Johannesburg - The DP World Lions are the 1-Day Cup champions of South Africa again.
Last season they were tasked with chasing down 318. On a balmy Thursday evening at the Wanderers they posted a record 358/5 in 48 overs that was simply too much for a valiant Western Province team.
The visitors proved worthy opposition with Wayne Parnell’s team replying with a gallant 296
Province had begun their reply in positive fashion through a scintillating 88 from Tony de Zorzi.
But even after De Zorzi’s dismissal, Province still seemed well at 217/3 with 15 overs remaining to get the required 141 runs.
But enter the golden arm of Reeza Hendricks and the part-timer induced both Eddie Moore (82) and Daniel Smith (24) to attempt ill-judged reverse sweeps and Province were left floundering.
Your #1DayCup Division 1⃣ Champions!#BePartOfIt #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/IrP0jjAgPK
— DomesticCSA (@DomesticCSA) December 29, 2022
This allowed Player of the Match Lutho Sipamla to finish off the good work he had begun by dismissing both WP openers Jonathan Bird, De Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza by cleaning up the tail to finish with an impressive 5/71 in the batter friendly conditions.
The bowling effort followed a rampaging batting display from the Lions earlier in the afternoon after WP had won the toss and inserted the hosts.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 🏆#BePartOfIt #1DayCupFinal #LionsCricket #ThePrideOfJozi pic.twitter.com/5OsnzjQoHj
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) December 29, 2022
Ryan Rickelton and Joshua Richards provided the perfect start with a 142-run opening stand. Rickelton was in sparkling form during his 63-ball 75, while Richards went even deeper with 94 off 102 balls.
Western Province’s bowling unit simply had no answer as the carnage continued through Reeza Hendricks (69), Mitchell van Buuren (62) and Evan Jones’ 16-ball 30.
The Lions were certainly deserved consecutive winners of the Cricket SA 1-Day Cup after also topping the log after the round-robin stage and having beaten Province at Newlands too earlier in the tournament.