Cape Warriors overcome wobble to top table

Justin Kreusch and Craig Thyssen hit 157 fourth-wicket runs Sunday as Eastern Cape Warriors defeated Northern Titans by 36 runs to top the South African 50-over championship table.

The pair came together with Warriors wobbling on 18/3 and when Kreusch departed there were 178 runs on the Saint George's Park scoreboard in Port Elizabeth.

Kreusch and Thyssen contributed 79 runs each to a 237 total in 49 overs and Titans were always struggling to catch up with three rain interruptions in the Indian Ocean city not helping.

Roelef van der Merwe (36) and Martin van Jaarsveld (31) were the only batsmen to pass the 30-run mark and the visitors were all out for 186 -- 37 runs shy of their Duckworth/Lewis target.

Warriors collected nine points over the weekend after a 152-run triumph against Highveld Lions in north-west university town Potchefstroom Friday and lead Western Cape Cobras on net run rate.

Each Cape franchise has 20 points ahead of a top-of-the-table clash at Newlands this Friday that could decide who finishes first and qualifies automatically for the final.

The teams coming second and third meet in a semi-final with the Durban Coastal Dolphins (14 points) and the Bloemfontein Central Knights (13) in contention and the Pretoria Titans (9) outsiders.