The Tuskers, who have been dominant throughout the tournament, cemented their position as the home finalists with an unbeaten run. Winning five of their seven matches, with the remaining two being no-results, they topped the group phase standings convincingly.

Now, they will have the opportunity to claim their second trophy of the season when they face the Iinyathi at the AET Pietermaritzburg Oval on Friday. Earlier in the season, the Tuskers also secured the T20 Challenge title, highlighting their strength in the domestic setup.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi, their final opponents, had a commendable campaign with four wins from their seven matches. Though they finished five points behind the Tuskers, their consistent performances ensured they remained the closest challengers. Now, they will be hoping to clinch their first silverware of the season in what promises to be an enthralling title decider.

How the others stacked up

Elsewhere in the competition, the Mpumalanga Rhinos surged late to claim third place on the table, winning both of their last two fixtures. The Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers ended their campaign in fifth place with three victories, while Eastern Storm managed only two wins to settle for sixth.

The defending champions, SA Emerging, endured a tough season, struggling for form and managing just a single win, which came in round five. They finished in seventh place, narrowly ahead of the Limpopo Impalas, who remained winless throughout the tournament.

On the individual front, Iinyathi’s Jerome Bossr stood out with the bat, amassing 315 runs from five innings at a stunning average of 78.75, including two centuries and a half-century. The Tuskers’ Sean Gilson and Jack Lees were not far behind, scoring 280 and 272 runs, respectively. Gilson recorded one hundred and two fifties, while Lees notched up a century and a fifty in his five innings.

With the ball, three bowlers finished as joint top wicket-takers, each claiming 13 scalps.

Tuskers seamer Ziyaad Abrahams, Badgers off-spinner Pheko Moletsane, and Northern Cape Heat’s left-arm seamer Romano Terblanche all showcased their bowling prowess. Moletsane boasted the best average (11.38) and strike rate (15.76) among them.

The standout bowling performance of the tournament belonged to Mpumalanga’s Gareth Dukes, who delivered a brilliant 5/25 spell against the Easterns. Meanwhile, Jack Lees’ 137-run innings against SA Emerging was the highest individual score of the competition, with Sean Gilson’s unbeaten 132 against Iinyathi coming in second.

With the final set, the Tuskers are aiming to add another trophy to their cabinet and secure promotion back to Division 1.

However, Eastern Cape Iinyathi will be eager to challenge their dominance and etch their name into the history books with a title-winning performance. Cricket fans can expect a thrilling contest at the AET Pietermaritzburg Oval as the Division 2 One Day Cup reaches its climax.

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