was more good news in the depth department when our DP World Lions batted first after winning the toss as Josh Richards, coming in for Reeza Hendricks, who had flown overnight to Abu Dhabi to replace injured Proteas captain and #ThePrideOfJozi superstar Temba Bavuma, laid a good platform with an assured 38 off 32 balls.

Delano Potgieter (32 not out off 29 balls) and Evan Jones, who monstered four sixes in his 29 not out off just 10 deliveries, then piled more misery on to the Dolphins bowlers at the death, adding 42 runs for the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership, off just 23 balls. That took the Lions to 156 for five in their 20 overs, a competitive total on a slowish pitch on which taking pace off brought dividends for the bowlers.

There was more pace in the pitch on Friday night and our DP World Lions produced a magnificent batting display, again after winning the toss, plundering 239 for four, their highest ever total in the competition.

Makwetu received a dreadful blow to the helmet from an accidental Siya Plaatjie beamer, which seemed to inspire the wicketkeeper/batsman as he exploded into action, going from a sedate 23 off 29 balls to a dazzling 55 off 41 deliveries, including five sixes.

Hendricks showed why the Proteas wanted him as he cruised to a classy 41 off 26 balls, hitting three sixes, the second-wicket pair setting the scene for a big finish as they added 75 in seven overs.

And what a finish it was!

Delano Potgieter, who was promoted up the order, smashed 36 off just 15 deliveries, and then captain Mitchell van Buuren and Connor Esterhuizen wowed the crowd with their unbeaten partnership of 87 in just four-and-a-half overs, clobbering eight sixes between them.

Van Buuren scored 41 not out off 16 balls and Esterhuizen showed why he has been entrusted with finishing duties this season, lashing 40 not out off 17 deliveries.

It was a total our DP World Lions defended with ease as they restricted the Warriors to 177 for six.

Maphaka (4-0-29-1) produced a top-class display with the new ball, claiming a key wicket when he bowled Warriors captain Matthew Breetzke (1) with a beauty, and Tshepo Moreki (4-0-27-0) was an excellent partner up front.

It was the leg-spin of Dawood that had the fans all a-twitter thereafter though, as he claimed the other five wickets to fall.

A thrilling weekend of action at the DP World Wanderers Stadium has ensured that our Pride all have shining smiles as they prepare for Wednesday’s visit to Bloemfontein to take on the Knights.

JOHANNESBURG – Danie van Tonder’s ability to ignore all the bumf that comes with the pressure of winning and simply trust his attacking instincts once again paid off as he eagled the 18^th hole to put himself in a playoff which he then won in the Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge at Kyalami Country Club on Friday.

Van Tonder, who started the final round four strokes off the lead, first of all chipped in to eagle the 480m par-five closing hole in regulation play to complete a brilliant six-under-par 66 and leap to 14-under-par for the tournament.

The 33-year-old then had to wait to see if his clubhouse lead withstood the challenge of the last three two-balls. The eagle proved crucial as both Yurav Premlall and Martin Rohwer shot four-under-par 68s to also finish on 14-under, sending the trio into a sudden death-playoff on the 18th.

Premlall was eliminated on the second play-off hole as he made par and Van Tonder and Rohwer both birdied the par-five. After replaying the last hole three times, they then took on the par-three 17^th, which Van Tonder had bogeyed in regulation play. Another excellent chip shot, this time out of a bunker, set up victory for the 10^th time on the Sunshine Tour.

“I was frustrated when I stood on the 18^th tee in regulation play because I was unlucky twice on 17. First I had a bad bounce with my tee-shot that went over the green, but I hit a great chip, only for the par-putt to horseshoe out. I knew it was a big putt,” Van Tonder said.

“I also knew I had to make eagle on the last to have a chance, so we took driver and tried to get as close as possible to the water. I had a five-iron in, which finished just right of the green. I said ‘Take the pin out!’ because I knew there had to be space for the ball, and then I chipped in.

