Boland ended their one-day season on a high note with a thrilling victory over Free State in a Standard Bank Cup match in Paarl on Friday.
On a well-grassed pitch, they made heavy weather of chasing a relatively low target.
After losing the toss, Henry Williams and Ryan Groeneveld each took an early wicket. Pinch hitter Johan van der Wath battled to keep the scoreboard moving despite hitting some lusty boundaries.
Matthew Friedlander struck twice in the 13th over when he had James Schorn and Gerhardus Liebenberg well caught by Wesley Euley.
Cliffie Deacon, though, shepherded Free State to a competetive total of 176, scoring a valuable half century.
The bowlers shared the wickets. Veteran Williams, who announced his retirement after the match, had his best return of the season.
Needing a manageable four runs to the over, Boland made a sluggish start.
Henry Davids hit some flashy boundaries before hitting a tame catch into the covers, and Deacon followed up his good bowling with a direct hit to run out Mark Sanders.
Erasmus Hendrikse and Justin Ontong calmed the nerves with a partnership of 80. Their adventurous running let them down when Ontong chanced a second to Deacon, who had a hand in all five Boland dismissals.
However, Free State were unable to force the required rate above a run a ball. Some brutal blows from Euley took the home team to the brink of victory, before debutant Warren Swan squeezed the winning run with three balls remaining.
Hendrikse, who scored his maiden limited-overs 50, was named Man of the Match, while Euley received a fielding award for taking five catches. — Sapa