Theron sees Warriors to 2nd victory in CL T20

Theron started his second spell by removing Andrew McDonald and then bowled Matthew Wade and Clinton McKay as the Warriors wrapped up their second win in two games at the tournament.

Theron finished with 3-22 off four overs and Makhaya Ntini made early inroads to remove openers Rob Quiney and Brad Hodge for his 2-33.

Captain David Jacobs had led the Warriors’ batting effort at St. George’s Park with nine fours and a six in his 59 from 39 balls, helping the South African T20 champions to 158-6, which was too much for Victoria under the lights.

“We are very happy with the win,” Jacobs said. “We knew 160 would be very difficult to chase down here at night but we still had to bowl and field well and we did that.”

Jacobs is now the leading runscorer in the competition with 85 in two innings, and Theron is the leading wicket-taker with six, after taking 3-23 in the Warriors’ opening win over Wayamba Elevens.

The Warriors now top Group A.

Every Warriors bowler picked up a wicket on Monday, with one each for spinners Nicky Boje and Johan Botha and a late strike from fast man Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Part-timer Justin Kreusch grabbed the crucial scalp of Victoria captain David Hussey when he bowled the danger man for 29 with a skidding delivery that began a devastating run of six wickets for just 11 runs in 20 balls for the inform Warriors attack.

“For us, the home advantage makes a huge difference,” said Ntini. “We know our ground and where to bowl and what area we should be hitting and I think that we did it very well.

“Now if we win on Saturday we will have a huge celebration because we are definitely going to play in the semifinals.”

Only Hussey, Hodge, Aaron Finch and Andrew McDonald threatened to cut loose for Victoria.

Hodge, playing in his 100^th T20 game, blasted two fours before his innings was cut short by a brilliant catch by Jacobs at mid-on, who jumped high to intercept a blistering shot from the right-handed opener.

Aaron Finch hit two sixes, the second a massive shot onto the roof of the stands straight down the ground, before Boje had him caught by another diving effort from man-of-the-match Jacobs.

Hussey and McDonald put on 35, but then fell in successive balls.

Hussey was undone by Kreusch, and McDonald skied to Ashwell Prince in the deep off Theron’s first ball of his second spell to go for 19 off 17.

Theron then enhanced his growing reputation as he shattered the stumps of Wade and McKay in quick succession and the Bushrangers fell away.

“I don’t think we executed our skills the way we wanted to tonight and full credit to the Warriors, they played superbly,” said Hussey, who was playing in his 128^th Twenty20 game to draw level with Albie Morkel’s record.

“I thought we fought back pretty well in the middle ... so some positives from tonight but we’ll have to regroup pretty quickly.”

The Warriors had earlier appeared to waste a flying start after opting to bat first.

Jacobs’ onslaught was brought to an end when he was run out by opening partner Prince, and Prince, Ingram and Kreusch all fell cheaply.

But batting at number four, wicketkeeper Mark Boucher made 31 off 28 balls to revive the innings in a 40-run partnership with Johan Botha, who contributed 20 off 14.

Boucher needed painkillers for a shoulder injury halfway through his innings, but the pills appeared to work as he served up three boundaries as the Warriors went on to post 158-6.

McDonald was Victoria’s best bowler with 2-22.