“We then went back to 17 in the playoff and Martin and I were both in the greenside bunker. He hit a good shot to about three metres, but I was able to put it within a foot and make the par,” Van Tonder said matter-of-factly about two extraordinary moments of self-belief.

The Serengeti Estate golfer has earned himself a hunky wad of cash in the last month, having also won the FNB Eswatini Challenge on August 3, and the 2021 SA Open champion (winning at Gary Player Country Club) said he was pleased his hard work on his game since returning from Europe is paying off.

“I’ve been playing well for a while, so it’s nice to be able to pluck the fruit from the tree, so to speak. They call me the Silent Assassin and the camera is never on me back in the field, but the game is there,” Van Tonder said.

Premlall had birdied the 18^th to get into the playoff, but fell just short of his maiden Sunshine Tour title, while Rohwer had moved to 14-under with a birdie on the par-five 13^th, but he just could not grab another opportunity to move ahead.

Ruan Conradie (66), Christian Kriek (68) and Altin van der Merwe (69) finished tied for fourth on 11-under-par, while overnight leader Jonathan Broomhead made too many mistakes in the final round, suffering five bogeys in a 74 that left him on 10-under, tied for seventh with Malcolm Mitchell (68), Lyle Rowe (69), Christiaan Burke (71) and Jean Hugo (71).

Leinster are in pain, according to Leo Cullen, after their disappointing exit at the semi-final stage of the United Rugby Championship, but the head coach said the group are still confident they have the ability to continue winning trophies.

Leinster were edged out 25-20 by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday evening and are now trophyless for a third season, having also been beaten by Toulouse in a Champions Cup final that went to extra time.

The Bulls claimed the winning try in the 67^th minute when wing Sergeal Petersen used one hand to snatch an up-and-under out of the grasp of replacement centre Ciaran Frawley and dived over the line.

“It’s a sixth playoff game we have now lost and it is painful to go through, there is a pretty empty feeling in the dressing room. But there is still a strong belief in the group, as a club we are still highly ambitious and everyone wants to win trophies,” Cullen said after the gripping semifinal.

“It was an unbelievably tight game and really just a moment separated the teams, an aerial contest, just a hand in the air, so there was nothing in it in terms of the result. An individual moment won the game, we were all-square and then there was one big moment, an unbelievable piece of skill at the end.

“The players should be proud of their efforts, I cannot fault that or their character, but there are fine margins in knockout rugby. When you lose, you feel a million miles away, but in the Champions Cup final we were just a drop goal away from the win as well.

“We’ve had some special moments this season, but we’ve just not quite been good enough in the final or this playoff game. We’ve picked up experience of how to navigate at a tough place to come, but it’s disappointing to have the same result. Both of them have been one-score losses and we will go away and reflect, build and go again. Our focus will be on making sure we are better in the big moments. We will get back to work and we’re the ones chasing now,” Cullen said.

The Bulls made 163 tackles with an 88% success rate, compared to Leinster’s 126 at 86%, and the visitors also shaded possession and beat more defenders, leading Cullen to praise the home side for how well they stood up to the attacking pressure piled on to them. A crowd of more than 31 000 roared them on.

“You have to give the Bulls a lot of credit for the way they fought. They would get stuck into the contest, get back on their feet and barge the breakdown again. Defence was maybe the difference tonight, they showed more intensity and fight than us.

“We created lots of opportunities, but you have to give credit to the Bulls for the way they defended, they threw their bodies on the line. You could see the response from the Bulls players to the crowd, as it lifted up their energy.

“We pounded away on attack but the Bulls held firm. You have to give them a lot of credit for the way they stood up in defence. We were very close to breaking them, but we could just not quite do it,” Cullen said.

Leinster had absorbed a strong start to the match by the Bulls, keeping the first quarter scoreless before wing James Lowe crossed over for the opening try as a blindside move took advantage of a yellow card to Petersen for a deliberate knock-on.

