CSA T20 Challenge: Momentum Multiply Titans Cruise Into Final After Crushing Win Over Hollywoodbets Dolphins

• Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi spun webs around the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to help the Momentum Multiply Titans into the final of the CSA T20 Challenge
• Shamsi shredded the Dolphins' middle order to take the fifth ever hat-trick by a bowler in domestic Twenty20 cricket
• A slight fightback led by Khaya Zondo (33) helped the KZN-based team to reach a paltry target of 93/8

But it was nowhere near enough as young Dewald Brevis saw his star continue to rise as he led the batting effort with a confident 38 off 30 balls (4x4; 1x6) to help guide the Titans to 94/4 at the start of the 15th over for an easy win.

The Titans chase got off to a rocky start as Quinton de Kock was bowled for a first ball duck by an in-swinging Kerwin Mungroo delivery that he completely missed at the end of the first over.

Theunis de Bruyn, despite having cracked four boundaries in his 18 off 12, hit Mungroo straight to mid off at the start of the third over, with the Titans on 19/2.

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Cricket

Brevis and Henrich Klaasen (10) then combined for a 39-run third wicket stand to get them over the 50-run mark, before Klaasen, who had been bogged down, was caught in the deep by Ottneil Baartman off the bowling of Eathan Bosch, with the score 58/3.

Brevis and new man Sibonelo Makhanya (18no) then climbed into Andile Phehlukwayo’s 11th over as 17 came off it, with sixes off the bat of both batsmen.

Brevis was then caught by Keegan Petersen off Mungroo late on, leaving Makhanya and Donovan Ferreira (8no) to take them home comfortably.

At the start of the day the Titans won the toss and chosen to bowl which looked to be the correct call as their bowlers dominated with Shamsi, 3/15, Aya Gqamane, 2/20, Junior Dala, 2/21, and Lizaad Williams, 1/13, all putting in superb shifts.

They got stuck straight into the Dolphins as Dala bowled Keegan Petersen (3) and had Grant Roelofsen (6) caught down the leg side, while Williams got rid of the dangerous David Miller for a third ball duck with the Dolphins on 11/3 in the fifth over.

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Cricket

The Dolphins then tried to rebuild through Ruan de Swardt and Zondo, only for Shamsi to enter the fray and claim a hattrick over two overs.

His last two balls of the eighth saw de Swardt caught at long off and Bryce Parsons chop on for a first ball duck, while the first ball of the 10th saw Andile Phehlukwayo (1) bowled through the gate by a brilliant googly leaving the Dolphins innings in tatters.

Zondo then finally found a willing partner in Eathan Bosch (12) and they combined for a 39-run seventh wicket stand, however just as they were looking to pick up the pace in the closing overs Gqamane accounted for both in the 17th leaving them on 67/8.

Prenelen Subrayen (11no) and Kerwin Mungroo (9no) then eased the Dolphins to their total.

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South Africa's men's national cricket team made a promising and relieving start to the second Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

As reported on Sports Brief, opening batsmen Sarel Erwee made a gritty and determined 108 runs off 221 balls on a day Proteas batsmen finally applied themselves on a bowler-friendly wicket.

He was supported by Dean Elgar (41 runs off 101 balls) and the under-fire Aiden Markram (42 runs off 103 balls) as the Kiwis had to work hard to get their wickets, for a change.