A brilliant 128-run partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Dominic Hendricks carried the Highveld Lions to the final of the Momentum One-Day Cup.
Van der Dussen carried his bat in a rain-ravaged match which eventually saw the Lions needing to score 174 off 32 overs. He ended with 83 off 89 balls (6×4, 1×6) while his partner finished with an aggressive 70 off 56 balls, giving the Lions an eight-wicket win.
Now they turn their attention to the Cobras in the final on Sunday at Newlands.
Earlier, the first of two rain stoppages allowed the Warriors 41 overs to set their target. The 202-8 was never going to be enough in any D/L calculation.
They may have had a glimmer of hope when the Lions lost Stephen Cook (13) and Alviro Petersen (2), both to Andrew Birch, with the score on 46, but Van der Dussen was resolute and Hendricks provided the impetus, slapping seven fours and two sixes.
Jerry Nqolo had earlier worked an excellent 63 to at least give the Warriors some hope. He was the anchoring partner in a stand of 89 with Christiaan Jonker (42 off 44) as they hauled the visitors from 61-4 to 150-5.
Having been sent in to bat under grey skies, the Warriors got off to a shaky start, ending the powerplay with 27 runs on the board for the loss of both openers, Jon-Jon Smuts (5) caught at backward point by Dominic Hendricks and Colin Ackermann (12), beaten by the pace of Hardus Viljoen.
The rain delay could well have unsettled the batting, for Colin Ingram (10) and Yaseen Vallie (14) were both sent back within four overs, both cutting Nono Pongolo to Hendricks.
After that, it was a case of rebuilding and taking whatever was on offer. Nqolo and Jonker ran hard and playing their strokes judiciously… until Jonker went for a big one off Aaron Phangiso and was comprehensively beaten by the spin. Nqolo followed four overs later, going for a reverse sweep against the same bowler.
