Colin Ingram’s outstanding 89 propelled the Warriors to their first win of the season, beating the Highveld Lions in the Ram Slam double-header at Newlands.
He was well supported by Christiaan Jonker, whose 39 off 28 balls (5×4, 1×6) contributed significantly to a stand of 93 when all looked lost as they chased an imposing Lions total of 182-3.
Ingram hammered his 89 off just 48 balls, with five fours and seven soaring sixes to set up a four-wicket win with six balls remaining.
It was a day for the big hitters as Reeza Hendricks laid the platform with 81 off 63 balls for the Lions.
That was sandwiched between two far more ferocious displays: Rassie van der Dussen’s 45 off 30 balls (3×4, 2×6) and 41 off 23 balls (2×4, 3×6) from Ryan Rickelton, a former SA U19 player making his debut for the Lions’ first team.
Hendricks was positively sedate, striking his 81 off 63 balls, with three fours and two sixes after the Warriors elected to field first.
The Warriors were up against it, and the loss of Gihahn Cloete (1) and Smuts (10), both to the irrepressible Kagiso Rabada in the second over of the innings, did nothing to help their cause.
But Ingram, preparing for a stint in the Big Bash League, stopped the rot. He and Colin Ackermann (17) put on 48 for the third wicket, and along with Jonker broke the back of the chase, which included taking 25 runs off one Aaron Phangiso over, and 15 off Rabada on his return to the fray.
The Lions still had a sniff when Jonker was bowled by Hardus Viljoen, and Rabada, exacting revenge, had Ingram caught behind off the glove the following over, with the Warriors still 18 short of the total with 17 balls to go. Jerry Nqolo (12 off six) and Lesiba Ngoepe (10 off 6) were more than adequate for the occasion.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
