Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Paterson strikes again, and Adams clubs vital four as Titans downed
Titans: 132/9
Cape Cobras: 133/7
● Cobras won by three wickets THE Cape Cobras are certainly not doing boring in this season’s RamSlam T20 Challenge. Last night theyfashioned another thrilling victory, by three wickets, over the Titans at a roaring Newlands.
After limping through their run-chase, the home side were left requiring 10 runs off the final over with only three wickets in hand.
Proteas all-rounder Chris Morris was tasked with delivering those last six balls to Cobras tailenders Ferisco Adams and George Linde.
But as Adams has shown already with the ball in this competition, he has ice running through his veins. And last night was his turn to do the business with the bat.
With Morris feeling the pressure by delivering a wide first ball and the Cobras edging closer every ball, Adams became an instant Newlands hero when he smashed a full toss off the penultimate ball for a boundary past square-leg to send the crowd into raptures.
It certainly was a victory stolen from the jaws of defeat, which also condemned the Titans to their first loss of the competition.
To be fair, the Cobras should have been much more clinical in their run-chase after the bowlers had done a superb job.
Dane Paterson has certainly hit form at the right time – the Cobras opening bowler once again spearheaded the home attack. He was particularly good with then new ball when picked up the two huge wickets of Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram cheaply.
He then returned to pick up another massive scalp when he had Morris caught by Adams, to finish with 3/28.
Rory Kleinveldt was also his miserly self again, conceding just 19 runs in his four overs.
Titans in- form batsman Farhaan Berhardien kept the visitors’ innings together with a battling 43 off 30 balls to push the Titans to 132/9.
Both teams sport relatively long tails, but it was the Cobras’ one which wagged best when it was required to.
A positive start of 39 for first wicket between the recalled Richard Levi (27 off 22 balls) and Hashim Amla (12 of 15 balls) was wasted when the openers departed within four runs – and 11 balls – of each other.
More importantly, just six runs were scored during that period as the visitors began tightening the noose.
The pressure only increased when left- arm chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi was introduced into the attack from the Wynberg end. The Proteas spinner maintained the pressure by having Aviwe Mgijima stumped and Kyle Verreynne trapped lbw.
But that brought Adams and Linde together at the crease and the two Cobras youngsters showed great spirit to keep the their team’s hopes of a home semi-final firmly alive with their fifth victory in six matches.