Wayne Parnell made Hardus Viljoen and the Highveld Lions pay very dearly as he blasted the Cape Cobras to victory here yesterday with a well constructed innings that was fully deserving of the landmark that he sadly missed by one run.
Parnell was elevated to the top of the order after a horrible incident in the field that saw Richard Levi struck on the back of the head by a ball thrown in from the boundary.
Opening the batting is not something Parnell finds uncomfortable, certainly not when the Lions are the opponents. Parnell’s two one-day centuries both came against the Lions as an opener when was still at the Warriors and he was well set to produce one in the T20 format yesterday, too.
The outcome of the match could have been so much different had Parnell been dismissed in the sixth over when Viljoen induced a false stroke with Thami Tsolekile taking a simple catch behind.
However, Viljoen had overstepped the frontline offering Parnell, on 20 at the time, a reprieve. He took full advantage making a career-best 99 off just 57 balls that included nine fours and five sixes.
His hitting was crisp and stylish and though the Lions fought valiantly, their failure to dismiss him meant that even as the required run rate grew, the Cobras always looked in control.
That the Lions were able to post such a good total - after unusually choosing to bat upon winning the toss - was mainly down to a fine sixth wicket partnership of 53 between Tsolekile and Dwaine Pretorius.
The Lions batting once again stuttered. Opener Devon Conway, in what is becoming a worringly bad trend, threw away a good start after getting to 37 (36b, 5x4) while Andre Malan once more made little impact. As a result the pressure on Alviro Petersen was huge and when he was run out for 20, the Lions were in serious danger of not posting a defendable target.
Tsolekile and Pretorius came to the rescue - taking advantage of some sloppy fielding from the Cobras who dropped both of them - to get the Lions past 150, only the second time they’ve managed that this season.
The Cobras started their pursuit rapidly with Parnell unleashing some exquisite drives through and over the inner ring.
He shared an opening stand of 58 with Andrew Puttick who made a sedate 19.
The Lions dropped Lonwabo Tsotsobe to play a third frontline spinner in Bjorn Fortuin and it seemed the right move on what was a sluggish surface.
Fortuin bowled beautifully picking up 1/20 and, though not at their best, Aaron Phangiso and Eddie Leie gave Tsolekile sufficient control so that going into the last three overs the Lions were still in with a chance.
However, Hardus Viljoen conceded 14 runs in the 18th over and then Parnell hit a pair of sixes off Phangiso in the 19th, to take the Cobras to the brink of victory.
Sadly for Parnell he missed out on registering a three-figure score when he top edged Phangiso and was caught at point.
The victory keeps the Cobras very much in the play-off hunt and with the Dolphins floundering, they will be eyeing up hosting the play-off game on December 9. The Lions need to win their last two matches to stand any chance of qualifying in the top three.
Richard Levi, meanwhile, was taken to hospital after being struck in the back of the head while fielding. Levi copped a nasty blow when teammate Justing Ontong threw the ball in from the boundary and it hit him in the back of the head.
After being treated briefly on the field, Levi had to be helped off the ground and was given a concussion test in the dressing room before being taken to hospital. - The Star