First win for Cobras
The Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras were made to sweat, but overcame the Chevrolet Knights by 25 runs in their RAM SLAM T20 Challenge match at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday.
The Knights, chasing a target of 172 for victory, ended on 146/8 in their 20 overs after Johan van der Wath had won the toss and asked the Cobras to bat first.
The visitors looked completely out of the contest at 80/6 at the end of the 14th over, after Dane Piedt had dismissed Werner Coetsee (6) by trapping him in front. But Van der Wath and Ryan McLaren added 63 for the seventh wicket before a double strike by Charl Langeveldt ended any faint hopes of a Knights victory.
Langeveldt removed both the dangermen in the 19th over, first clean bowling McLaren for a wonderfully played 51 (37 balls, 3×4, 1×6) and then removing Van der Wath for a brilliant 46 off just 22 deliveries, which included two fours and three huge sixes.
SuperSport.com reports Van der Wath’s innings was brilliantly ended by Justin Ontong, who took a fantastic running catch, coming around from long on. With both McLaren and Van der Wath out, the visitors had no chance of reaching their target.
The damage had initially been done up front by Beuran Hendricks, who bowled fantastically. Hendricks bowled his four overs on the trot and ended with figures of 4-1-16-2. Hendricks removed Rilee Rossouw (0) and then Gihahn Cloete (5) to leave the Knights on 6/2.
Johann Louw then took two wickets in two balls, removing Obus Pienaar (11) and Ryan Bailey first ball. Piedt then got into the action when Hendricks took a good catch, coming in off the boundary, to see the back of the out-of-sorts Loots Bosman (5).
Earlier, the Cobras had posted 171/4, thanks to Dane Vilas who scored 48 off 36 balls and Owais Shah, who ended undefeated on 44 off 31 deliveries. Richard Levi was dismissed for 38, but Ontong livened up the crowd with a blistering 20 off just six balls with two fours and a six.
McLaren, who top scored with the bat for the Knights, was the pick of the bowlers as well, claiming 2/27 in his four overs. Van der Wath was taken apart, conceding 56 runs in four overs, while Malusi Siboto ended with 1/19 in two overs.
The win is the first of the season for the Cobras and a second consecutive defeat for the Knights. The Cobras next host the Sunfoil Dolphins at Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday while the Knights host the Dolphins on Wednesday in Bloemfontein.
Scores
– Highveld Lions 129 (Frylinck 5/16). Dolphions 122 (Miller 41). Highveld Lions won by 7 runs.
– Cape Cobras 171/4 (Vilas 48, Shah 44*). Chevrolet Knights 146/8 (McLaren 51, Van der Wath 46). Cape Cobras won by 25 runs.
– Warriors 120/8. Titans 121/5 (Morkel 46*). Titans won by 5 wickets. — Cricket reporter, SportsCentral