But they were unable to build on that lead, with the Bulls levelling matters on the half-hour, and then stretching a 10-7 halftime lead to 17-7 with a try by Petersen two minutes into the second half. Although Leinster fought back to go into the last 15 minutes at 20-20, they were doomed not to add to their tally.

“When we went seven ahead we needed to ram home that advantage, but if you don’t get the back-field right then a guy like Willie le Roux is able to manipulate that and he exposed us with a 50/22.

“But then we were able to fight our way back into the contest and build more pressure, when we were 10 points down we actually had a dominant 15-minute period as our bench made a good impact. But there were a couple of big turnovers and vital moments, and then you don’t get that opportunity again.

“It’s frustrating that we had our chances, but in the first half we weren’t able to build a bigger lead and force the Bulls to play differently and chase the lead. We just made a couple of key errors,” Cullen said.

SUN CITY – Jacques Blaauw made par at the first playoff hole to win the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun City at the Gary Player Country Club on Friday, the 38-year-old breaking an eight-year winning drought and doing it at one of his favourite courses.

It all led to an emotional celebration by Blaauw as he admitted to being “like a madman, going crazy on the phone” with his wife and father shortly after the trophy presentation.

“It’s been a while since my last win – 2016 – but I’ve been playing very well the last two months and I was thinking the win was coming,” Blaauw said, following up his four rounds in the sixties to finish third in the KitKat Cash & Carry Pro-Am a fortnight ago with rounds of 71-71-69 for five-under-par at Gary Player Country Club.

“And I played really well today, besides my finish in regulation play when I bogeyed the 15^th and 18^th holes. But the wind made conditions really tough today and those last holes were playing difficult.

“I’ve been putting very well recently and my approach play today was much closer than I’m used to, which gave me more chances for birdies. A lot of hard work has gone into this, especially with my driving, which I’ve struggled with lately. But I worked on it yesterday and changed my settings.

“This game keeps you humble, there are more ups and downs. It’s funny, but what I consider to be my first professional win came at the Gary Player Country Club, one of the best courses in the country, when I won the Klipdrift Touring Pro-Am back in 2010/11. I’ve waited so long now for this win, so I was like a madman, going crazy on the phone when I spoke to my wife and dad,” Blaauw said.

Blaauw’s two late bogeys left him tied with Tristin Galant, Yurav Premlall and Jonathan Broomhead as that trio finished their rounds.

Premlall and Broomhead both made bogeys at the last hole, but Galant made an excellent par to force the playoff.

Blaauw and Galant then made their way to the par-five ninth, with both laying up. After their approach shots to the green, it was advantage Galant as he was nine feet from the hole after a fantastic shot, with Blaauw hitting a poor shot, by his own admission, to be 35 feet from the flag.

But Blaauw still attacked the birdie putt, hitting it five feet past but showing his composure and previous winning experience by making the par putt coming back. Galant missed his birdie putt and then unfortunately missed a three-footer for par.

Blaauw had been superb for most of his final round, making birdie on the first two holes and then adding an eagle on the par-five 10^th and a birdie on the par-three 12^th.

Two superb hits on the 505m 10^th with a Driver and a four-iron set Blaauw up with a nine-foot eagle putt, and he was even more delighted with his four-iron into the 18^th. Even though he ended up making bogey, the Els Club Copperleaf golfer said “it’s one of the best shots of my career and was crucial to my win”.

Galant shot a 70 on the final day and also suffered late blows with bogeys on the par-five 14^th and par-four 17^th.

Premlall made his fifth birdie of the round on the par-three 12^th to hit eight-under-par, but he then double-bogeyed the par-four 13^th and had two more drops coming in.

Broomhead was on six-under-par overall through 10 holes, but then made two bogeys coming in to sign for a level-par 72.

Overnight leader Werner Deyzel suffered a number of body blows on the brutal course, finishing with a seven-over 79 which included a triple-bogey on the 14^th.