Durban - Outstanding figures of two for seven from Chris Morris helped the Highveld Lions book their place in the Champions League Twenty20 final after a superb 22-run win over Delhi Daredevils at Kingsmead on Thursday.
The fast bowler dismissed key men Kevin Pietersen (50 off 44) David Warner (21 off 18) as the Indian Premier League outfit stumbled to 117 for nine in pursuit of 140 for victory.Morris received good support from all his team-mates, with Aaron Phangiso (2-18) and Dirk Nannes (2-34) the other bowlers to pick up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Gulam Bodi struck a measured 50 off 49 deliveries at the top of the Lions's innings and Neil McKenzie blazed 46 off 28 to help lift the Lions to a total, which proved to be a match-winning one.
The Lions will now meet either the Titans or Sydney Sixers in Sunday’s final.
After losing the toss and asked to take first strike, they began brightly thanks to two Alviro Petersen boundaries in a first over of nine runs bowled by Irfan Pathan.
They were kept in check for the next three overs, before the Petersen cut loose in the fifth over, smashing a four and six off successive Pathan deliveries.
But he then perished to Umesh Yadav when he edged behind to Naman Ojha with a wild swing for 24 off 19-balls.
Rising young star Quinton de Kock (11) lasted 13 deliveries until he top-edged Ajit Agarkar to Unmakt Chand, who had dropped him on two, running around at deep midwicket, leaving the Lions on 62 for two at the halfway stage.
Four balls later Pawan Negi accounted for Dwaine Pretorius (three), out caught at cover by Ross Taylor, with Bodi and McKenzie then propelling the Johannesburg side.
They took their side past 100 in the 16th over and added 50 in 35-balls, before Bodi went to his half century in 45 deliveries.
However, he was out soon after leaving McKenzie to lift the Lions to 139 for five.
Sohail Tanvir gave the South Africans a dream start with the ball when he dismissed the dangerous Virender Sehwag for a first-ball duck - the Indian star attempting a reckless shot, which was caught by Petersen at mid-on.
Warner and Pietersen then threatened to run away with the game with a stand of 35, which was eventually broken by Morris as an attempted pull from Warner was sent straight up and caught by the bowler.
Warner's dismissal allowed the Lions to take charge, with Delhi crawling to 50 in the 10th over.
The quick wickets of Chand (nine), Pathan (one) and Taylor (one) saw Delhi slip to 76 for four and it could have been worse when Pietersen was dropped on 42 by Morris off Jean Symes at long-on.
At the other end, the wickets continued to tumble with Ojha (seven) and Pawan Negi (0) falling either side of Pietersen’s 50 in 43 balls.
With 48 required from the last four overs, the England batsman decided he had to go and that ultimately proved his downfall when an attempted pull off Morris skied to Thami Tsolekile with the Lions easing to victory.
Teams:
Highveld Lions: Alviro Petersen (captain), Gulam Bodi, Quinton de Kock, Neil McKenzie, Dwaine Pretorius, Jean Symes, Thami Tsolekile (wicketkeeper), Chris Morris, Sohail Tanvir, Dirk Nannes, Aaron Phangiso.
Delhi Daredevils: David Warner, Virender Sehwag, Unmukt Chand, Kevin Pietersen, Ross Taylor (captain), Irfan Pathan, Naman Ojha (wicketkeeper), Pawan Negi, Ajit Agarkar, Morné Morkel, Umesh Yadav.