De Villiers, Litheko lead run-fest as Warriors remain unbeaten

Dafabet Warriors captain Matthew de Villiers stuck to the basics of batting before unleashing a remarkable attack on the Boland bowlers on a day of records in their 87-run victory in the Cricket SA One-Day Cup in Paarl on Saturday.

In reaching 400/5 in their 50 overs, the Warriors posted the highest score of the season so far, a franchise record total, and the highest 50-over total at Boland Park. The previous best was 357/6, also by the Warriors in 2021/2022.

In addition, De Villiers, with his second List A century in a row, produced his career-best of 133 off just 77 balls, while opener Modiri Litheko made his maiden List A century with a composed 117 off 115 balls, hitting nine fours and four sixes. He made the most of a reprieve when he was on 13, being dropped at fine leg.

Reflecting on their victory, De Villiers said the game plan “was pretty simple” when he came to the crease in the 23^rd over after an opening stand of 126 between Litheko and Muhammed Manack (57 off 61 balls).

“For me it was just a case of trying to hit some good cricket shots, and then from there we could go on the attack,” the Warriors skipper said.

“If that worked we would try to accelerate the innings, and today [Saturday] when I tried that a lot of the shots came off. A couple of things went my way, and we are happy with how it turned out.”

It was a spectacular display of clean, authoritative hitting as he blasted his way to three figures, his final effort coming off just 77 balls in an innings decorated with 17 fours and five sixes.

De Villiers dominated a second stand of 158 with Litheko in 22 overs, scoring 101 of those runs, and later Patrick Kruger and Jean du Plessis blasted the bowling as they helped to take 65 runs off the last five overs.

Chasing an imposing 401 for victory, Boland began cautiously through Blayde Capell and Grant Roelofsen.

Roelofsen (11) struggled for fluency, managing just a single boundary before advancing down the track and being stumped by Du Plessis off the bowling of debutant Jean Upman (6-0-41-1).

Capell steadily grew into his innings and, with Gavin Kaplan, rebuilt intelligently. The pair added 130 for the second wicket from 122 balls to keep Boland in the contest.

Capell’s 94 off 89 deliveries featured six fours and five sixes, but nerves crept in as he approached his century.

Kaplan, who survived two dropped chances — first by Thomas Kaber and later by Manack — continued to keep the hosts in the hunt with a fluent 88 off 83 balls.

The Warriors tightened their grip when Gideon Peters (9-0-61-3) removed Capell with a well-directed delivery that found Senuran Muthusamy at midwicket.

Fortuin attempted to maintain momentum with a brisk 31 from 21 balls before falling to a clever slower ball from Kerwin Mungroo (9-0-58-3), after which the innings began to unravel.

Jhedli van Briesies (2), Ethan Cunningham (2), Ferisco Adams (13) and Keith Dudgeon (2) all fell cheaply as the Warriors bowlers applied sustained pressure.

Kaplan eventually chipped a return catch to Muthusamy, while Imran Manack provided late entertainment with a lively 36 off 21 balls before being bowled by Mungroo.

With Boland nine down and still well behind the required rate, Kaber (7.5-0-52-1) returned to the attack and sealed the match when Upman took a catch at deep midwicket. Boland were bowled out for 313 with 31 deliveries remaining.

The emphatic victory solidified the Warriors’ position at the top of the One-Day Cup standings, lifting them to 19 points from five matches.