Jacobs, Ingram lead Warriors to final

Davy Jacobs leads his Eastern Cape Warriors to the final of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

CENTURION: Davy Jacobs led his Eastern Cape Warriors to the final of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament when they beat the South Australian Redbacks by 30 runs. Jacobs (61) and Colin Ingram (46) staged a ferocious counter-attack after South Australian fast-bowler Shaun Tait had South African Test batsman Ashwell Prince caught at first slip off the second ball of the match.

The pair put on 104 for the second wicket off 70 balls to set their side up for a total of 175 for six off 20 overs.

In reply, left-arm opening bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe dismissed in-form South Australian opening batsman Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris within the space of four deliveries as the Redbacks were reduced to 21 for two. Callum Ferguson made an impressive 71 off 49 deliveries but after wickets fell at regular intervals, the Redbacks could only manage 145 for seven.

Earlier, after just two runs were scored in the first over of the match, 34 were plundered in the next two, including 16 off Tait.

Man of the match Jacobs said of his assault on Tait, “I just thought maybe I should go after their main guy and it came off.”

“We got off to a good start with the bat and Tsotsobe started well with the ball. Our spinners bowled and fielded well.”

The Warriors raced to 77 off seven overs but as the wicket became slower, the scoring rate was pegged back.

Daniel Harris bowled his slow medium-pace effectively, dismissing Jacobs and achieving a career-best three for 18 off four overs.

The Redbacks clawed their way back into the game but a late burst of hitting by Nicky Boje and Justin Kreusch, who took 23 off the last over from Daniel Christian, gave the Warriors a winning total.

“On that wicket they maybe had 20 too many,” said South Australian captain Klinger.

“We’ve had a great tournament but it’s really disappointing.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2010.