Monday 14 December 2015 07:29, UK
Mangaliso Mosehle took the Sunfoil Dolphins bowling attack apart as he helped the Titans chase down 160 to win the Ram Slam T20 final.
The 25-year-old smashed five fours and seven sixes in his knock of 87 from 39 balls as the Titans wrapped up victory with more than three overs to spare.
He was ably supported by Henry Davids who made 35 before the pair fell in successive balls with only 12 needed for victory.
Albie Morkel and Farhaan Behardien finished off the job though to start the Titans' celebrations in front of their home fans.
A partnership of 83 from 54 balls between Dwayne Bravo and David Miller had helped the Dolphins to set what appeared to be a competitive total of 159-5, the former making 53 from 40 balls.
However, once Mosehle got going it never looked like being enough and so it proved.
In the first innings, after being put it to bat by the Titans, the Dolphins made a nervy start and were just 7-0 after two overs.
However, while Jonathan Vandiar struggled to get going, Morne van Wyk pushed on impressively in the third, timing a cover drive perfectly to the fence before effortlessly flicking the next ball over deep backward square for a maximum.
He was at it again in the next over, powerfully clipping Chris Morris for another six over square leg.
The Dolphins reached 47-0 by the end of the powerplay but lost Van Wyk soon afterwards, the opener, looking for his third half century on the trot, smashing a wide half-volley straight to Graeme van Buuren on the rope off the bowling of Junior Dala.
Kevin Pietersen was next to the crease but the former England batsman did not stick around for long.
After superbly pulling his second ball for four, Pietersen was dropped twice the following over, firstly by Farhaan Behardien running in from long on and then by Quinton de Kock behind the stumps although neither were straightforward chances.
His luck ran out though when, frustrated by a couple of dot balls, he hauled out to David Wiese on the legside boundary to give Lungi Ngidi a wicket in his only over of the innings.
Vandiar was the next man to go, caught in the deep to leave the visitors 76-3 at the beginning of the 12th over.
That brought Bravo to the crease to join Miller and the pair quickly went about rebuilding the innings.
With five overs to go they began to open up, Miller expertly finding the gaps on both sides of the wicket to pick up a couple of boundaries before Bravo got in on the act in the 18th, pulling a six over square leg and then slashing a four away through backward point.
Bravo managed another couple of boundaries in the final over, bringing up his 50 in the process, but the innings finished with a whimper as first Miller and then Bravo chipped catches to fielders in the deep off the last two balls, the Dolphins finishing on 159-5.
Keshav Maharaj kept it tight in the first over the Titans reply but Kyle Abbott was unable to follow suit and was smashed for 17 in his first over, De Kock and Davids tucking in as the South Africa paceman served up half-volley after half-volley.
However, Andile Phehlukwayo found the breakthrough with the first ball of the fourth, De Kock caught at cover after a top edge.
Mosehle came in a three and made a measured start with Davids the main aggressor, striking three fours in quick succession through the offside, although they would soon switch roles.
The No 3 started to get his eye in with a couple of boundaries before launching Phehlukwayo into the stands over long off.
The 19-year-old seamer could only watch as the ball disappeared again, this time over midwicket, a couple of overs later and the following over, the 12th, Mosehle really let loose to put the Titans in complete control.
He clubbed Imran Tahir back over his head twice in a row then his a lovely drive straight along the ground through extra cover for four before muscling the fourth ball back over the bowler's head for another maximum.
Bravo was the next to be given the treatment, Mosehle following an outside edge for four with a huge hit over square leg that drew a stunning one-handed catch from a fan in the crowd.
One final straight six followed before he departed having top edged a short ball from Abbott that the bowler was able to run round and take himself.
Davids went the very next ball, caught behind trying to run the ball down to third man but the wickets only delayed the inevitable.
Morkel kept out the hat-trick ball and it was he who hit the winning runs, smearing the ball to the point fence to seal a comprehensive seven wicket win.
