Aaron Phangsio rescued an error-prone Titans side with two crafty overs as the men in blue overcame the Rhinos in a nervy seven over encounter at the Mangaung Oval on Wednesday.
Two rain delays - the second 90 minutes long - saw the Pool B match in the CSA Knock Out competition reduced to seven overs a side. The Titans had started poorly losing three wickets, for just 38 runs, before the lengthy rain delay.
Sibonelo Makhanya with 12 off four balls and Donovan Ferreira, who scored 19 off seven, ensured the Titans made 28 runs in two overs when the match resumed. That total was adjusted to 70 according to the DLS calculation and the Rhinos got ahead of the required run rate thanks to openers Rubin Hermann and Alex Kok.
That pair swung lustily and ran adventurously, in a partnership of 39 that came in three overs. Having done the hard part and needing to bat at just over seven runs an over for the last four overs, the Rhinos panicked losing two wickets to runs outs, and two more to catches in the deep.
Phangiso bowled the fifth and seventh overs of the innings, conceding just 10 runs and picking up two wickets.
The win keeps the Titans’ hopes alive of qualifying for the play-offs, but they will have to beat the KZN-Inland Tuskers in the first match on Thursday morning at 10am. The Rhinos, already eliminated from the tournament, face the Free State Knights at 2.30pm.
SCORECARD
Multiply Titans 66/4 (7 overs) (Donavon Ferreira 19, Jiveshan Pillay 13, Jon Hinrichsen 1/8, Blake Schraader 1/9)
Mpumalanga Rhinos 60/6 (Rubin Hermann 19, Alexander Kok 16, Okuhle Cele 2/7, Aaron Phangiso 2/10)
Titans by 9 runs on DLS
IOL Sport