THE Chevrolet Warriors completed their Momentum One-Day Cup metamorphosis as they beat the bizhub Highveld Lions with a bonus point at Buffalo Park on Sunday, but it was still not enough to qualify them for the play-off.
Having pulled off the highest ever run-chase in South African domestic one-day cricket on Friday, on Sunday the Warriors conceded two centuries to the Lions yet still chased down a target of 286 in 39.2 overs to win by two wickets.
It was a remarkable end to the campaign from a team that lost four of their first five games, yet they were only pipped to third place on net run-rate by the Titans.
As disappointing as that would have been, Colin Ingram’s side can still reflect on a period of enormous growth since Malibongwe Maketa took charge of the side just before Christmas.
The Warriors have won four of their five one-day games in that period, and picked up a draw and two victories in the Sunfoil Series.
Ingram was once again a key man in this success, scoring 90 not out to see the Warriors home and taking his tally to 289 runs for one dismissal in the last three games.
Also important was an aggressive opening partnership between Michael Price (54) and Jon-Jon Smuts (66), who put on 126 in the first 17 overs as the Warriors chased the bonus point.
Although Eddie Leie (4 for 56) put the Lions back in the game by dismissing both openers for the addition of two runs in the space of nine balls, the platform was set and Ingram’s good form meant he was able to attack from the start of his innings.
Wickets fell regularly as the pressure told on the other Warriors batsmen, but nothing could shift Ingram and he carried the hosts over the line before he ran out of partners.
All of which relegated centuries by Rassie van der Dussen and Neil McKenzie to a footnote.
Van der Dussen batted through the innings to finish 129 not out from 133 balls, while McKenzie (112) notched up his 12th List A hundred in a Lions score of 285 for four.
It should have been enough for the Lions, but with the mental space that the Warriors have been in, no opposition total seems to be enough.
