The Cape Cobras took another step towards a RAM SLAM T20 home final as they spun their way to a 13-run victory over The Titans at Sahara Park Newlands on Wednesday.
The Cobras looked in danger of a second defeat to the Titans this season when they posted just 129 for nine on a good-looking Newlands pitch, but were able to squeeze the Titans in the second half of their chase.
Heino Kuhn’s 53 at the top of the order was making the target look easily achievable, but JP Duminy bowled a key spell, allowing just 13 runs from his three overs to put the pressure on the visitors.
Sunil Narine then had Albie Morkel stumped, and Farhaan Behardien suffered the same fate against Robin Peterson, who had picked up the key wicket of Faf du Plessis earlier in the innings.
That left the Titans needing 25 to win from the last two overs, and after Narine had allowed just three from the 19th, Beuran Hendricks dismissed Roelof van der Merwe to round off another excellent performance.
Hendricks finished with 3 for 18 and the RAM Deliverer of the Match title, taking his tally for the tournament to 19 wickets.
The Cobras had won the toss and opted to bat on one of the hottest days of the cape summer, but were soon in trouble as Morne Morkel dismissed Richard Levi in his first over and Stiaan van Zyl in his second.
The Van Zyl dismissal was notable for arguably the catch of the season so far, as Henry Davids flung himself to his right to pull off a stunning one-handed catch at slip.
A third-wicket stand of 60 between top-scorer Hashim Amla (33) and JP Duminy (29) was as good as it got for the Cobras as Saeed Ajmal picked up three lower-order wickets. But while their total looked well below par at the break, the turn on offer in the evening proved the difference as the Cobras made it six wins out of seven this season.
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
Latest posts by James Buttler (see all)
- #CWC15: South Africa geared up for tight Sri Lanka contest - March 16, 2015
- #UAE15: Bon voyage Derbyshire as Champions Yorkshire land in Abu Dhabi - March 13, 2015
- Sussex sign Mahela Jayawardene for NatWest T20 Blast - March 13, 2015
