Chasing 158 at the Recreation Ground, the Badgers reached their target with nine balls remaining, finishing on 158-7 after the Titans posted 157-6.

Maloka’s 27-ball innings included five sixes and two fours, providing the decisive contribution after the hosts lost wickets through the middle and latter stages of their chase.

Janneman Malan made 43 from 38 balls and Yaseen Vallie contributed 28 from 24, giving the Badgers a useful start.

Their opening partnership reached 74 before Tsepo Ndwandwa dismissed Malan. Vallie followed shortly afterwards, caught by Dayyaan Galiem off Tabraiz Shamsi, leaving Maloka to take responsibility for the chase.

Slade van Staden added 14, but the Titans kept finding wickets. Galiem finished with 2-16 and Duan Jansen took 2-41.

Maloka stayed through to the finish, with Zack Momberg unbeaten on five alongside him.

Earlier, Lhuan-dre Pretorius gave the Titans a rapid start with 44 from 20 deliveries, striking five fours and three sixes.

The visitors struggled to sustain that scoring after his dismissal, allowing the Badgers to work their way through the batting order.

Regan Rhode led the home attack with 3-17 from four overs, while Momberg and Leo Sadler took one apiece.

Galiem and Jansen repaired the innings with an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 62. Galiem finished unbeaten on 33 and Jansen on 27 to give the Titans a total to defend.

The Badgers ultimately had enough batting to complete a memorable home win. They next host Eastern Storm in Oudtshoorn on Saturday.

–AFP

Photo: Momentum Multiply Titans/X