Titans stun Lions in a thriller at the Wanderers to win CSA One Day Cup

The Titans produced an upset for the ages as they stunned the much fancied Lions, clinching a thrilling three wicket win in the CSA One Day Cup final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The Titans had snuck into the tournament playoffs as the third placed team on the log and thus had to travel to Gqeberha to face the unbeaten second placed Warriors, and beat them by four wickets to make the final.

They were then again up against an unbeaten team in the final, the table topping Lions, who were heavily favoured to add the 50-over trophy to the four day title they won earlier this season.

But instead the Titans produced the goods in the final, after keeping the Lions to 248/9 in their 50-overs, before recovering from losing two wickets without scoring, and being 77/4 in the 19^th over, to eventually claim a breathtaking win with just one ball remaining.

“We know what it takes to beat a team like the Lions. Credit to them, they played superbly today, and well done to my boys, they were fantastic. From how we started this competition to lifting the trophy now is really special,” said Titans captain Rivaldo Moonsamy after the match.

“We didn’t play many 50-over games (this season), some were rained out and others shortened. So we showed what we could do against the Warriors in a full 50-over game, and then to come here and then to come here today and complete it like this was pretty special.”

Jansen and Petersen

It was an unbeaten run-a-ball 61 from Duan Jansen, featuring two fours and three sixes, and 90 off 134 balls (9×4; 1×6) from Keegan Petersen, with them combining for a 78-run sixth wicket stand, that proved the difference in the end.

Codi Yusuf, 3/43, and Beyers Swanepoel, 3/44, were the key wicket takers for the Lions, but it wasn’t enough to defend a below par score in the end.

The Lions innings saw a number of batters getting starts, but none could kick on to a big score to get them to a more defendable total.

Rassie van der Dussen top scored with 57 off 86 balls (4×4; 1×6), while Temba Bavuma, 43 off 42 (1×4; 4×6), Delano Potgieter, 33 off 27 (1×4; 2×6), and Reeza Hendricks, 31 off 54 (3×4; 1×6) also made positive contributions.

The Titans bowling effort was led by Lizaad Williams, 3/49, Dayyaan Galiem, 2/33, and Roelof van der Merwe, 2/32.

The local cricket season has now come to an end, with the Warriors having won the CSA T20 Challenge and the Lions have triumphed in the CSA Four Day Series.