Centurion -
A top death-bowling performance by the Cape Cobras helped them secure a two-run win by the Duckworth-Lewis method over the Titans in their domestic one-day Cup game at SuperSport Park, in Centurion, on Friday.
Set 198 for victory by the Cobras, who won the toss and chose to bat first, the Titans looked to be heading for victory at 160 for 6, requiring a further 38 for the win. But, wickets from Charl Langeveldt, Dane Piedt and the final stick from Justin Kemp saw the visitors end two runs ahead.
Beuran Hendricks got the Cobras' defence off to a perfect start, picking up the key wickets of Jacques Rudolph and Heino Kuhn in the space of two deliveries in the fifth over. Both were trapped lbw by the left arm quick, seemingly beaten by pace, plum in front to leave the home side reeling at 10 for 2.
More misery was to follow as veteran pace bowler Langeveldt produced a double strike in the in the eighth over off successive deliveries.
Davids and Farhaan Behardien were both outdone by length balls outside off and were caught in the slips as the Titans fell to 20
for 4.
Titans debutant Graeme Van Buuren shared a 67 run partnership with Roelof van der Merwe to restore the hopes of their side. Kemp, however, removed Van der Merwe for 41, and Van Buuren departed soon after lbw to Dane Piedt for 30.
That brought David Wiese and Mangaliso Mosehle to the middle, and they put on 70 for the seventh wicket.
The pair came to the crease with the Titans in heaps of trouble at 91 for 6. A period of rebuilding followed as they began to find the boundary with the target less than 50 away.
But, disaster struck for Mosehle as he set off for a run, slipped and fell onto his stumps to be dismissed for 25, leaving the Titans 161 for 7.
The demise of Wiese followed as he edged a Hendricks leg-cutter to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.
Ultimately it was to be a flawed run chase by the hosts, with the Cobras holding their nerve for the narrow win.
Earlier, in the Cobras' innings, it was the stellar bowling display by Van Buuren with figures of 4 for 17 in 4.5 overs which helped restrict the Cobras to a moderate total of 197, adjusted to 198 with the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The left-arm slow bowler accounted for the tail while also bagging the scalp of former Proteas player Kemp in a magical spell of bowling at the death of the innings.
Earlier, Vilas was caught at square leg by Van Buuren for 23 off the bowling of De Lange in the 10th over.
After an opening stand of 59 between the openers, with Andrew Puttick playing the aggressor, it was Vilas who tried to turn a straightish delivery from De Lange behind square. A low, diving catch from Van Buuren sent the batsman for a shower.
The wicket of Puttick soon followed in the 12th over. Titans captain Henry Davids brought himself on and, with just his third delivery, had Puttick caught at short-extra cover, with Heino Kuhn taking a good diving catch to leave the Cobras on 61 for 2.
Rain interrupted play in the 19th over and four overs were lost, reducing the game to 48 overs a side.
Without substantial partnerships to follow, the Cobras only managed 197, but it would prove just enough. - Sapa