Etosha Wildcats win T20 Franchise series

The Etosha Wildcats won the Castle Lite T20 Franchise series for the first time when they beat the defending champions the Green Windhoek Jets in their final match on Sunday. 

In a thrilling conclusion to the league, three teams were still in the running to take the title going into the final round of matches.

The Green Windhoek Jets had led the league throughout the series, but a 15-run defeat in their final match saw the Wildcats pipping them to the title by a single point. 

The Wildcats finished on top of the log on eight points after winning four and losing two matches, followed by the Green Windhoek Jets and the Fish River Eagles on seven points each, and Naankuse Lions on two points. 

In their final match against the Jets on Sunday, the Wildcats lost some early wickets and were in trouble at 105/7 with three overs remaining, but a late rearguard action saw them reaching a competitive 146/7. 

Opener Nico Davin scored 30 and Nyasha Nyashadzaishe 20, while Ettienne Beukes added a quickfire 27 not out at the end off 14 balls (2×4, 2×6) as they reached a competitive total. 

Karl Birkenstock was the Jets’ best bowler with three wickets for 27 runs. 

In reply, the Jets got off to a rapid start as Zane Green and Dylan Leicher put on 46 runs at nearly ten an over. 

Bernard Scholtz however stemmed the onslaught when he dismissed Green for 28, while Leicher followed shortly after for 22. When Karl Birkenstock (4) and Nicol Loftie-Eaton were dismissed in quick succession the match was evenly poised with the Jets at 68/4 midway through their innings. 

The momentum swung the Jets’ way after a 44-run fifth wicket partnership through Fungayi Hlupo (28) and Jan Izak de Villers (24), but Nyashadzaishe struck to dismiss Hlupo for 28, and when Ben Shikongo dismissed De Villiers for 24, the Jets’ resistance finally broke, as they fell 15 runs short of the target. 

Earlier on Sunday, Malan Kruger hit a great century as the Fish River Eagles beat the Naankuse Lions by 26 runs to finish third. 

Kruger dominated the Eagles’ innings, scoring 107 not out off 59 balls (9×4, 7×6), while the next best was Handre Klazinga’s 31 runs off 14 balls (1×4, 3×6), as they reached 206/4. 

The Lions made a good effort to reach the target but eventually fell 26 runs short as they reached 180/8.

Lohan Louwrens scored 54 off 25 balls (4×4, 5×6), while Shaun Fouche scored 34 off 26 balls (3×4, 1×6). JC Balt took 3/20 for the Eagles. 

Balt was the top batter of the series with 227 runs at an average of 56,25, folowed by Zane Green of the Green Windhoek Jets on 219 (average 36,50) and Malan Kruger of the Fish River Eagles with 194 runs at an average of 64,66. 

Handre Klazinga of the Fish River Eagles was the top bowler with 13 wickets, followed by Bernard Scholtz of the Etosha Wildcats with 12 and Ben Shikongo of the Wildcats with 10 wickets.