The Northern Cape Heat secured a home final in Division 2 of the CSA 4-Day series after claiming a thrilling five-wicket win over the Limpopo Impalas in Polokwane on Sunday.

The match in Polokwane was effectively a semi-final as the winner would go on to the final, while the loser would miss. Before the game, the Heat, Impalas and Knights were all in for a chance of reaching the final.

The Impalas scored 275-runs in their first innings with Morné Venter scoring 98-runs, while Eldred Hawken scored 47. Johan van Dyk was the pick of the Heat bowlers with 4/50 in 16 overs.

In reply, the Heat scored 419-runs in their first innings with the wicketkeeper, Hanu Viljoen, scoring 163-rums, while Jonathan Vandiar scored 79. Maphekgola Pootona took 4/94 in 24 overs, but Hawken was the most economical with 2/61 in 29 overs.

The Impalas then scored 283 in their second innings with Louren Steenkamp scoring 97 and Ruan Haasbroek adding 63 to the scoreboard. Van Dyk was once against the top bowler for the Heat, but this time he took 6/83 in 26 overs.

The Heat needed to score 140-runs on day four for the win and the managed to reach the target in 30 overs at the time was also quickly running out.

The allrounder, Grant Thomson, scored 43-runs in the chase, while the captain Ernst Kemm chipped in with 27.

The win took the Heat up to 105.26 points on the log and this was enough to overtake the Knights, who in turn finished in second on 98.66.

The Heat are now in a strong position to win three straight 4-day titles after winning the unlimited overs competition the two previous seasons.

The Knights in turn will want to go one step better in their pursuit to promotion back to Division 1 after stumbling in against the One-Day Cup final earlier in the season.

The final at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley is scheduled to start at 10:00 on Saturday morning.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport