Sport

Bird flies high: Batter helps WP to back-to-back wins

Voice Sports Team|Published

Runs-machine: WP yster Jonathan Bird. Picture: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix

Western Province destroyed the Tuskers by seven wickets yesterday to make it two wins from two on the opening weekend of the T20 Challenge.

After beating the Dolphins by two runs at Kingsmead on Friday thanks to Man of the Match Jonathan Bird’s 40 runs off 30 balls, WP returned to the Mother City to beat nog ‘n KwaZulu Natal team at Newlands.

While Bird starred again in yesterday’s win, it was the bowlers that set the tone for the victory.

Gets UK gig: Coach Rory Kleinveldt. Picture:

With the union announcing over the weekend that bowling coach Rory Kleinveldt will leave for a gig in the UK, the team sent him off in style after the Tuskers won the toss and decided to bat first.

Left-arm speedster Nandre Burger (2/22) did the initial damage with Kyle Simmonds (2/20) and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (2/28) joining in on the action to restrict the visitors to just 115/7 in their 20 overs.

WP then made klein skooltjies of the score and smashed the winning runs in just 12.3 overs with three wickets down.

Bird again proved his worth with an unbeaten knock of 61 off just 33 balls.

In other action around the country, WP’s neighbours Paarl Rocks lost two matches in a row, losing to the Lions by 43 runs on Friday and then went down to the Titans by four wickets yesterday.

The Warriors, meanwhile, made it two from two by beating the Tuskers on Friday and then klapping the Dolphins on Sunday.

In the only other match played yesterday, the Lions were too strong for the Dragons and beat them by nine wickets.

WP next face the Dragons on Wednesday.

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Voice Sports Team

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