UWC were unable to chase down UJ’s target of 153 (which became 158 due to the loss of a wicket in the Powerplay Plus over) at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Tuesday afternoon.
Delano Potgieter and Ryan Rickleton took UJ to 11/0 as early as the first over, Potgieter with two boundaries off Luke Philander’s bowling. Lizaad Williams looked to slow things down from the other end, but Rickleton turned on the gas with two fours and UJ were on 22/0 after just two overs.
Chad Fortune pulled UWC back into it; his swing unplayable. Just a single run came off his first over. It was soon 41/0 after four overs, but Fortune seemed a different class as both batsmen swung and missed, eventually trapping Rickleton LBW for 18.
Potgieter went an over later, with Zain Allie nabbing him for 21, and UJ were suddenly 42/2. Captain Niels Bergh stepped up to the crease and smashed a boundary off his second ball.
Stef Kloppers was caught off Adrian du Toit and UJ were beginning to slow at 63/3 after 8.1. Bergh put up a fight, but was trapped LBW by Dawood Christians for 24 and UJ were on 78/4 after 9.4 at the drinks break.
Grant Roelofsen and Broodryk steered UJ to 120/4 until Luke Philander made the breakthrough, getting the free-scoring Roelofsen for 33, caught by Allie in the covers.
UJ took Powerplay Plus over in the 17th over, but Fortune opted to bowl and restricted them to just four runs. Fortune ended with figures of 3/9 and UJ never really picked up steam, eventually setting UWC a target of 153 for victory.
UWC got off to the worst start possible, losing openers Adrian du Toit and Tayo Walbrug in the first over to the bowling of Mat Varner.
At 5/2, Zubayr Hamza and Luke Philander attempted to rebuild the innings early on. Some wayward bowling from Justin Watson helped UWC to 18/2 in the second over and at 29/2 an over later the match was swinging back into the balance.
Hamza and Philander were finding the gaps and scoring freely until the sixth over. In a brilliant move by skipper Bergh, spinner Stef Klopper was brought into the attack and rattled Philander’s wickets with the final delivery of his over. UWC on 53/3. In his next over Klopper drew Ebrahim into a swing only to catch him out of his crease, stumped beautifully by Mofokeng. UWC were struggling on 62/4.
Landsberg struck two balls later, with his first delivery, turning the ball well off the surface and bowling Jean Heunis for a duck.
Hamza and Allie took UWC to 123/5, but Allie was run out in the Powerplay Plus over for 21. UWC were on 123/6, needing 35 from 21. And the loss of Allie in the Powerplay Plus over meant five runs were added to UJ’s score and UWC’s target increased to 158.
With 27 needed off the last 12 it looked a mountain too high to climb. Fortune and Hamza both fell in the final over and UWC fell 10 runs short. UJ exacting revenge over the Capetonians after defeat on the same field a year ago in the 2016 semi-finals.
FNB Best Bowler: Chad Fortune (UWC)
Samsung Man of the Match: Zubayr Hamza (UWC)
Steers Best Batsman: Zubayr Hamza (UWC)
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