Cape Town - The Cape Cobras kept their slim Champions League hopes alive after winning through a Super Over by last-minute substitute Sybrand Engelbrecht against the Barbados Tridents in Mohali on Friday.
Having lost their opening two games, the Cobras needed a win to stay in the competition, yet a draw was all they could initially manage, with man of the match Engelbrecht scoring two runs off the final delivery.
Engelbrecht then redeemed himself by taking a wicket and conceding only 10 runs in the Cobras’ super over.
During the Tridents’ super over Dane Vilas and Richard Levi combined to score 11 runs off the bowling of Ravi Rampaul.
Earlier, chasing a target of 175 the Cobras got off to a good start with Levi and Hashim Amla reaching their fifty partnership in less than four overs.
Levi was in a destructive mood, especially during the third over, smashing three sixes and two fours off the bowling of James Holder.
That over, however, proved to be the exception for the Cape side as they struggled following Levi’s dismissal for 39.
Amla and Omphile Ramela kept the Cobras in the hunt with some well-placed boundaries during their partnership of 43.
In wanting to lift the run rate, Ramela attempted to smash a ball by Jeevan Medis over the boundary but the left-hander was beaten by the spin, giving wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich an easy stumping.
Amla looked in good knick as he tried to keep their hopes of making the semi-final stage alive. The South African Test captain rode his luck having been dropped twice, caught off a no-ball and getting a favourable call from New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden on an lbw appeal that seemed out.
Amla went on to reach his 10th T20 fifty with a six off Mendis. But the bowler would have the last laugh, claiming the wicket of Amla straight after failing to hold on to a catch off his own delivery, Dowrich once again claiming the assist with a stumping.
Mendis ended the innings with figures of 4/27.
Despite losing the game in the Super Over, Tridents coach Desmond Hayes - a former WP stalwart - would have been pleased by his squad’s efforts, particularly with Mendis and Johnathan Carter who scored his maiden T20 century to help set up the Tridents’ score.
Carter finished the innings with an unbeaten 111 in a dominant display that saved his team who had found themselves on 7/2 by the third over.
Engelbrecht was once again the pick of the Cobras bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/24, while veteran bowler Charl Langeveldt had a similar return of 2/29.
* Karanveer Singh claimed four wickets as the Kings XI Punjab destroyed the Northern Knights by 120 runs in Mohali - a result that aids the Cobras cause.
The legbreak bowler claimed four wickets for just 15 runs as the Knights were bundled out for 95 in 15.2 overs in trying to chase down the 215 for five the Kings XI posted after being sent in to bat first.
The Cobras face the Kings XI Punjab in their final group phase match on Sunday and must win convincingly to stand a chance of making it through to the semi-finals.
Weekend Argus