The YesPlay Pro20 Cup is well under way with 16 provincial cricket franchises chasing glory in the shortest format of cricket.

The Mpumalanga Rhinos have played three matches with one victory, one loss and one no result. They faced the Momentum Multiply Titans at White River Cricket Club on September 27.

The match was reduced to six overs per side due to a rain delay.The home team batted first and scored 75 for two.

The Titans successfully chased down the score with an over to spare, scoring 79 for one to win by nine wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

On September 30, the Rhinos were scheduled to play against the WSB Eastern Storm at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.

Home side sets target against Tuskers

The Rhinos hosted the Kaneez Tuskers at White River Cricket Club on Friday, October 2.

The home team batted first.

Garnett Tarr was caught by Liyema Waqu off the bowling of Ziyaad Abrahams with the fourth ball of the third over and the Rhinos found themselves at eight for one.

A second-wicket partnership of 41 between Zakir Kathrada and Ruben du Toit took the Rhinos to 49 for two in the 10th over. Kathrada was caught by Michael Erlank off the bowling of Chad Laycock.

Muhammed Mayet joined Du Toit at the crease and the pair scored a quick-fire 18 runs off just 11 deliveries before Du Toit departed, caught Laycock, bowled Thandolwami Ndlovu.Mayet was dismissed in the 13th over for 22, caught by Erlank off the bowling of Bamanye Xenxe.

Benjamin van Niekerk and Bryn Brokensha saw out the innings with the Rhinos making 159 for four in their 20 overs.

Brokensha put the Tuskers bowlers to the sword, scoring 44 not out off 22 deliveries at a strike rate of 200. He hit four fours and two sixes.

Bowlers trigger dramatic Tuskers collapse

The visitors needed 160 for victory, a reasonable chase.At 74 for three after 8.1 overs, it seemed the Tuskers were well on track.

But the Mpumalanga lads were not about to let their supporters down and the next seven wickets fell for 68 runs.The Tuskers were all out for 142 runs, three balls short of their allotted 20 overs.

Captain Cameron Shekleton top-scored with 50.Themba Maupa was the pick of the Rhinos bowlers, taking two for 19 in four overs at a measly run rate of 4.75.

Jon Hinrichsen took two for 27 in 3.3 overs, and Thobile Hlatuka two for 41 in four overs.

The Rhinos won by 17 runs.

Rhinos hold fourth spot in Pool A

The Mpumalanga Rhinos are fourth on the Pool A log table.

At the end of the round-robin phase of the YesPlay Pro20 Cup, the top four teams on the A and B logs advance to the Super Eight phase.

The Rhinos will face the YesPlay Cobras at White River Cricket Club on Saturday at 13:00.