The GBets Warriors got the job done against brave provincial counterparts Eastern Cape Iinyathi as they qualified for the quarterfinals with a 21-run victory in their final CSA T20 Knockout Challenge group match in Kimberley on Wednesday.
Needing a win to progress to the next stage, the Warriors put on another stellar batting display to post the competition’s second-highest first innings score of 228 for the loss of five wickets in their 20 overs.
The Iinyathi top order batsmen showed intent from the off, but then found the going tough on a pitch that offered something for the bowlers, losing their first five wickets for 82 runs.
But Clayton Bosch and Jerry Nqolo, who entered the fray in the 12th over, made the Warriors bowlers sweat bullets as the pair set a new domestic T20 record, posting an incredible 125 off only 55 balls.
The unbeaten pair put up an admirable fight and eventually ended the innings together on 207 for five.
Bosch smashed 64 not out off a mere 26 balls while Nqolo was no slouch either, finishing on 58 off 26.
Marco Marais was the first wicket to fall for Iinyathi, dismissed by left-arm seamer Tiaan van Vuuren, caught by Kyle Jacobs for five.
Josh van Heerden scored 18 runs off 17 before he was trapped in front by Mthiwekhaya Nabe with the score on 39.
Jon-Jon Smuts took two quick wickets in the 11th over when he had Jason NIemand stumped by captain Sinethemba Qeshile for nine before Thomas Kaber edged one to Qeshile three balls later.
Wicketkeeper Mncedisi Malika was the highest scorer of the Iinyathi top five with 42 off 35.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, mercurial right-hand opener Matthew Breetzke played another gem of an innings to record his highest domestic T20 score with 80 runs in 46 balls, including nine fours and four sixes, to move to the top of the run scorers standings in the tournament.
Together with fellow opener Wihan Lubbe, the pair put on 79 for the first wicket as the Warriors reached 77 runs in the powerplay.
Lubbe was the first wicket to fall, with his score on 29, when he was caught by Malika for the first of two Kaber dismissals.
Breetzke was joined by Smuts and the two continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over as they put on 59 for the third wicket.
Breetzke was the next wicket to fall, glancing a Gideon Peters’ delivery into the waiting glove of Malika with the score on 138 for two in the 13th over.
Malika was in the action again when he stumped Smuts to give Kaber his second wicket two balls later.
Diego Rosier and Tristan Stubbs put on 79 runs for the fourth wicket as they kept the scoreboard moving forward, taking the side past 200 at the end of a 22-run 17th over which included three maximums.
Rosier (33 off 15) was then run out and Stubbs played a brilliant hand, smashing four boundaries and three maximums on his way to 46 before being caught by Kaber to add Phaphama Fojela’s name to the wickets column.
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