Warriors thump WP to extend winning streak

A measured Matthew Breetzke half-century helped extend the Dafabet Warriors' winning run to eight as they thumped the World Sports Betting Western Province by nine wickets in the CSA T20 Challenge challenge in Paarl on Sunday.

Breetzke struck an unbeaten 62 runs from 48 deliveries including five boundaries and two sixes, sharing 65 runs from 36 balls with Beyers Swanepoel, who clubbed six sixes to record 47 runs from just 20 deliveries, having been promoted up the order to number three.

The Gqeberha side now sit comfortably atop the standings with 35 points from their eight unbeaten matches. 

Needing 143 for victory, skipper Breetzke and Jiveshan Pillay got the visitors off to a flying start, striking three boundaries a piece alongside two sixes by the right-hander to bring up the half-century partnership at the end of the power play.

The pair continued to take the fight to the WP bowlers, reaching 77 without loss at the halfway mark and looked on course for a bonus point victory at one stage.

Pillay looked to continue the assault, but he fell short when he was caught by Wayne Parnell off Kyle Simmonds for a run-a-ball 31 as he tried to clear the boundary with his side on 80.

Swanepoel struck two consecutive sixes to get his innings under way while the captain registered his second fifty of this season's competition with four boundaries and two sixes.

The pair registered another half-century partnership in the innings off just 32 deliveries, featuring a boundary and four sixes.

Swanepoel hit two more sixes off Mthiwekhaya Nabe to close out proceedings as they moved ahead by 14 points at the top of the standings.

Earlier, 30 runs from the bat of George Linde and 23 and 22 from Eddie Moore and Wayne Parnell, respectively, saw the hosts register 142 for seven in their 20 overs.

Choosing to bat first after a successful toss, the hosts found scoring tough on a slow pitch but got off to a decent start with 42 runs between Moore and fellow left-hander Jonathan Bird.

Bird was dismissed for 19, caught by Andile Mokgakane off Patrick Kruger in the final over of the power play before Moore fell to Siya Simetu three balls later, having hit three boundaries with the hosts on 44/2.

Skipper Kyle Verreynne and Valentine Kitime took their side to 69/2 at the halfway mark, but their 30-run partnership came to an end when they perished for 15 and 20 respectively as Alfred Mothoa and Nealan van Heerden had the home side struggling at 90/4 with 5.3 overs left in the innings.

Juan James [1] was bowled by JP King before Linde and Parnell shared 19 off as many balls.

Linde was Mothoa’s second victim, having hit a boundary and a six in his 25-ball stay at the crease before Van Heerden removed Onke Nyaku for five runs while Parnell finished unbeaten from the 14 balls he faced.

Van Heerden finished his spell with 2/25 from four overs and Mothoa 2/36.

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