For the entire day and night, the Cape Cobras found themselves chasing their tail, and ultimately they could just not catch up with it in a thrilling Momentum One-Day Cup clash with the Highveld Lions at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday night.
A top-order collapse left the Cobras reeling at 8/3, and although the middle-order rallied through half-centuries by Justin Ontong (80 off 101 balls) and Aviwe Mgijima (58 off 74 balls) – as well as solid contributions from Dane Vilas and Dane Piedt (both 42) to push the home side to 244 all out, it was just not enough as the Lions pulled off a three-wicket victory.
Equally with the ball, they battled throughout and chipped away at crucial times through some spirited and aggressive fast bowling from Lizaad Williams, but again fell short at the final hurdle.
The difference between the two sides in this tension-filled tie was the calmness of Lions captain Dominic Hendricks (91 not out).
With his teammates all succumbing to the pressure exerted by the Cobras, the skipper kept his nerve and smashed Stiaan van Zyl through mid-wicket for four off the penultimate delivery of the match to seal a much-needed victory for the Lions.
A defeat would virtually have ended the Lions’ chances of defending their One-Day Cup crown, but now they are firmly back in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Conversely, the Cobras, who entered the match in third position, drop down to last place on the log and have plenty of work to do in their remaining five matches.
Cobras star Justin Ontong drives through the offside in his innings of 80 against the Lions. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky, BackpagePix
Hendricks had good support from opener Rassie van der Dussen (66 off 96 balls), with the pair sharing a 106-run partnership for the third wicket.
With the two set batsmen at the crease, it seemed the Lions would coast to victory, but the needless run out of Van der Dussen opened the door for the Cobras.
It was just the sniff they needed, with the Cobras tightening the noose before Hendricks found another willing partner in young Willem Mulder.
The South African Under-19 captain started in nervous fashion with Williams, in particular, giving him a frosty welcome to the crease.
Mulder, though, showed the class and temperament that have many pundits raving about his potential as he took the Lions to the brink of victory with 25 off 29 balls in a 43-run partnership with his skipper.
However, the twists and turn of the night was not complete yet, with Williams returning to remove Mulder with the Lions requiring just four runs off seven balls.
A foregone conclusion under normal circumstances, but the Cobras refused to surrender, with part-timer Van Zyl squeezing the Lions in the final over.
Drama ensued when Van Zyl clean-bowled new batsman Bjorn Fortuin with his first ball that would have sent cold shivers through the Lions dressing-room, but somehow Nono Pongolo got Hendricks back on strike for the skipper to strike the winning runs with a ball to spare.