JOHANNESBURG: In a match that has ebbed and flowed, the DP World Lions seamers Codi Yusuf and Beyers Swanepoel bowled them to an eight wicket win over the Dafabet Warriors at the DP World Wanderers on Friday to claim the 4 Day Series title for a third consecutive time.
Yusuf’s crucial contribution with the bat and a match-winning spell in the third innings helped set up an emphatic victory for the Lions and earned him the Player of the Match award.
The Warriors were in the driving seat when they finished day two needing three wickets and leading by 112 runs, however, without stand-out seamer Matthew Boast due to illness, it seemed like a different Lions team took the field on day three on Friday and wrestled control away from the visitors to blow the men from Gqeberha away.
The morning belonged to Lions all-rounder Delano Potgieter who managed the lower order emphatically on his way to a match-defining 88 not out off 180 balls.
He was well supported by Codi Yusuf, who made 25 and Beyers Swanepoel, who was batting at number ten, who made 35 off 42 balls to help the Lions to 295 all out. this meant the deficit was only ten when the Warriors had to bat again.
It was all about the Lions seamers after that as they ripped through the Warriors batting line-up skittling them for just 95 in their second innings.
The Warriors were also without opener Modiri Litheko who was injured in the first innings and replaced by Matthew de Villiers. Unfortunately for the Lions, De Villiers couldn’t assist as he was one of Yusuf’s five victims.
Jordan Hermann’s 25 was the top score for the Warriors as Yusuf backed up his batting contribution with an influential display with the ball.
Yusuf notched up his fifth five-wicket haul as he finished with 5 for 34 off ten overs while Beyers Swanepoel added 4 for 31 to put the ball well and truly back into the court of the Johannesburg-based side.
The Lions were left with 106 to get in the afternoon on day four and despite losing a few wickets they coasted home to a famous victory.
It was a procession for the Lions as they lost just two wickets on their way to another title.
After failing in the first innings, Zubayr Hamza contributed a significant 71 not out off just 48 balls while captain Dominic Hendricks made 19 and Wandile Makwetu was 12 not out as the Lions wrapped up the title.
Audio featuring Yusuf, Hamza, and Warriors captain, Senuran Muthusamy, is available HERE.
Images are available HERE (Credit: CricketSA)
Source: cricket.co.za
Allan Donald: The ‘White Lightning’ makes it to the 6th on the list. Donald was not just South Africa’s best fast bowler in his time but also World’s number 1 bowler.
He along with Shaun Pollock was one of the best bowling duos in the world.
Allan Donald was the first South African bowler to pick 300 international wickets. He drew the path for Pollock, Steyn, and Ntini. He is the 2nd highest wicket-taker in ODi’s for the Proteas with 272 wickets to his name.
Overall, he is their 4th highest wicket-taker in all formats. He has bagged 601 wickets in his professional career.
Seal Snake
The term “wicket” is used multiple times in cricket. Getting a wicket is dismissing a batsman. Losing a wicket is getting dismissed. A bowler who dismisses a batsman is said to take a wicket. Sometimes, a cricket pitch is called a wicket, although this is considered incorrect by the Laws of Cricket. Regardless, it is still being used, especially by commentators.
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The dubious honor of being called the worst Test batsman belongs to New Zealand’s Chris Martin. He has a poor batting average and only ever achieved double figures once. He was so bad that he even starred in an ad for Pulp Sport spoofing his (lack of) batting skills.