Career best figures from Richard Cameron blasted the bizhub Highveld Lions into the Final of the Standard Bank Pro20 Series after a 10-run win against Nashua Titans at Supersport Park on Friday. The all-rounder ended with impressive stats of 4/23 in his four overs, and led the rampage on the Nashua Titans batsmen.

 

Cameron kept a calm head after a blistering start from the Titans duo of Blake Snijman and Gulam Bodi. The pair battered 84 runs off 49 balls for the opening partnership and gave the Titans a solid start, before the soft dismissal of Snijman for 68 off some alert wicket-keeping from Thami Tsolekile. Snijman belted 55 runs off 30 balls, including five (4’s) and three (6’s), after showing his intentions with a massive six off the first delivery of the innings. The wicket of Snijman gave the platform to Cameron, who bagged the key wickets of Bodi (26), AB de Villiers (10), Jacques Rudolph (24) and Heino Kuhn (13). Robbie Frylink (2/38) picked up two wickets in the final over of the match and dashed any hopes of the Titans achieving the 20 runs required off the six balls. The Titans had kept in tune with the run-rate, reaching 100 runs off 68 balls in comparison to the 70 balls it took the Lions reach 100 runs, however the Titans wilted towards the end of the race.

 

Earlier on, it was Master Blaster Batsman Jonathan Vandiar who powered the Lions to the highest total of the 2009/2010 Standard Bank Pro20 Series. Vandiar hammered the Titans bowlers in his innings of 68, hitting six (4’s) and four (6’s) off only 43 balls. Vandiar and his opening partner Neil Mckenzie got the visitors off to a flying start, with their 50-run partnership coming off 35 balls. The pair were on the attack, with Morne Morkel feeling the fire after going for 18 in his first over. Paul Harris outdid Mckenzie, who was stumped by Kuhn in the first over of his spell and was also responsible for the wicket of Cameron (7), in his second over. Harris bowled superbly for his 3/32, with Basheer Walters keeping it tight with 2/31. The two quick wickets however didn’t keep the runs at bay with Vandiar and Vaughn van Jaarsveld scoring 53 runs off 28 balls for the third wicket. Vandiar and Van Jaarsveld (16) fell in quick succession leaving it to Zander de Bruyn and the explosive Tsolekile to produce the fireworks at the end. The two blasted together a partnership of 35 runs off 18 balls, to give the Lions a commanding score, and with that, a place in the Final against the Chevrolet Warriors at Axxess DSL St George’s in a week’s time.