Knights: 146/8 in 20 overs
Cape Cobras: 152/2 in 14.4 overs
Cobras won by 8 wickets
The Cape Cobras’ late quest for a T20 Challenge playoff spot has gathered serious momentum with a second successive win at Newlands on Wednesday evening.
Paul Adams’s team now have 17 points from eight matches and have leapfrogged the Dolphins and Highveld Lions into third position on the log. Both the Dolphins and Lions suffered defeats on Wednesday evening to the Warriors and Titans respectively.
Following on from the record chase at Kingsmead on Sunday, the Cobras ensured they claimed the all-important bonus point Wednesday evening.
All-rounders Wayne Parnell and Kieron Pollard starred with both bat and ball after the Knights had enjoyed the early momentum.
The visitors raced to 94/2, courtesy of a half-century from captain Theunis de Bruyn (52 off 41 balls) and Patrick Kruger’s 42 off just 34 balls.
But the introduction of Parnell into the attack – he was only the fifth Cobras bowler utilised – immediately brought a halt to proceedings. The left-armer was right on the money from the start and claimed two wickets in the middle before finishing with another at the backend to finish with figures of 3/20 from his allotted four overs. He could have had a fourth wicket but failed to claim a catch on the final ball of the innings.
Parnell was well supported by Rory Kleinveldt (1/21) and his captain Kieron Pollard with the big West Indian recording the excellent figures of 2/18. Pollard claimed the big scalps of De Bruyn and Kruger.
The Trinidadian then proceeded to put the finishing touches on a clinical Cobras display when he finished the game in a hurry with an undefeated 39 off only 12 balls. Pollard smashed a six, four and another six off the final three balls of the Cobras innings.
It was the coupe de grace after Richard Levi had begun the run chase in exhilarating fashion. The powerhouse opener was in a hurry to get back to his couch as he attacked the Knights bowlers from the outset.
He bludgeoned 58 off just 32 balls (9x4, 2x6) with a screaming six over the extra cover being the highlight of the evening. Parnell was the perfect foil to Levi’s pyrotechnics with a solid 34 off of 32 balls as the Cobras opening pair put on 78 for the first wicket in just 8.5 overs.
Levi’s dismissal brought Proteas star JP Duminy to the crease and the left-hander immediately showed his class with a stunning cover drive to kickstart his innings. Duminy, though, sat back after a couple of delightful boundaries to watch the Pollard show with the Cobras captain entertaining Newlands faithful royally.
The Cobras can now approach their final two matches of the campaign with a great deal of confidence after a sluggish start to the season. The former champions travel to Port Elizabeth to play the in-form Warriors at St George’s Park before coming back home to face the Highveld Lions at Boland Park on Sunday.
The Knights are now firmly rooted to the bottom of table after their sixth successive defeat. Nicky Boje’s side are the team only team that have no chance of qualifying for the playoffs and have already decided to rest senior pacemen Marchant de Lange and Duanne Olivier.
Independent Media