SEAN Williams and Mathew Welch's 102-run fourth wicket partnership guided SOGO Rangers to a five-wicket win against Takashinga Patriots 1 in an NPL T20 Blast Qualifier played at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
The win saw the high-flying SOGO Rangers get an automatic entry into the final, while Patriots 1 will have another shot as they play in Friday's Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator between Gladiators and Westside Cricket Club.
Williams voted Player-Of-The-.atch, scored 68 from 32 balls, including 11 fours and a six, while Welch scored 56 from 44 balls, comprising four boundaries and two maximums.
SOGO captain Jonathan Campbell won the toss, electing to field as a Joylord Gumbie (47) Takashinga Patriots 1 scored 182/6 in 20 overs. Wellington Masakadza weighed in with 29 his brother Hamilton 27 from 13, and Blessing Muzarabani scored 25 from 15 balls not out.
Ryan Burl picked three wickets for 17 runs from four overs while Matthew Schonken took two for 11 from two overs.
"I'm sure on occasion that is today. I think it's a fantastic thing for the Rangers, especially for me coming into the Rangers. I think it's really good. I know I've worked so hard, and they go to work in the mornings and come training in the evenings, so it's extremely important that we get to the final, and we've got the job still not done yet," Williams said after the match.
"It's an amazing culture. It's free, you should be you. It's an extremely positive culture. It's fun, it's enjoyable and it's just an admirable thing. I didn't think 180 was a possible one this weekend, to be honest with you. I always felt that batting with Matthew Walsh there, I felt that chasing 9 or 10 in the last over, was going to be very difficult.
"The boys are tired, and when you have that type of attitude to come through that fatigue and continue to play hard after that, I think is wonderful. Outstanding performance today, Sean."
SOGO Rangers lost opener Jonathan Campbell off the first ball of their chase, caught by Emmanuel Bawa off the bowling of Muzarabani.
They were two wickets down after 1.5 overs when Jayden Schadenhorf (7) was caught by Bawa from Munashe Chipara's bowling.
Nicholas Welch became the third victim of SOGO in 28. However, Williams and Mathew Welch had other plans as they took the onslaught on Takashinga Patriots 1 bowlers.
Muzarabani took two wickets for 30 runs from four overs, while Chipara, skipper Roy Kaia, and Wellington Masakadza took a wicket each.