File photo – Albie Morkel continued his good form for Titans © AFP
Albie Morkel’s unbeaten 34 off 16 balls helped Titans recover from a top-order wobble to beat Cape Cobras by six wickets in Paarl and post their second successive win in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Morkel, who came in to bat No. 6 with Titans needing 52 off the last five overs, smashed six fours in his cameo. He was supported by Farhaan Behardien, who remained unbeaten on 22, as Titans surpassed Cape Cobras’ 141 for 6 with seven balls to spare.
Cape Cobras had lost Richard Levi in the second over after Justin Ontong elected to bat. They were driven by an 84-run stand for the second wicket between Cebo Tshiki (47) and Jason Smith (38), before Lungi Ngidi’s double-strike in successive overs hurt the Cobras. That they recovered to post 140 plus after a wobble was because Kieron Pollard made a 19-ball 32.
Titans lost Henry Davids, bowled by Dane Paterson, off the first ball of their chase. When Heino Kuhn was caught and bowled by Rory Kleinveldt for 11, Titans had slipped to 22 for 2 in the fourth over. Heinrich Klaasen kept chipping away at the target, making a 39-ball 46, while Qaasim Adams made 17. At 90 for 4, Titans benefited from the presence of two experienced batsmen to steer the side home.
Cameron Delport narrowly missed his second T20 century © PSL
Cameron Delport’s unbeaten 93 and a four-wicket haul helped Dolphins record their first win of the competition, against Lions by 49 runs at Kingsmead in Durban.
Delport and Morne van Wyk, the captain and wicket-keeper, put together 124 for the first wicket in just 13 overs after being put in. Van Wyk made 60 of those in 37 balls, while Delport carried his bat through to finish with five fours and six sixes in his 62-ball knock. Three of those sixes came in one Eddie Leie over, the 16th of the innings, to give Dolphins a final push; they smashed 63 off the last five overs to finish on 193 for 4.
Lions started briskly courtesy Dominic Hendricks, but found themselves at 55 for 3 in the seventh over. Nicky van den Bergh made 43 in a 52-run stand with Hendricks before their dismissals in the space of six deliveries set Lions back. They were bowled out for 144 in 19.3 overs with Delport, introduced in the 12th over, finishing with career-best T20 figures.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo