Griqualand West ran out winners by seven runs against Free State in their Standard Bank Cup limited-over cricket match at Goodyear Park on Wednesday in a match that produced more than 600 runs in the allotted 90 overs.
Griquas set the home side a target of 308 runs for victory, thanks to a superb 196-run third-wicket partnership in 162 balls between Benjamin Hector and Loots Bosman.
The home side looked set to reach the target when Jonathan Beukes and Boeta Dippenaar came together after opener Morne van Wyk was out for just 10 runs in the second over. The pair went on a run spree, putting on 143 in just 120 balls. It came to an end when Beukes was caught by Petrus Koortzen off the bowling of Martyn Gidley for 64, which came off 62 balls and included nine fours.
Dippenaar went on to score 111, which will surely be noted by the national selectors off 116 balls before he was bowled by Hector.
Once Dippenaar was out of the picture wickets started falling at regular intervals but the home side still got within 11 runs of the winning total with four wickets standing going into the final over.
However, Deon Kruis put paid to any hopes they may have had by capturing three wickets in the space of four balls.
But the night belonged to Hector, who scored a masterful 126 off 117 balls and before he was finally caught by Beukes off the bowling of Allan Donald, Hector had smacked 13 fours and a six. He also weighed in with ball as well, taking 2/34 in seven overs, capturing the prize wicket of Dippenaar and Gerhardus Liebenberg. — Sapa