The Lions were crowned 4-Day champions at the Wanderers on Wednesday, after beating the visiting Western Province by 99 runs.
Entering the final day, it was still anyone’s game with WP on 99/3 in pursuit of 308 for victory.
But their chase ended soon after lunch yesterday, with Lions spinner Bjorn Fortuin wreaking havoc with bowling figures of 5/69.
MATCH RESULT | DP World Lions won by 99 runs.
— Western Province Men (@WP_Blitz) March 3, 2024
World Sports Betting Western Province 208 all out (77.2).
Fortuin 5/69, Moreki 2/40.
Nabe (0*). De Zorzi 55, Smith 52, Verreynne 40. #WPcricket #WozaNawe #BoysInBlue💙 #4DaySeriesFinal #WSBWP🧡 pic.twitter.com/n7WfbWNVWS
Tony de Zorzi (55), Kyle Verreynne (30) Daniel Smith (52) put up a fight for Province as they were bowled out for 208 - exactly 100 runs short of the winning target.
Province, though, will skop themselves for not winning the tournament after having the Lions with their backs to the wall on 113/6 in their second innings - effectively 26/6 after scoring 312 in reply to the Lions’ 225 first innings score for a lead of 87 runs.
Welcome Home, 🏆#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #LionsCricket #ThePrideOfJozi pic.twitter.com/DUysSV4gHu
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) March 3, 2024
But then they let the game slip away, with Delano Potgieter, batting at No.8, scoring a match-winning 155* to add to his 81 in the first innings. His knock help the Lions to 394 all out to put his team in the driving seat.
And they just shifted gears after that to in the trophy for the first time since 2019/2020.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za