Walk in the park for Lions

The Highveld Lions made light work of a revised target to claim a comfortable eight-wicket win, on Duckworth-Lewis, over the Warriors in their Momentum One Day Cup qualifier at the Wanderers last night.

The result means that the Johannesburg franchise will travel to Cape Town to meet the Cape Cobras for the final at Newlands on Sunday.

A partnership of 128 between Rassie van der Dussen (below) and Dominic Hendricks guided the hosts home with 18 balls to spare as they chased down a revised target of 174 in 32 overs.

Originally they required 203 to win before a shower in the 14th over forced a delay in proceedings which led to the adjusted total. Before the break, the Lions had lost Stephen Cook, who guided one into the hands of slip off Andrew Birch, and Alviro Petersen who had his stumps cleaned up by Birch as the home side moved to 46/2.

But Van der Dussen’s 83 off 89 balls, in a knock that included six fours and a six, and Hendricks’ contribution of 70 off 56 balls, made it look easy as the Lions booked their place in the final of this competition for the second time in three seasons.

It wasn’t just the batsmen who came to the party though with the bowlers doing a great job to restrict the visitors to 202/8 in 41 overs after the match was reduced for the first time due to a shower that resulted in a delay of an hour and a half.

Wickets up front from Dwaine Pretorius and Hardus Viljoen, both returning to the side after injury, and then two scalps from Nono Pongolo – making his franchise debut in this format – reduced the Warriors to 61/4.

A partnership of 83 between Jerry Nqolo, who added a career-best 63 off 68 balls, and Christiaan Jonker helped steady things but both departed in quick succession, falling victim to Aaron Phangiso as the Warriors’ innings fizzled out.