Lutho Sipamla starred with the ball by claiming four wickets to help DP World Lions begin the One-Day Cup with an impactful 40-run win over defending champions World Sports Betting Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Proteas paceman claimed 4/43 in nine overs as the hosts were bowled out for just 219 in pursuit of 260 – a total built around former home favourite Zubayr Hamza’s 56 off 79 balls (3x4, 1x6) at World Sports Betting Newlands.
There was also a good win for NWU Dragons on the opening day of action after they overcame Knights by four wickets in Potchefstroom where Janneman Malan played a significant role with his composed 90 (118 balls, 6x4, 1x6).
It was down on the coast, however, where the Lions were easy winners over the 2023 winners thanks in the main to Sipamla.
After winning the toss and batting, the visitors slipped into some early trouble at 65 for three when Kyle Simmonds (3/40) struck to remove Joshua Richard (29) and Reeza Hendricks (32) after Dane Paterson (2/44) accounted for Wandile Makwetu for a third over duck.
Mitchell van Buuren (48) and Hamza then rebuilt with the key partnership of the innings as they put on 104 for the fourth wicket.
Though bother fell before 200 had come up, Connor Esterhuizen (38), Delano Potgieter (17) and the explosive Codi Yusuf (18* off eight balls) managed to lift the Johannesburg-based side to above 250.
The home side also struggled during the early part of their chase when they fell to 71/4, Bjorn Fortuin (2/40) and Yusuf (1/31) largely responsible for the early stronghold.
Hopes were then raised when Edward Moore (66 off 94 balls, 3x4, 2x6) and captain George Linde (55 off 58 balls, 6x4) strung together a partnership of 90 that finally ended in the 37th over.
Sipamla broke the stand and then got rid of Moore and two others to extinguish all of the hosts’ hopes as they were bowled out for 219 in 46.5 overs.
Meanwhile, at JB Marks Oval, the Knights batted first and were restricted to 257 all out. Jacques Snyman was their key batter, blazing 85 off 77 balls (5x4, 3x6).
Patrick Botha managed 40 and Dominic Hendricks struck 29 with Ruan de Swardt (3/44), Kerwin Mungroo (2/35) and Matthew Kleinveldt (2/39) all amongst the wickets.
Malan and Kleinveldt (42) then gave their side a good start to the chase and even though the home side lost wickets regularly, they kept up with the rate thanks to the former holding up one end.
He was eventually the last player to fall with the total on 220, but by that time there had been handy contributions from Rubin Hermann (30), captain Lesiba Ngoepe (24) and Tahir Isaacs (21).
De Swardt (19*) and Migael Pretorius (23*) then ended the game in a hurry with the Dragons sealing victory with 3.1 overs to spare.
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