DP World Lions are out of the 2025 CSA T20 Challenge after losing the super over of a knife-edge clash against Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons at the Wanderers on Wednesday.
Evan Jones (54 not out off 18 balls) had been heroic in striking the fastest T20 half century at the Wanderers, rescuing an almost impossible situation to seemingly keep the Lions mathematically within a chance of retaining their title.
But Ruan de Swardt kept his cool to have Mitchell van Buuren and Wandile Makwetu caught inside the circle off the last two balls to force the six-ball showdown.
Jones cruelly went second ball without scoring in the impressive De Swardt’s super over, before Rassie van der Dussen cracked a maximum only to perish on the rope trying again as the Dragons were set eight to win.
Lesiba Ngoepe took the Dragons to the brink with a two to long-off and a scything four through backward point off the first two balls from Action Man Jones.
He pulled them level off ball three, with fellow left-hander and captain Wihan Lubbe watching a short one whistle past his nose before the pair scrambled a wild single to seal it as the direct hit attempt missed.
LIONS NEARLY STEAL IT IN REGULATION PLAY
Jade de Klerk had produced an outstanding 3-12 from his four overs in regulation play for the Dragons, with a spirited 66 off 45 balls from veteran Van der Dussen looking like something of a lone effort.
But 54 runs in the last three overs before wickets off the last two balls with the scores level created an astonishing finish.
Reeza Hendricks came out like lightning in pursuit of a 182 target, finding the boundary with Onke Nyaku’s first ball of the second over, via a desperate catching attempt in the deep.
He needed no such luck with the second delivery that he creamed for four through the covers, before fellow opener Van der Dussen did likewise as the Lions kickstarted their chase in style.
The left-arm spin of De Klerk was stifling the experienced pair, both 36 years of age and with a wealth of international experience between them.
He claimed the opening wicket when Hendricks topped one that was superbly caught on the dive by Reynard van Tonder, as the Dragons recovered to hold the Lions to 46-1 at the end of the six-over powerplay.
The first ball went the distance for the third successive over when Richard Seletswane belatedly came out of his shell to pop the returning Alfred Mothoa straight down the ground, as the required rate hovered around ten-an-over.
But Mothoa hit back with three dot balls before catching an edge through to keeper Janneman Malan from the anguished Seletswane (15 off 18).
Van der Dussen went to his 17th T20 half century off just 32 balls but the rate kept creeping up.
It wasn’t helped by the struggles of Beyers Swanepoel either, bowled slogging at De Klerk for a tortured 10-ball eight after his four-over bowling allocation had been bashed for 55 runs.
De Klerk then produced a beauty from around the wicket to rip out Connor Esterhuizen’s off stump first ball, before his hat-trick delivery was prodded into the offside by Mitchell van Buuren.
Van der Dussen didn’t intend to die wondering, lashing another six out of the park to start the 17th from Mothoa.
But desperation got the better of the veteran when he swung, missed and looked for an impossible single before retreating only to be run out by alert keeper Malan standing back.
Jones threatened to steal the glory when he took Onke Nyaku to the cleaners, taking 30 off the 18th to leave 25 needed from the last two.
Next he clubbed Mothoa’s first ball of the penultimate over for six over extra cover, before successive twos and another almighty maximum over wide long on reduced the target to single figures.
Another trio of Jones twos took them to the brink, only for Van Buuren to hole out to mid-off with the scores level before Wandile Makwetu chipped the final ball straight to midwicket to force the super over.
Earlier, Malan’s 56 off 43 balls and the electric De Swardt (45 off 20) helped the visitors recover to 181-6 as they look to finish their campaign on a high in Johannesburg.
Rookie Ludwich Schuld (21 off 14) completed his promising campaign with a cameo at the top of the order before his side were reduced to 109-5.
Jones (2-25) and Rafeeq Patel (2-26) were the pick of the bowlers as the Lions dominated the middle overs on their home track.
DP World Lions: Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Richard Seletswane, Connor Esterhuizen, Mitchell van Buuren (capt), Evan Jones, Wandile Makwetu (wk), Beyers Swanepoel, Morteza Manack, Siya Plaatjie, Rafeeq Patel.
Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons: Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Richard Seletswane, Connor Esterhuizen, Mitchell van Buuren (capt), Evan Jones, Wandile Makwetu (wk), Beyers Swanepoel, Morteza Manack, Siya Plaatjie, Rafeeq Patel.
