AB de Villiers dazzles again as Titans complete another rout

AB de Villiers led a stunning batting display and Tabraiz Shamsi an excellent bowling performance as the Titans extended their unbeaten start to the Ram Slam T20 Challenge season with a thumping 56-run bonus-point win over the Warriors in a rain-hit clash in Benoni on Friday.

 The match at Sahara Park Willowmoore was reduced to a 13-over-per-side affair after lightening and rain delayed the start.

That forced the playing condition to be revised, and after the visitors won the toss and opted to field, the hosts made merry with the bat.

Opener Dean Elgar blazed 44 off 23 balls, Henry Davids crunched 23 off 16, De Villiers smashed 48 off 19 and Farhaan Behardien clubbed an unbeaten 36 off 12 – numbers that took the Titans to an outstanding 172 for three.

The Warriors initially made a fist of the chase thanks to a half-century from captain Jon-Jon Smuts, who made 53 (30 balls, 2 fours, 4 sixes).

He took his side to 77 for one in the eighth over, but it went horribly wrong from there.

Shamsi picked up three wickets in an over for figures of three for 22, while there were two wickets each for Lungi Ngidi (2/8) and Malusi Siboto (2/18).

Heavy mid-match rain forced the Dolphins to endure a third successive home RAM SLAM T20 Challenge washout as their clash against the Cape Cobras had to be abandoned at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban.

The hosts, whose previous two home games did not see a ball bowled due to the weather, did at least give the 5500 fans that turned up some entertainment in the 22.1 overs that were played.

Most of the performing, though, was done by the visitors, in particular their captain, JP Duminy, who smashed an unbeaten 85 off 44 balls (8 fours, 5 sixes).

Hashim Amla also made 40 as the Cape side amassed 172 for four in their 20 overs after losing the toss and being put in to bat first.

It did rain during Duminy’s knock, which included smashing Andile Phehlukwayo for 25 in the final over, but not enough for the players to go off.

However, a massive thunderstorm that had been threatening eventually arrived with the Dolphins on 8 for one in 2.1 overs forcing an early end to the game.

The Knights and Highveld Lions both suffered a blow in their bid to reach the play-offs after their match at the Mangaung Oval had to be abandoned due to rain in Bloemfontein.

Both sides were looking for victory from the game, but neither got it after only 13 overs were possible following delays for first thunder and then rain, which eventually arrived and never left.

The visitors had won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that looked a good one after their bowlers kept the home batsmen mainly in check.

Keegan Petersen did manage to record an unbeaten half-century, striking five fours and a six in what was his maiden 50-plus score at franchise level.

However, the rain did not allow him to kick on as the match was declared a no result leaving the two sides to share the spoils.

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