The Cape Cobras batting line-up has flattered to deceive this season, but they came good against the Titans in a T20 Challenge clash at Centurion on Friday night.
But more rain in a match already reduced to 10 overs per side saw the game declared a no-result, with two points each for both teams as the Titans were on 7/0 off one over in reply to the Cobras’ 115/4.
The match was shaping up to be a 10-over thriller due to rain before the start of play, with Titans captain Albie Morkel unsurprisingly opting to bowl first.
But he wouldn’t have banked on Cobras opener Richard Levi finding his touch, as the former Proteas T20 opener has struggled to get going in this year’s competition.
Levi got stuck in from the first over, finding the ropes twice off Morkel, and he kept going, slamming David Wiese for six and getting two more boundaries off Lungi Ngidi that took the Cobras to 30/0 off three overs.
Off-spinner Dane Piedt – who is on loan to the Titans from the Cobras – pulled it back by conceding just four runs off five balls, but Wayne Parnell sent the final delivery for a maximum to maintain the run-rate at 10.
Junior Dala fared even better in his first five balls to give away just two, but a wide led to five wides, and Levi struck another four as well.
That set the platform for the rest of the batsmen to have a full go, even when Levi (45 off 27 balls, 4x4, 3x6), Parnell (16) and captain Kieron Pollard (2) departed within 10 balls.
Rory Kleinveldt didn’t let up, blasting four sixes in five balls – three of which were off Ngidi – and he was dismissed for 28 off eight by Malusi Siboto.
Keegan Petersen contributed two crucial boundaries in the final over off Dala, with the 116-run target a tough ask for even the powerful Titans side.
Aiden Markram and Qaasim Adams opened for the home team, but after Dane Paterson sent down the first over, the bad weather returned.
The Cobras’ two log points sees them stay in fourth position on eight, while the table-topping Titans maintained their unbeaten status after five games with 20.
The Warriors held on to second spot after a dramatic six-wicket win over the Lions in Port Elizabeth on Friday night, which moved them up to 14 points, with the Dolphins in third after they beat the Knights by eight wickets in Bloemfontein earlier on Friday.
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