Warriors cruise into Champions League final

     
  

Davy Jacobs and Colin Ingram shared a 2nd wicket partnership of 104 to help the Chevrolet Warriors seal a comprehensive 30 run victory over the South Australia Redbacks to seal their place in the Twenty20 Champions League final.

Jacobs top scored, smashing 61 runs from just 41 deliveries, including 10 fours and a six to help the Warriors set up a showdown with the Chennai Super Kings in tomorrows final at the Wanderers.

Faced with a large run chase the Redbacks got off to a disastrous start losing both openers in the space of 4 balls to leave their hopes of reaching the Twenty20 Champions League final hanging by a thread.

Having got off to a positive start Daniel Harris (8) and Michael Klinger (13) were both dismissed by Lonwado Tsotsobe in the 4th over thanks to wonderful catches from Mark Boucher and Johan Botha to leave the Redbacks 21-2.

Callum Ferguson tried to hit back dispatching Makhaya Ntini for three boundaries in the next over, but, with two new batsmen at the crease the Warriors turned to Nicky Boje and Botha to slow the scoring down.

The spinners came into the attack, conceding just 22 runs and claiming the wickets of Graham Manou (8) and Cameron Borgas (10) to increase the pressure on the Redbacks.

With 10 overs gone the Redbacks had been reduced to 60-4, needing, another 116 runs from just 60 deliveries to secure their place in the Twenty20 Champions League finals against the Chennai Super Kings.

Ferguson offered the Redbacks hope with a wonderfully played half century but the damage had already been done by Botha and Boje to leave the Redbacks needing 58 runs from the final 18 balls to seal a dramatic victory.

Any hopes of victory were quickly ended when Botha trapped Ferguson (71) LBW with the final delivery of the 18th over to all but seal victory for the Warriors.

Having won the toss the Warriors got off to a lightning start with Davy Jacobs and Colin Ingram scoring 62 runs during the power play overs despite an excellent first over by Shaun Tait.

The Redbacks fast bowler conceded just 2 runs and picked up the wicket of Ashwell Prince (0) who was caught by Daniel Harris at second slip from just the second delivery of the day.

Ingram responded to the loss by dispatching Aaron O’Brien for two fours and a six during the second over to get the Warriors innings underway in some style.

Tait was treated with the same contempt in his next over conceding another 16 runs as the Warriors threatened to put the game out of reach as soon as possible.

With the runs continuing to flow the Redbacks brought their spinners into the attack once the fielding restrictions had ended at the end of the power play overs but the were powerless to halt Jacobs who completed a well deserved half century.

After conceding 18 runs in his first over O’Brien came back into the attack to slow things down conceding just 4 runs from his next two overs as the partnership reached the 100 mark in the 11th over.

Having seen his bowlers dispatched all around the ground Redbacks skipper Michael Klinger turned to the part time medium pace bowling of opening batsman Harris who struck with just his 6th delivery to remove Jacobs (61) ending the Warriors 2nd wicket partnership of 104.

Ingram (46) and Craig Thyssen (1) quickly followed as the Redbacks fought their way back into the game with two quick wickets to leave the Warriors 124-4.

Having reached 105-1 the Warriors lost 3 wickets in the space of 4 overs but a quick fire innings by Mark Boucher (25) looked to have given the home side the momentum after the Redbacks had fought their back onto the game.

Despite losing Boucher; Nicky Boje added 22 from just 7 deliveries to help the Warriors reach 175-6 to leave the Redbacks needing 176 after Daniel Christian conceded 25 runs from the final over.

 
 
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