Seamers Codi Yusuf and Beyers Swanepoel bowled the Central Gauteng Lions to an eight-wicket win over the EP Warriors in the 4-Day Series final at the Wanderers.
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 Man 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 standout 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* off 180 balls.
He was well supported by Codi Yusuf, who made 25 and Beyers Swanepoel, who was batting at No 10, who made 35 off 42 balls to help the Lions to 295 all out. this meant the deficit was only 10 when the Warriors had to bat again.
It was all about the Lions seamers after that as they ripped through the Warriors batting lineup, 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 5-34 off 10 overs while Beyers Swanepoel added 4-31 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 three 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 a third consecutive title, having won the trophy in 2023-24 and shared it with the Northerns Titans last season after a rain-affected final.
After failing in the first innings, Zubayr Hamza contributed a significant 71* off just 48 balls while captain Dominic Hendricks made 19 and Wandile Makwetu was 12*.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
