De Zorzi pounds Knights bowlers
CLASSY KNOCK: 21-YEAR-OLD CARRIES TITANS TO WIN
Ken Borland
The wonderful talent of Tony de Zorzi was on full display in Centurion yesterday as his unbeaten century carried the Titans to a nine-wicket bonus-point victory over the Knights in their opening match of the Momentum One-Day Cup, providing a timely boost after the woes of the four-day campaign.
The Titans had been set 263 for victory, the Knights getting to 262/5 after being sent in to bat, thanks to a record unbeaten stand of 174 off 187 balls between Keegan Petersen and Ryan McLaren, the best sixth-wicket partnership in the history of the top tier 50-over domestic competition.
But it was obviously never going to be enough as De Zorzi and Henry Davids added 179 for the first wicket off just 165 deliveries. The experienced Davids was full of strokes as he raced to a 73-ball 84, with eight fours and four sixes.
Davids’ fluency allowed the 21-year-old De Zorzi to get through some tough moments, but the left-hander unfurled some marvellously elegant strokes and picked up the pace to finish on 115 not out off 124 balls.
Heino Kuhn’s fiery 52 not out off just 38 deliveries sealed the bonus point for the Titans as they raced to their target in just 38.4 overs.
The Knights innings featured the eagerly-awaited return of Lungi Ngidi to action and this was successful as he claimed the first two wickets to fall and then bowled well at the death to finish with 2/35 in nine overs.
Ngidi had both openers, Grant Mokoena(1) and Andries Gous (34) caught behind, the second wicket coming from a sharp lifter, and this was followed by Junior Dala taking the key wickets of Pite van Biljon (6) and Rudi Second (0) in the 14th over, both edging excellent deliveries behind the wicket.
Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi then trapped Jacques Snyman lbw for 16 as the Knights crashed to 88/5, but this was the last success the Titans bowlers would have as Petersen and McLaren batted superbly to give the visitors a chance.
Petersen finished with an impressive 107 not out, blossoming the longer he spent at the crease as he notched his fifth century of the summer across all formats.
McLaren showed the value of his immense experience, finishing on 80 not out off 83 balls.