Titans on track

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Titans collected their first points in the Champions League T20, shutting out a fighting Brisbane Heat by four runs in a low-scoring thriller at the PCA Stadium here on Tuesday.

Defending a meagre 123 after a dramatic middle-order collapse did them in, Titans' quicks stood up to the task bowling a disciplined line and length to help their team to the first win.
Brisbane were in the hunt till the very end, with 20 required off the last two overs and three wickets in hand, but lack of experience was clear as their batsmen struggled to handle the pressure situation. Three dismissals in the final over all but ended their fight as the team folded up for 119.
Marchant de Lange, who had landed a double blow to Heat's innings early on, cleaned up Alister McDermott on the final ball of the innings to finish with 3/13 from four overs. He found able support in Rowan Richards (2/20) and Roelof van der Merwe (1/20).
Heat skipper James Hopes waged a lone battle scoring 37 off 44 balls, which came with the help of four boundaries, but the rest faltered as Titans bowlers ensured no leeway.
The track, wet with afternoon showers, asked for application but lack of experience showed in Heat's innings as wickets fell in a heap. In the afternoon, the Titans seemed headed for yet another strong total — they were pacing at 69/1 in 9.3 overs — before back-to-back dismissals pegged them back. Ben Cutting broke through the partnership, Heino Kuhn (31, 27 balls) and Henry Davids (39, 31 balls) had collected 69 for the second wicket, before a middle order collapse saw them limp to 123.
Heat's medium-pacer Matthew Gale stood out with 4/10 from just 2.4 overs, while Nathan Hauritz (1/14) backed him brilliantly. Barring AB de Villiers, who scored a 19-ball 28, the rest fell to some sharp bowling and a brilliant field effort from the young Brisbane side.

SCOREBOARD
Titans: J. Rudolph c Sabburg b Gale 1, H. Davids (run out) 39, H. Kuhn c Christian b Cutting 31, AB de Villiers (run out) 28, R. van der Merwe c Burns b Hauritz 0, F. Behardien c Hauritz b Gale 9, D. Wiese c Sabburg b Christian 5, M. Mosehle c Cutting b Christian 6, M. Morkel c Hartley b Gale 0, M. de Lange (not out) 0, R. Richards c & b Gale 0. Extras: (w4) 4. Total (in 18.5 overs) 123.
FoW: 1-1, 2-70, 3-75, 4-90, 5-107, 6-113, 7-122, 8-123, 9-123.
Bowling: Hopes 4-0-26-0 (1w), Gale 2.5-0-10-4 (2w), McDermott 2-0-22-0, Christian 3-0-16-2, Cutting 2-0-23-1, Hauritz 4-0-14-1 (1w), Lynn 1-0-12-0.
Brisbane Heat: J. Hopes c de Villiers b van der Merwe 37, J. Burns c de Lange b Richards 0, P. Forrest c Behardien b de Lange 8, B. Cutting c Rudolph b de Lange 0, D. Christian b Richards 21, C. Lynn c van der Merwe b Wiese 14, C. Hartley b Morkel 7, C. Sabburg (run out) 19, M. Gale (run out) 1, N. Hauritz (not out) 0, A. McDermott b de Lange 2. Extras (w4, b1, lb5) 10. Total (in 20 overs) 119.
FoW: 1-7, 2-24, 3-24, 4-68, 5-84, 6-94, 7-104, 8-115, 9-115.
Bowling: van der Merwe 4-0-20-1 (1w), M. Morkel 4-0-26-1, Richards 4-0-20-2 (2w), de Lange 4-0-13-3 (1w), Wiese 4-0-34-1.