Despite a disappointing CSA One-Day Cup Qualifier defeat to the Momentum Multiply Titans, Dafabet Warriors captain Matthew de Villiers was full of praise for his team’s 2025/2026 campaign.
In what was their only loss of the 50-over competition, the Gqeberha side missed out on a third final appearance of the domestic season after going down by four wickets at St George’s Park on Wednesday.
Asked to bat first on a windy afternoon in Nelson Mandela Bay, the hosts found the going tough, with runs seemingly difficult to come by for the Warriors’ batters.
Muhammad Manack scored a season best 80 off 99 balls in the 50-over tournament, while Patrick Kruger registered 40 off 43 alongside 26 from Modiri Litheko to help the Warriors post 203 with three balls remaining in their innings.
In reply, the Titans reached their target of 204 with six wickets down and 6.5 overs to spare as Keagan Lion-Cachet notched up a brisk 57 off 42 balls to resurrect the Titans’ charge after they slumped to 127/5 in the 33rd over.
That Lion-Cachet innings was aided by skipper Rivaldo Moonsamy’s 46, as well as scores of 39 and 30 for Keegan Petersen and Duan Jansen to book their spot in Sunday’s final against the DP World Lions in Johannesburg.
the guys tried their best, put their bodies on the line, chased every ball and took a few good catches.
— Matthew de Villiers, Warriors captain
“To be in three semifinals, making two finals and winning a trophy, we can be very proud of our efforts,” De Villiers said.
“Despite having players out injured and others called up to the national side, we have come together very nicely because throughout that period, the players really stuck together, so I am very proud to have led this group.”
With an awareness that conditions could be tricky, De Villiers said it was small moments that ultimately decided the fate of the game.
“We knew it was going to be a bit slower than normal — it was a new, fresh wicket with a bit more grass on it — so it was always going to be a graft [to accumulate runs], something we are normally good at,” the skipper said.
“[We] lost wickets at important times and were probably a few deliveries away from hitting a few more boundaries, which results in you scoring 250 instead of 210, and that makes a huge difference in a playoff.”
Despite not being able to execute their skills in the field as well as they would have liked on the night, he could not fault the efforts of his bowling and fielding units.
“Having posted 203 and to then having them [Titans] on 140/5 took huge effort — and then as that happens, conditions start to favour batting a bit more, so the guys tried their best, put their bodies on the line, chased every ball and took a few good catches.
“There were a few misplaced throws which cost us a few extra runs, but for me that is a sign of effort, not a lack thereof. The boys are passionate and energetic and want to give their all for the team, so I can’t fault them on that.”
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