South Western Districts beat Rocks (Boland) by 19 runs at Boland Park, defending 169/5 by restricting the hosts to 150/7. A substantial second-wicket partnership gave the visitors their platform, while regular wickets late in the chase secured victory in the CSA T20 Challenge 2026.
Van Staden gives South Western Districts their platform
Rocks chose to bowl and made an early breakthrough when Imran Manack bowled Yaseen Vallie for 2, leaving South Western Districts 5/1 in the second over. That opening did not develop into a sustained run of wickets, however, as Janneman Malan and Slade van Staden added 96 for the second wicket.
Malan contributed 45 from 37 balls, with 2 fours and 2 sixes, before falling to Neil Brand at 101/2 in the 14th over. His innings helped establish the base from which van Staden supplied the greater boundary threat.
Van Staden struck 7 fours and 3 sixes in 77 from 51 balls. He added another 39 with Andile Phehlukwayo before Lizaad Williams caught him off his own bowling at 140/3 at the end of the 17th over.
Rocks then checked the finish. Siyabonga Mahima trapped Bennie Hansen lbw without scoring, and Glenton Stuurman dismissed Phehlukwayo for 13 to leave the visitors 145/5 in the 19th over. Stuurman finished with 1/20 from his four overs, the most economical of the home side’s completed spells.
An unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 24 nevertheless gave South Western Districts a useful final lift. Leo Sadler finished on 16 from 10 balls and Liam Alder on 8 from 4, ensuring the late wickets did not entirely undo van Staden’s work.
Cele and Rhode break Rocks’ recovery
Banele Cele removed both openers early in the reply. Blayde Capell fell for 12 and Brand was bowled for 7, leaving Rocks 31/2 in the fourth over.
Gavin Kaplan and Gysbert Wege rebuilt with a third-wicket partnership of 71. Kaplan made 42 from 34 balls, including 5 fours, before Regan Rhode dismissed him at 102/3 in the 13th over. The stand had restored the chase, but Rocks still needed their remaining batters to build on it.
Wege and Jhedli Van Briesies added 27 before Cele returned to bowl Van Briesies for 13. Rhode then removed Ferisco Adams for 2, denying Rocks a substantial contribution from either supporting batter. Cele finished with 3/31, while Rhode’s 2/17 from four overs combined wickets with control.
The decisive loss was Wege, caught by Malan off Sadler for 57 from 41 balls at 138/6 in the 18th over. His 5 fours and a six had kept Rocks in contention, but Sadler also dismissed Stuurman before that over ended and finished with 2/40. With both established batters gone, Rocks could not recover. The full scorecard details the visitors’ successful defence.