World Sports Betting Western Province lost by 18 runs to DP World Lions in their CSA T20 Challenge at Newlands on Friday.
A sparkling Daniel Smith century wasn’t enough to save the home side, who finished on 183-6 in their pursuit of 202 after Reeza Hendricks finished 68 not out off 45 balls for the visitors.
Defeat in their final round robin game means third place behind Dafabet Warriors and Goldrush Boland is the best finish Province can expect going into the eliminators next week.
A first win of the campaign at the sixth attempt also lifts the Lions, ravaged by international call ups, off the bottom of the log.
Siya Plaatjie and Beyers Swanepoel put the early squeeze on Western Province, as the hosts set about their batting.
It was Plaatjie who benefitted in his second over when Valentine Kitime was caught behind by Wandile Makwetu, attempting a drive through cover.
And then went fellow opener Eddie Moore, again edging his pull through to Makwetu as Swanepoel banged in a short one.
Joshua van Heerden tried to start the fightback with a six and a four off Swanepoel, but soon lost No 4 Jiveshan Pillay when he was caught at square leg by Richard Seletswane.
Things went from bad to worse when Van Heerden greeted Rafeeq Patel by playing him straight into the hands of Rassie van der Dussen at extra cover.
It left the home side on the brink at 35-4 at the end of the six over power play.
George Linde was next to chance his arm at hauling his side back into the contest, belting the returning Plaatjie for a pair of sixes over the onside while skipper Smith ticked along at the other end.
They were way off the pace at the halfway mark but Linde (29 off 24) and Smith plugged away, combining to take 14 off Hendricks.
Swanepoel was then cracked for two maximums by Smith, who went to his 50 off 24 balls to keep the match alive.
Linde had a go at Evan Jones, too, but couldn’t sustain the charge as he skied to Plaatjie at square leg to leave Province 125-5.
Abdallah Bayoumy came and went to all but kill the game off, giving Zakwan Patel his maiden wicket on T20 debut when he picked out Hendricks at long off.
Smith’s own personal tune up for the knockouts was going swimmingly, at least, as he took apart Rafeeq Patel’s fourth over with a quartet of boundaries to leave him with figures of 1-43.
He had time to reach his first T20 ton when he smashed Jones (2-34) for his fifth six over square leg, only for his side to fall short.
Earlier, Hendricks paced himself beautifully as the Lions racked up 201-2 on a blustery Cape Town afternoon.
He was given capable support by the assured Van der Dussen (49 off 42) and Connor Esterhuizen (47 off 23), as they looked to finish their campaign on the up.
The home side came into the contest with a play-off berth already confirmed, where they will compete for the 2026 title with the Warriors, Boland and whoever comes out on top of the squabble for the final spot.
It’s a different story for the Lions, whose heartbreaking super over loss to North West Dragons at the Wanderers on Wednesday ended any hopes of repeating their 2024 success with three games to spare.
WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE: Eddie Moore, Valentine Kitime, Joshua van Heerden, Daniel Smith (capt, wk), George Linde, Jiveshan Pillay, Abdallah Bayoumy, Josh Breed, Raeeq Daniels, Mbulelo Dube, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.
DP WORLD LIONS: Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Richard Seletswane, Connor Esterhuizen, Mitchell van Buuren (capt), Evan Jones, Wandile Makwetu (wk), Beyers Swanepoel, Zakwan Patel, Siya Plaatjie, Rafeeq Patel.