BENONI – Neil McKenzie powered the bizhub Highveld Lions to an emphatic six-wicket win against the Nashua Titans at Sahara Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Saturday as they moved to the top of the Sunfoil Series log.
The stylish McKenzie kept his cool while one or two members of the top-order lost theirs. He finished with an undefeated 40. He faced 72 balls and hit three fours.
McKenzie hit a straight drive for a boundary off leg-spinner Shaun von Berg shortly before the scheduled lunch break to guide the Lions to 184 for four and a morale-boosting win for the visitors. The winning target was 181 runs.
With this win the Highveld Lions collected 16.04 points. They are now at the top of the log with 95.22 points from eight matches.
The Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras are second on 92.18, also after eight fixtures. The Titans managed 5.90 points.
The Highveld Lions resumed on 74 without loss on Saturday. But it was not smooth sailing. Rather, it was a tension-filled session as the aggressive Titans attack initially engaged them in trench warfare on a treacherous surface, renowned for its inconsistent bounce.
A triple strike by the Titans in the first half-hour had the Highveld Lions temporarily in disarray before McKenzie and Temba Bavuma steadied the innings. They rotated the strike well and seemed determined to bury anything remotely loose as they completed a 50-run partnership off 90 balls in 69 minutes.
Leg-spinner Von Berg broke the partnership when he took a good return catch off Bavuma as the Highveld Lions slipped to 151 for four. McKenzie took over the role of aggressor after Bavuma’s departure and powered his side to safety.
