A stunning century partnership by Dafabet Warriors skipper Senuran Muthusamy and all-rounder Andile Mokgakane saw the Eastern Cape franchise recapture their winning mojo against the North West Dragons in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
It was a timely outcome for the Warriors in the Cricket SA One-Day Cup, giving them a real boost after they had lost a home game against Boland on Saturday.
For a while, the slippery slope loomed large for Muthusamy’s team when they slumped to 87/5 in the 26th over after being sent in to bat.
But brilliant batting by the captain (93) and a courageous 58 from Mokgakane saw them seize the initiative in a sixth-wicket stand of 143 in 20 overs, enabling them to post a challenging 278/8 in their 50 overs.
The Warriors then rode that momentum with an almost flawless performance in the field to dismiss their opponents for 157 to win by 121 runs, critically earning themselves a bonus point.
CJ King started the Dragons’ downfall by capturing wickets in successive balls in the sixth over, making it 17/2, and disciplined bowling by the visiting attack never released the pressure on the home team.
Off-spinner Jason Raubenheimer was again impressive as he extracted considerable turn from the pitch to wreck the middle-order with 3/34, while Alfred Mothoa was also tidy in picking up the important wickets of Janneman Malan and Wihan Lubbe for 37 runs in his eight overs.
After stumbling through the first half of their innings as their recognised batsmen failed to fire, Muthusamy and Mokgakane were finally able to build the sort of partnership the visitors so badly needed.
It was not easy after being sent into bat and the ball seemed to come off the pitch relatively slowly, but the Warriors top-order will have been disappointed at their efforts after failing in similar fashion against Boland at St George’s Park.
This time, however, they found supreme saviours in the Warriors skipper and his sidekick Mokgakane, who first showed commendable application and then, once they had worked out the pace of the pitch, flayed the bowling all over.
Muthusamy used his quick hands to find the gaps all around the field, being particularly effective when the Dragons bowlers gave him any width.
It allowed him to crack six fours and three sixes in a superb knock of 93 off 82 balls.
His partner was equally sound, though he suffered a major let-off before he had scored when a mistimed drive flew high to Lubbe’s right at mid-off.
The Dragons captain leapt high but could only palm the ball away and Mokgakane was off the mark with two runs.
From then, he did not take a backward step and was an admirable foil to the rapier of Muthusamy’s bat.
He was rewarded with a half-century and finished with 58 off 62 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
After their stunning partnership, King added the finishing touches as he blitzed the bowlers for 30 not out off 13 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.
The runs later in the innings flowed in a torrent, helping the Warriors reach 278/8, a total that seemed in the realm of the delusional when they were 87/5.
The Herald
Muthusamy, Mokgakane set up stunning Warriors victory
Brilliant partnership powers side back to winning ways against North West Dragons
Image: SYDNEY SESHIBEDI/GALLO IMAGES
A stunning century partnership by Dafabet Warriors skipper Senuran Muthusamy and all-rounder Andile Mokgakane saw the Eastern Cape franchise recapture their winning mojo against the North West Dragons in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
It was a timely outcome for the Warriors in the Cricket SA One-Day Cup, giving them a real boost after they had lost a home game against Boland on Saturday.
For a while, the slippery slope loomed large for Muthusamy’s team when they slumped to 87/5 in the 26th over after being sent in to bat.
But brilliant batting by the captain (93) and a courageous 58 from Mokgakane saw them seize the initiative in a sixth-wicket stand of 143 in 20 overs, enabling them to post a challenging 278/8 in their 50 overs.
The Warriors then rode that momentum with an almost flawless performance in the field to dismiss their opponents for 157 to win by 121 runs, critically earning themselves a bonus point.
CJ King started the Dragons’ downfall by capturing wickets in successive balls in the sixth over, making it 17/2, and disciplined bowling by the visiting attack never released the pressure on the home team.
Off-spinner Jason Raubenheimer was again impressive as he extracted considerable turn from the pitch to wreck the middle-order with 3/34, while Alfred Mothoa was also tidy in picking up the important wickets of Janneman Malan and Wihan Lubbe for 37 runs in his eight overs.
After stumbling through the first half of their innings as their recognised batsmen failed to fire, Muthusamy and Mokgakane were finally able to build the sort of partnership the visitors so badly needed.
It was not easy after being sent into bat and the ball seemed to come off the pitch relatively slowly, but the Warriors top-order will have been disappointed at their efforts after failing in similar fashion against Boland at St George’s Park.
This time, however, they found supreme saviours in the Warriors skipper and his sidekick Mokgakane, who first showed commendable application and then, once they had worked out the pace of the pitch, flayed the bowling all over.
Muthusamy used his quick hands to find the gaps all around the field, being particularly effective when the Dragons bowlers gave him any width.
It allowed him to crack six fours and three sixes in a superb knock of 93 off 82 balls.
His partner was equally sound, though he suffered a major let-off before he had scored when a mistimed drive flew high to Lubbe’s right at mid-off.
The Dragons captain leapt high but could only palm the ball away and Mokgakane was off the mark with two runs.
From then, he did not take a backward step and was an admirable foil to the rapier of Muthusamy’s bat.
He was rewarded with a half-century and finished with 58 off 62 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
After their stunning partnership, King added the finishing touches as he blitzed the bowlers for 30 not out off 13 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.
The runs later in the innings flowed in a torrent, helping the Warriors reach 278/8, a total that seemed in the realm of the delusional when they were 87/5.
The Herald
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