eKasi Challenge cup stays in Joburg
bizhub Highveld Lions won the eKasi Challenge once again.
THE annual Momentum eKasi Challenge silverware will stay in Johannesburg after local franchise, bizhub Highveld Lions, made a welcome return to the pitch for the new season.
The fourth edition of the eKasi Challenge between near neighbours bizhub Highveld Lions and Multiply Titans was held on Wednesday, September 7, at the Soweto Cricket Oval.
The challenge proves a highly successful way to commence the season in either an away or home fixture each year. This year the match took place at the Lions “home ground” and the Lions managed to beat the Titans by 18 runs.
bizhub Highveld Lions managed to keep the trophy by posting a massive 308/8 in 50 overs. This was the highest score thus far by any team in this competition and Temba Bavuma also scored the highest individual runs (117 off 118 balls, including seven fours and a six). Bavuma and Devon Conway shared a partnership of 130 runs for the fourth wicket with Conway hitting 65 off 72 balls, including two fours and a six.
The Titans gave chase from the start when Grant Mokoena, like Bavuma a product of Soweto, cracked 103 off 108 balls with nine fours. These two centuries made it a very special day for the Soweto club who also produced an outstanding pitch on which almost 600 runs were scored.
When Titans reached 167/2 after 30 overs they were well ahead of the Lions’ comparative total of 136/3 but, once Farhaan Behardien fell after a stand of 89 runs with Mokoena, the Titans were unable to put any other substantial partnerships together and could not reach the total posted by the Lions.
