Gbets Rocks in bonus point win over Lions

Johannesburg – The Boland Rocks spinners bamboozled the Lions batters earning their side a crucial bonus point in Tuesday’s CSA T20 Challenge fixture in Gqeberha.

The Rocks’ trio of spinners shared six wickets between them successfully defending what their skipper Pieter Malan felt was a ‘par total’ at St George’s Park.

Leg-spinner, Shaun von Berg, did a very passable imitation of his hero Shane Warne, picking up two wickets with his first two deliveries including a beauty to Mitchell van Buuren, that pitched on the line of middle stump, turned and found the outside edge, with wicket-keeper Clyde Fortuin completing a good catch.

Van Buuren also deceived Dominic Hendricks, trapping him lbw, and completed his allotment of four overs having taken the best figures in the competition so far, 3/14.

The left-arm spinner Siyabonga Mahima had set the tone for the Rocks in the field, by claiming a wicket with the first ball of the innings, trapping the Lions opener Joshua Richards lbw. Mahima finished with 2/20 while off-spinner Imraan Manack claimed 1/27.

GAME 1 RESULT | @Paarl_Rocks WON BY 44 RUNS

Pieter Malan's men stay in the #CSAT20Challenge hunt as a well rounded performance sees the Paarl outfit register a bonus point victory.👏#BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/NYkgWQeLAQ

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 15, 2022

It was a dismal effort by the Lions, who have struggled to find the right balance with the batting line-up in the competition and carry too many players whose strike rates are around the run-a-ball mark.

That has put extra pressure on the big hitters like Van Buuren and Shane Dadswell, while Sisanda Magala, who again showed he was capable of muscular hitting, is being asked to do too much.

Reeza Hendricks, who has struggled to find the right rhythm with his batting – mainly on account of trying to switch roles between anchoring and being aggressive – top scored for the Lions with 46 off 39 balls.

Pieter Malan top scored for the Rocks, scoring 71 off 48 balls, a notably more adventurous performance than his previous innings’ as evidenced by him striking five fours and four sixes.

Having lost his brother Janneman for 15, Pieter shared a crucial stand worth 51 runs for the second wicket with Fortuin, who made 18.

The Rocks, who next play the Warriors, moved to fourth on the log, while the Lions are rooted in sixth and face a virtual must-win situation in their Jukskei Derby against the Titans on Thursday.

GBets Rocks 160/4

Imperial Lions 116 all out

Rocks won by 44 runs

@shockerhess