South African cricket has given birth to a new star in the shape of Nqabayomzi Peter, after the young leg-spinner bowled the Lions into their seventh Cricket SA T20 Challenge final on Wednesday night at the Wanderers.
In isiXhosa, the name Nqabayomzi refers to the fort of the house. It is a name that parents bestow onto their child with the hopes that the child would not only keep the lineage close together, but also carry it forward with dignity and pride.
Throughout the CSA T20 Challenge, the 21-year-old Nqabayomzi Peter has embodied this isiXhosa phenomenon, as he often rescued the Lions from spots of bother and put them in winning positions.
On Wednesday night, after the Lions opted to field first in the first T20 Challenge semi-final, Peter delivered a match-winning performance.
He was brought into the attack just outside the first Powerplay with the Lions in control of proceedings.
Seamer Codi Yusuf had already gotten into the Titans’ batting order and removed the young Lhuan-dré Pretorius (eight) in the second over.
However, in-form Titans batter Rivaldo Moonsamy was still at the crease and had already blasted three fours and a six when Peter was handed the ball.
The leg-spinner quickly got into his work, removing Moonsamy (24) in his very first over.
Next up, Peter had Sibonelo Makhanya (6) – the glue and anchor of the Titans batting unit – puzzled with a well-placed googly.
And just like that, Peter had his second wicket in only his second over as he beat Makhanya’s attempted sweep and sent his middle-stump out of the ground.
The youngster came back for his third over and struck twice, claiming the wickets of Neil Brand (seven) and the experienced David Wiese (duck) in successive deliveries to put himself in line for a hat-trick that just was not meant to be.
Jack Lees shines with an unbeaten 64 as the Momentum Multiply Titans post 131/9 in 18 overs after Nqabayomzi Peter's impressive 4/18 performance for the DP World Lions 🏏
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 24, 2024
💻 Stream #CSAT20Challenge live: https://t.co/ACEUH7ehZ3#WozaNawe | #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/RgySnnijYv
With the game reduced to 18 overs per side due to a power outage at the stadium, it meant two bowlers were going to bowl a maximum of four overs, and Peter was deservingly one of those as the youngster finished his spell with sparkling figures of 4-18.
The Lions seemed in control of the match with the Titans struggling on 107-8 in the 16th over.
However, they would let the game slip out of their hands slightly as left-handed batter Jack Lees (64 not out off 43 balls, 10x4, 1x6) cashed in, brought up his first T20 half-century and got the Titans to a respectable total of 131-9 in 18 overs.
🦁 #CSAT20Challenge FINAL HERE WE COME! ⚡️
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) April 24, 2024
We beat the Titans by 8 wickets to set up a home final at DP World Wanderers this Sunday. 🙌 #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#LionsCricket #ThePrideOfJozi pic.twitter.com/Q6k2AxWT4C
In reply, the Titans had the best of starts as Wiese bowled an unplayable delivery that hovered around the fourth-stump line and moved away from the right-handed Lions opener Reeza Hendricks (two), who edged the ball straight to wicket-keeper Pretorius.
However, Ryan Rickelton (38 off 26 balls, 3x6) and Rassie van der Dussen played their shots with freedom and combined for an 85-run stand.
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— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 24, 2024
The DP World Lions beat the Momentum Multiply Titans by 8 wickets on the DLS method to punch their ticket to the #CSAT20Challenge final 🏏#WozaNawe | #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/UK06YlQLyO
Van der Dussen (73 not out off 45 balls, 8x4, 1x6) was the aggressor throughout the chase as the right-handed batter smashed eight fours and one six to seal an eight-wicket victory alongside Temba Bavuma (19 not out off 13 balls, 3x4) in just 14.4 overs.
The Lions will now await the winner of Thursday’s second semi-final between the Dolphins and Warriors at Kingsmead in Durban to see which team they will face in Sunday’s final at the Wanderers (2pm start).