Gauteng made heavy weather of clinching the 2018 Africa T20 Cup by three wickets, with the winning runs coming in the final over, having bowled Border out for 130 earlier in the day.
Chasing a modest 131 for victory in the final, Gauteng scored 20 off the first two overs and were looking on course to stroll home with Delano Potgieter (23 off 10 balls, four fours, one six, S/R 230.00) and Temba Bavuma (27 off 18) scoring freely.
A sudden rash of wickets reduced Gauteng to 79-6 in the 12th over, giving the Border bowlers hope of upsetting Gauteng’s title chase. Nono Pongolo and Carmi le Roux then added 39 vital runs for the seventh wicket, before Le Roux was caught for 23 off 23 balls.
Needing seven runs off the final over, Pongolo hit the first ball of Basheeru-Deen Walters’ over for six to level the scores and followed up with the winning single the following ball to secure the title for Gauteng.
Pongolo ended unbeaten on 30 off 31 balls as Gauteng sneaked home by three wickets with four balls in hand.
The Border bowlers put up a terrific fight to take Gauteng into the final over, Bamanye Xengxe following up his undefeated 51 in Border’s innings with a brilliant spell of bowling. Xengxe took three key wickets to finish with 3-27 (econ 6.75), while Clayton Bosch kept his end even tighter with 2-21 (econ 5.25).
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
